Acute Pancreatitis Mrudula Kumar Daniel K. Mullady BACKGROUND Acute pancreatitis is inflammation of the pancreas associated with varying degrees of autodigestion, edema, necrosis, and hemorrhage of pancreatic tissue. The principal…
Renal Replacement Therapy Tingting Li Anitha Vijayan The principal strategy regarding acute kidney injury (AKI), particularly in the intensive care setting, is prevention. Once AKI occurs, the presentation and course…
Invasive Fungal Infection Toshibumi Taniguchi Keith F. Woeltje Invasive fungal infections are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The incidence of these infections is steadily increasing. In addition,…
Bacteremia and Catheter-Related Bloodstream Infections David K. Warren Bacteremia is a common complication in the critically ill. Bloodstream infections can be secondary to a recognized infection site, or primary infections…
Toxicology Nicholas M. Mohr Devin P. Sherman Steven L. Brody More than 2.5 million cases of accidental or intentional poisoning were recorded by U.S. poison control centers in 2008, resulting…
Respiratory Acid-Base Disorders Andrew Labelle Respiratory acid-base disorders are commonly seen in the intensive care unit, and can occur independently or coexist with metabolic acid-base disorders (see Chapter 24). Respiratory…
Thyroid Disorders William E. Clutter HYPERTHYROIDISM Major clinical findings in hyperthyroidism are listed in Table 27.1. Cardiac findings may be prominent including tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and exacerbation of…
Aortic Dissection Jay Shah Alan C. Braverman Aortic dissection is a life-threatening acute aortic syndrome that accounts for a small but significant proportion of cardiovascular system disease, with an incidence…
Pleural Disorders in the Intensive Care Unit Alexander C. Chen Disorders of the pleura are found often in the intensive care unit (ICU). In some instances, pleural processes may be…
Initial Ventilator Setup Warren Isakow The initiation of mechanical ventilation is a critical period during the course of a patient’s stay in the intensive care unit. The clinician is encouraged…
