The Geriatric Patient
More recent studies have yielded varying results (150,151), certainly not confirmatory of a pronounced “predestined” decline in oxygenation with age, and questioning the hypothesis that progressive disruption of the matching…
Anaphylactic Shock
PATHOPHYSIOLOGY The systemic manifestations of anaphylaxis represent sequelae that result from the release of inflammatory mediators by mast cells and basophils, leading to a cascade of mediators, including tryptase, histamine,…
Brain Death and Management of the Potential Organ Donor
FIGURE 119.1 The rostrocaudal progression of ischemia contemporarily known as coning. In concert with the previously described prebrain death physiology associated with severe brain injury, the process of brain death…
Mass Casualty Incidents: Organizational and Triage Management Issues
FIGURE 155.1 National Incident Management System: policy level and operations level. The Planning Section is responsible for the following. Collection, evaluation, dissemination, and use of information about the development of…
Oncologic Emergencies
Treatment The only effective long-term means of reversing malignancy-associated hypercalcemia is reduction in tumor burden (Table 147.2). Antihypercalcemic therapy is a temporizing measure that does not affect survival (5). The…
Pleural Disease in the Intensive Care Unit
The indications for diagnostic thoracentesis are not different in the ICU patient, and receiving mechanical ventilation is not a contraindication. Establishing the diagnosis quickly in critically ill patients may be…
Heart–Lung Interactions
FIGURE 101.1 Schematic diagram of the relation between changes in lung volume and pulmonary vascular resistance, where the extra-alveolar and alveolar vascular components are separated. Note that pulmonary vascular resistance…
Allergy and Immunology
FIGURE 18.1 A historic paradigm was created to depict immune activation after injury or sepsis. It was thought that initial innate inflammatory response was followed by a compensatory anti-inflammatory adaptive…
Protecting the Health Care Practitioner
PRECAUTIONS In addition to vaccination, several types of precautions for use in patient care settings are critical to protecting the HCW. Making sense of them and knowing when to implement…
