Acute heart failure
Chapter 20 Acute heart failure David Treacher The pattern of heart failure seen in the community, outpatients clinics and specialist cardiac wards is dominated by the acute coronary syndromes and…
Blood transfusion
Chapter 88 Blood transfusion James P. Isbister Blood component therapy has a central therapeutic role in clinical medicine, but blood banking and transfusion medicine has tended to focus on the…
Valvular and congenital heart disease
Chapter 21 Valvular and congenital heart disease John E. Sanderson VALVULAR HEART DISEASE Valvular heart disease is still a common cause for symptoms and disability worldwide. In most economically developed…
Diabetes insipidus and other polyuric syndromes
Chapter 51 Diabetes insipidus and other polyuric syndromes Craig Carr Diabetes insipidus (DI: literal translation, ‘tasteless siphon’) refers to a syndrome characterised by pathological polyuria, excessive thirst and polydipsia. Polyuria…
Colloids and blood products
Chapter 89 Colloids and blood products Michael Mythen Colloids are plasma expanders used to expand the blood volume. Hydrostatic and osmotic forces dictate movement of fluid between the different compartments…
Liver transplantation
Chapter 94 Liver transplantation Elizabeth Sizer, Julia Wendon Liver transplantation has revolutionised the care of patients, with both acute and chronic end-stage liver disease becoming the treatment of choice in…
Haemostatic failure
Chapter 91 Haemostatic failure James P. Isbister Failure of haemostasis is common in critically ill patients and may be complex and multifactorial in pathogenesis. As haemostatic failure may complicate a…
Fluid and electrolyte therapy
Chapter 85 Fluid and electrolyte therapy Anthony Delaney, Simon Finfer The management of patients’ fluid and electrolyte status requires an understanding of body fluid compartments as well as an understanding…
Neurological emergencies in children
Chapter 102 Neurological emergencies in children Anthony J. Slater Neurological emergencies are the most common life-threatening emergencies in children. In developed societies after the first year of life, the leading…
