Echocardiographic imaging
Pearls • The intensive care unit is a unique environment for performing an echocardiogram; the intensivist, sonographer, and pediatric cardiologist must work together to obtain the needed information with minimal…
Pharmacology of the cardiovascular system
Pearls • Clinical acumen and knowledge of physiology is needed to distinguish between the need for an inotropic agent, which is used to increase cardiac contractility, and the need for…
Diagnostic and therapeutic cardiac catheterization
Pearls • The cardiac catheterization laboratory can play an important diagnostic and/or therapeutic role in the management of children in the pediatric intensive care unit. • For patients with cardiac…
Cardiac failure and ventricular assist devices
Pearls • Advances in medical management, surgical techniques, and mechanical circulatory support (MCS) for pediatric patients with congestive heart failure continue to improve patient outcomes. • Indications for the use…
Assessment of cardiovascular function
Pearls • Cardiovascular assessment and monitoring in the pediatric intensive care unit require careful integration of physical findings, laboratory studies, and electronic data to make appropriate therapeutic decisions. • Noninvasive…
Principles of invasive cardiovascular monitoring
Pearls • Hemodynamic monitoring refers to measurement of the functional characteristics of the heart and circulatory system that affect the perfusion of tissues with oxygenated blood. • Hemodynamic monitoring can…
Endothelium and endotheliopathy
• Because of their location, endothelial cells have the ability to interact with blood components, such as flow, soluble factors, and other cells. Endothelial cells integrate these signals into a…
Regional peripheral circulation
Pearls • When delivering critical care, one must understand the specific properties that characterize the various regional circulations because therapies that benefit one region may be detrimental to another. •…
Structure and function of the heart
Pearls • The basic form of the human heart and great vessels is complete 8 weeks after conception, after which the structures grow and mature. • Immediately after birth, there…
Long-term outcomes following critical illness in children
Pearls • Development of specialized pediatric intensive care has contributed to substantially reduced mortality for critically ill children. • Research has identified physical, cognitive, health-related quality of life, and mental…
