Ventilatory Failure KEY POINTS 1 Three major mechanisms cause or contribute to ventilatory failure: deficient central drive, ineffective muscular contraction, and excessive breathing workload. Important factors contributing to the minute…
ICU Infections KEY POINTS 1 Antibiotic choices should be reassessed on a daily basis, keeping in mind that antibiotics rarely, if ever, reverse the effects of any infection in less…
Venous Thromboembolism KEY POINTS 1 Because venous thromboembolism is so common and in large part preventable, essentially all hospitalized adults with risk factors should be strongly considered for prophylaxis. 2…
Fluid and Electrolyte Disorders KEY POINTS 1 The diagnosis of the etiology of hyponatremia relies on serum osmolality and an accurate assessment of fluid status of the patient. In most…
Acute Coronary Syndromes Coauthored by Shailesh Shetty KEY POINTS 1 In ischemic heart disease, survival and ventricular function are maximized by rapidly reestablishing sufficient myocardial blood flow to prevent myocardial…
Hypertensive Emergencies KEY POINTS 1 Most cases of severe hypertension in the ICU do not stem from an exotic cause but are the result of patients interrupting previously efficacious treatment…
Cardiopulmonary Arrest KEY POINTS 1 The success (hospital discharge without neurological impairment) of cardiopulmonary resuscitation is highly variable among patient populations. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation is very effective when applied promptly to…
Quality Improvement and Cost Control KEY POINTS 1 Quality, cost-efficient care requires dedicated, open-minded, and well-trained ICU leaders who are provided with accurate performance data and the power to establish…
General Supportive Care KEY POINTS 1 Failure to systematically review the available database relevant to prior history, events immediately preceding presentation, vital organ performance, and therapy prescribed before and during…
Analgesia, Sedation, and Therapeutic Paralysis KEY POINTS 1 Sedatives should be administered to achieve specific target levels of an objective sedation scale and for most patients, should be interrupted at…
