Critical Care Medicine at a Glance, 3rd Edition

Critical Care Medicine at a Glance is an accessible introduction and revision text for junior clinicians. Fully revised and updated to reflect changes to the content and assessment methods used by medical schools and postgraduate training programmes, this at a Glance provides a user-friendly overview of critical care medicine to encapsulate all that the student needs to know.

This new edition of Critical Care Medicine at a Glance:

• Is fully revised and updated to increase coverage of a rapidly expanding area of medicine
• Provides a simple and straightforward, yet rapid, introduction to the care of the acutely ill
• Features new 'Pearls of Wisdom', to aid learning and understanding
• Includes an appendix of top nutrition tips from the Royal College of Physicians
• Provides increased coverage of neurological emergencies, acute and abdominal emergencies, arrhythmias, imaging and fluid management

Critical Care Medicine at a Glance is ideal for medical students, junior doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals expected to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to care for acutely ill patients.

Table of Contents
Dedication

Preface 

Acknowledgements 

Units, symbols and abbreviations 

Part 1 General

1. Recognising the acutely unwell patient 

2. Managing of the critically ill patient 

3. Monitoring in critical care medicine 

4. The electrocardiogram

5. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation 

6. Oxygen transport

7. Shock 

8. Circulatory assessment  

9. Fluid management: pathophysiological factors 

10. Fluid management: assessment and prescription

11. Fluid management: fluid choice

12. Inotropes and vasopressors 

13. Failure of oxygenation and respiratory failure  

14. Oxygenation and oxygen therapy 

15. Airways obstruction and management 

16. Non-invasive ventilation 

17. Endotracheal intubation 

18. Mechanical ventilation 

19. Respiratory management, weaning and tracheostomy 

20. Arterial blood gases and acid–base balance 

21. Analgesia, sedation and paralysis 

22. Enteral and parenteral nutrition  

23. Hypothermia and hyperthermia 

24. Assessment of the patient with suspected infection

25. Bacteraemia, SIRS and sepsis

26. Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) infections 

27. Fever in the returning traveller

28. Fever (pyrexia) of unknown origin

29. End of life issues 

Part 2 Medical

Cardiac

30. Acute coronary syndromes I: clinical pathophysiology 

31. Acute coronary syndromes II: investigations and management 

32. Arrhythmia: tachyarrhythmia 

33. Arrhythmia: bradyarrhythmia

34. Heart failure and pulmonary oedema 

35. Cardiac emergencies 

36. Deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism 

Respiratory

37. Chest imaging and bronchoscopy

38. Community-acquired pneumonia 

39. Hospital-acquired (nosocomial) pneumonia 

40. Asthma 

41. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 

42. Acute respiratory distress syndrome  

43. Pneumothorax and air leaks 

44. Respiratory emergencies 

Renal and metabolic

45. Acute kidney injury: pathophysiology and clinical aspects 

46. Acute kidney injury: management and renal replacement therapy 

47. Electrolyte disturbance: sodium and potassium

48. Electrolyte disturbance: calcium

49. Electrolyte disturbance: magnesium and phosphate

50. Diabetic emergencies 

51. Endocrine emergencies 

Gastrointestinal

52. Gastrointestinal haemorrhage 

53. Jaundice

54. Acute liver failure  

55. Acute pancreatitis 

56. Vomiting and intestinal obstruction

57. Diarrhoea

58. Ascites

59. Abdominal imaging

Neurological

60. Acute confusional state, coma and status epilepticus 

61. Stroke

62. Other cerebral vascular disorders

63. Infective neurological emergencies

64. Neuromuscular conditions 

Infective

65. Specific bacterial infections

66. Common adult viral infections

67. Common fungal and protozoal infections

68. The immune compromised patient

Other systems

69. Coagulation disorders and transfusion 

70. Drug overdose and poisoning 

Part 3 Surgical

71. Trauma 

72. Head injury 

73. Chest trauma 

74. Acute abdominal emergencies 

75. Obstetric emergencies 

76. Burns, toxic inhalation and electrical injuries 

Part 4 Self assessment

Case studies and questions 

Case studies answers 

Appendices

Appendix I: Classification of antiarrhythmic drugs 

Appendix II: Acute injury network staging system 2008 for acute kidney injury 

Appendix III: Rockall risk-scoring system for GI bleeds 

Appendix IV: Child–Pugh grading 

Appendix V: Typical criteria for liver transplantation 

Appendix VI: RCP ten top nutrition tips

Index