The term autonomic dysfunction is frequently associated with the syndrome of critical illness. Numerous studies have reported a striking association among depressed autonomic activity (usually measured as reduced heart rate…
Organ dysfunction is a hallmark of sepsis. Scientific investigation has focused on identifying potential causes and therapeutic targets of this component of the syndrome. Although various pathways and cellular systems…
The vast majority of patients with acute heart failure (AHF) are hospitalized with signs and symptoms of volume overload. Therefore the most important treatment strategy is to alleviate organ congestion,…
Cardiogenic shock (CS) is defined as an inability of the heart to provide adequate blood flow to maintain the metabolic demands of tissue despite adequate intravascular volume. This definition, and…
Medicine is an ancient discipline, but the capacity to avert otherwise certain death is recent. Intravenous fluid therapy was first used in London during the cholera epidemic of 1832; refinements…
Selective decontamination of the digestive tract (SDD) refers to the administration of prophylactic antibiotics to critically ill patients in the hopes of either preventing or treating airway or digestive tract…
Incidence Annually in the United States alone, more than 5 million central venous catheters (CVCs) are inserted, and patients are exposed to more than 15 million catheter days in the…
What Are Bundles? The development and publication of guidelines seldom lead to changes in clinical behavior, and guidelines are rarely integrated into bedside practice in a timely fashion. Bundles are…
Sepsis, defined as some degree of associated organ dysfunction attributed to a dysregulated host response in association with severe infection, remains a common condition affecting 1% to 11% of hospitalized…
How Can We Monitor the Microcirculation in Sepsis? Altered Microcirculation in Sepsis Sepsis is a clinical condition associated with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its management represents a challenge…
