Critical Care and Hospitalist Medicine Made Ridiculously Simple

A fundamental and thorough guide to the treatment of hospitalized patients in critical care situations, "Critical Care and Hospitalist Medicine Made Ridiculously Simple" provides both introductory information as well as a... read more

Critical Care and Hospitalist Medicine Made Ridiculously Simple

What’s the Difference Between COVID-19 Tests?

The COVID-19 pandemic, tests, treatments, and outlook, continue to be front and center in the news, along with other urgent issues taking place across the country. Viral sepsis is the number one complication related to... read more

Biomarkers of Sepsis: Time for a Reappraisal

The precise roles of most biomarkers in the management of septic patients have not been well defined, and of the many biomarkers that have been studied, only a few have been evaluated in large or repeated studies. As... read more

Biomarkers of Sepsis: Time for a Reappraisal

AKI in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

Acute kidney injury (AKI) has been reported in up to 25% of critically-ill patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, especially in those with underlying comorbidities. AKI is associated with high mortality rates in this setting,... read more

AKI in Critically Ill Patients with COVID-19

An Evidence-Based Approach to Pressors in Shock

The evaluation and treatment of patients with cardiovascular shock is a cornerstone of emergency care. Unfortunately, the literature behind the use of vasoactive medications in cardiovascular shock is inconsistent. A Cochrane... read more

An Evidence-Based Approach to Pressors in Shock

Are Phenotypes a Magic Bullet for Sepsis?

There's a constant battle in medicine between practice styles—standardization and customization. Standardization is order sets and doing the same thing for every patient every time because it (hopefully) delivers better... read more

Are Phenotypes a Magic Bullet for Sepsis?

Phenotypic Heterogeneity by Site of Infection in Surgical Sepsis

There are notable differences in baseline predisposition, host responses, and clinical outcomes by site of infection in surgical sepsis. While previous studies have focused on differences in hospital mortality, this study... read more

Phenotypic Heterogeneity by Site of Infection in Surgical Sepsis

Broad Spectrum Vasopressors

We propose the notion of "broad spectrum vasopressors" wherein patients with septic shock are started on multiple vasopressors with a different mechanism of action simultaneously while the vasopressor sensitivity is assessed.... read more

Broad Spectrum Vasopressors

Can COVID-19 Cause Sepsis? Coronavirus Disease and Sepsis Relationship

On January 30th, the World Health Organization declared the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) a global health emergency, declaring it an "unprecedented outbreak." While the fears of a COVID-19 pandemic are legitimate,... read more

Can COVID-19 Cause Sepsis? Coronavirus Disease and Sepsis Relationship

Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines on the Management of Critically Ill Adults with COVID-19

The Surviving Sepsis Campaign COVID-19 panel issued several recommendations to help support healthcare workers caring for critically ill ICU patients with COVID-19. The novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus... read more

Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines on the Management of Critically Ill Adults with COVID-19

Focus on Clinical Trial Interpretation

In a recently published meta-epidemiological study of 604 randomised clinical trials (RCTs) published between 1977 and 2018 from 53 Cochrane systematic reviews in critical care, less than 7% of the RCTs had overall low risk... read more

Focus on Clinical Trial Interpretation

Epinephrine Challenge in Sepsis: An Empiric Approach to Catecholamines

The critical care world is obsessed with fluid. Meanwhile, little attention has been given to the concepts of vasopressor responsiveness and vasopressor challenge. This is a missed opportunity, because vasopressor challenges... read more

Epinephrine Challenge in Sepsis: An Empiric Approach to Catecholamines

Effect of Vitamin C and Thiamine on Time Alive and Free of Vasopressor Support Among Patients With Septic Shock

A 2020 randomized trial reported no difference in duration of time alive and free of vasopressor administration at 7 days among intensive care unit (ICU) patients with septic shock assigned to vitamin C, thiamine, and hydrocortisone... read more

Effect of Vitamin C and Thiamine on Time Alive and Free of Vasopressor Support Among Patients With Septic Shock

Life Following Pediatric Septic Shock

Margaret M. Parker, MD, MCCM, and Jerry J. Zimmerman, MD, PhD, FCCM, talk about the trajectory of long-term mortality and significant health-related quality of life disability among children encountering septic shock. This... read more

Life Following Pediatric Septic Shock

Wide Interest in a Vitamin C Drug Cocktail for Sepsis Despite Lagging Evidence

Critical care medicine specialist Paul Marik, MD, has described himself as a status quo destabilizer, and probably nothing illustrates that designation better than the sepsis treatment known as the Marik protocol. In the... read more

1 in 5 Patients Die within 90 Days After LVAD Implantation

The aim of the study was to analyze early mortality after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation which remains high. In the EUROMACS registry, approximately 1 in 5 patients die within 90 days... read more

1 in 5 Patients Die within 90 Days After LVAD Implantation

Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children

A large cohort of international experts was able to achieve consensus regarding many recommendations for the best care of children with sepsis, acknowledging that most aspects of care had relatively low quality of evidence... read more

Guidelines for the Management of Septic Shock and Sepsis-Associated Organ Dysfunction in Children

Early Identification of Disease Progression in Patients with Suspected Infection Presenting to the ED

In patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with a suspected infection, the blood biomarker MR-proADM could most accurately identify the likelihood of further disease progression. Incorporation into an early sepsis... read more

Early Identification of Disease Progression in Patients with Suspected Infection Presenting to the ED