Critical Care Study Guide: Text and Review

Critical Care Study Guide: Text and Review

Critical care medicine is a dynamic and exciting arena where complex pathophysiologic states require extensive knowledge and up-to-date clinical information. An extensive knowledge of basic pathophysiology, as well as awareness... read more

Midazolam Dose Optimization in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients with ARF

Midazolam Dose Optimization in Critically Ill Pediatric Patients with ARF

This work leveraged available knowledge on non-heritable and heritable factors affecting midazolam pharmacokinetic in pediatric subjects with primary respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation, providing the basis... read more

Effect of a Low vs Intermediate Tidal Volume Strategy on Ventilator-Free Days in ICU Patients Without ARDS

Effect of a Low vs Intermediate Tidal Volume Strategy on Ventilator-Free Days in ICU Patients Without ARDS

In patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) without acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) who were expected not to be extubated within 24 hours of randomization, a low tidal volume strategy did not result in a greater... read more

Sedation in the ICU – Good Past – Better Future?

Sedation in the ICU – Good Past – Better Future?

The concepts for good sedation include defining the range of sedation, the need for agents with rapid response that can be easily and rapidly varied in restless and confused patients, various modes of ventilation, continuous... read more

Diaphragm-protective Mechanical Ventilation

Diaphragm-protective Mechanical Ventilation

Diaphragm dysfunction is common in mechanically ventilated patients and predisposes them to prolonged ventilator dependence and poor clinical outcomes. Mechanical ventilation is a major cause of diaphragm dysfunction in these... read more

Organizational Factors Associated with Target Sedation on the First 48 hours of Mechanical Ventilation

Organizational Factors Associated with Target Sedation on the First 48 hours of Mechanical Ventilation

Although light sedation levels are associated with several beneficial outcomes for critically ill patients on mechanical ventilation, the majority of patients are still deeply sedated. Organizational factors may play a role... read more

Optimizing Respiratory Management in Resource-limited Settings

Optimizing Respiratory Management in Resource-limited Settings

This review focuses on the emerging body of literature regarding the management of acute respiratory failure (ARF) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The aim is to abstract management principles that are of relevance... read more

Mechanical Ventilation Enhances Extrapulmonary Sepsis-induced Lung Injury

Mechanical Ventilation Enhances Extrapulmonary Sepsis-induced Lung Injury

These data show for the first time that otherwise noninjurious mechanical ventilation can exacerbate acute lung injury (ALI) due to extrapulmonary sepsis underscoring a potential interactive contribution of common events... read more

The Effect of Adhesive Tape vs. Endotracheal Tube Fastener in Critically Ill Adults

The Effect of Adhesive Tape vs. Endotracheal Tube Fastener in Critically Ill Adults

The optimal securement method of endotracheal tubes is unknown but should prevent dislodgement while minimizing complications. The use of an endotracheal tube fastener might reduce complications among critically ill adults... read more

PERFECT Protocol: Volume-based Feeding in Ventilated Adults

PERFECT Protocol: Volume-based Feeding in Ventilated Adults

Underfeeding in critical illness is common and associated with poor outcomes. Researchers in the UK designed a before-and-after study to evaluate the safety, efficacy and clinical outcomes associated with volume-based feeding... read more

Sedation in ICU patients – Need for Standardized Protocols

Sedation in ICU patients – Need for Standardized Protocols

A Johns Hopkins-led study on sedation practices in critically ill patients in a resource-limited setting finds that deep sedation, agitation, and benzodiazepines were independently associated with worse clinical outcomes.... read more

Tidal Volume Strategies for those without ARDS

Tidal Volume Strategies for those without ARDS

This paper justifies utilizing a higher tidal volume strategy for our patients without primary ARDS/pulmonary disease. This can be very useful. Patient comfort and patient-ventilator synchrony are extremely important. This... read more

Safety of Patient Mobilization and Rehabilitation in the ICU

Safety of Patient Mobilization and Rehabilitation in the ICU

Patient mobilization and physical rehabilitation in the ICU appears safe, with a low incidence of potential safety events, and only rare events having any consequences for patient management. Heterogeneity in the definition... read more

ICU Physiology in 1000 Words: The Mean Systemic Filling Pressure

ICU Physiology in 1000 Words: The Mean Systemic Filling Pressure

Consider sitting deep within the hull of this cruise ship, ignorant to the outside. A leak is sprung and ocean begins to rush in. Thinking quickly you activate the bilge pump which, appropriately, ejects the ocean outside... read more

A Prospective Investigation of Interleukin-8 Levels in Pediatric ARF and ARDS

A Prospective Investigation of Interleukin-8 Levels in Pediatric ARF and ARDS

The association of plasma interleukin-8 (IL-8), or IL-8 genetic variants, with pediatric acute respiratory distress syndrome (PARDS) in children with acute respiratory failure (ARF) at risk for PARDS has not been examined.... read more

Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist decreases work of breathing during non-invasive ventilation in infants with severe bronchiolitis

Neurally adjusted ventilatory assist decreases work of breathing during non-invasive ventilation in infants with severe bronchiolitis

In this physiological study, we report an improvement of respiratory unloading by adding a second level of pressure with NAVA in infants with severe bronchiolitis. WOB decreased immediately after switching to NAVA, as reported... read more

How to Improve Patient-ventilator Synchrony

How to Improve Patient-ventilator Synchrony

Asynchronies are a frequent issue in ventilated patients. They represent a mismatch between the inspiratory and expiratory times of patient and ventilator, and thus a failure to provide ventilated patients with optimal assistance.... read more