Comprehensive and clinically oriented, this new text helps you provide the highest standard of care for patients in the ICU-in one full-color volume. An international cast of experts offers in-depth, authoritative guidance on clinical problems from a multitude of perspectives. Inside, you'll find a user-friendly format with a consistent organization from chapter to chapter for easy reference, and a bonus CD-ROM containing all of the illustrations from the text for use in PowerPointT slide presentations.

• Offers you the insights and benefits of critical care research being performed outside the U.S.
• Combines practical, clinical guidance with the basic science necessary to effectively treat and manage critical care patients.
• Emphasizes the practice of critical care, including general organ system monitoring and support.
• Covers the wide range of diseases, disorders, and trauma encountered in the ICU.
• Discusses everything from biologic response to stress to mechanical ventilation to problems associated with infectious diseases.
• Includes detailed discussions on the hottest topics in the field, including mechanical ventilation * assessment for weaning * pregnancy-related critical care * and bioterrorism and unusual critical care medicine conditions.
• Uses over 600 full-color illustrations that explain every detail.
• Offers a differential diagnosis table, a management algorithm, a therapeutic implications flowchart, and a controversies box in every clinical disorders chapter.
• Includes a BONUS CD-ROM that lets you download all of the superb full-color illustrations from the book into PowerPoint.

Section 1. Basic Biology and Critical Care Medicine

Inflammation * Genetics * Biologic Response to Stress * Vascular Tone * Cell Metabolism and Tissue Hypoxy


Section 2. Practice of Critical Care


ICU Pharmacology, Including Sedation, Paralysis, Analgesis, Delirium * Antibiotics in the ICU * ID Prophylaxis * Prophylactic Therapy * ICU Scoring Systems * Hemodynamic Monitoring


Mechanical Ventilation


Modes * Tracheostomy * Monitoring * Patient-ventilation Interaction * VALI * Assessment for Weaning * VA Pneumonia * Clinical Assessment of the Acutely Unstable Patient * Nursing Issues of the Critically Ill * Nutritional Support * Withdrawal and Withholding Life Support


Section 3. Pulmonary Problems

Acute Exacerbations of COPD and Asthma (including VCD) * Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Including Near-Drowning, Vasculitis * Pulmonary Embolism * Obesity and Chest Wall Problems * Neuromuscular Respiratory Failure, Including Botulism, Guillian-Barre, Tick Paralysis, Myasthenis Gravis, Organophosphates


Section 4. Cardiovascular Problems


Pathophysiology of Cardiovascular Failure * Cardica Ischemia/Infarction * Arrhythmias (brady, tachy, pacing) * Hypertensive Emergencies * Acute Cardiovascular Emergencies * Heart-Lung Interactions



Section 5. Neurologic Problems


Intracranial Pressure and Central Brain Flow Regulation * Management of Traumatic Brain Injury, Including Secondary Insult, Traumatic Edema (Glasgow Coma Scale) * Management of Subarachnoid Hemmorhage, Including HHH, Vasospasm * CNS Infection and Vasculitis * Seizure * Management of Spinal Injury * Brain Death and Management of Donor


Section 6. Renal and Metabolic Problems


Acid Base Disorders * Electrolyte Disorders * Acute Renal Failure * Hepatorenal Syndrome * Acute Endocrine Disorders * DKA and HONC


Section 7. Gastrointestinal Problems


GI Bleeding, UGIB and LGIB * Pancreatitis * Fulminant Hepatic Failure * Acute Abdominal Emergencies


Section 8. Hematologic Problems


Coagulation Overview * Bleeding Disorders * Blood Product Replacement


Section 9. Infectious Disease Problems


Community-acquired Pneumonia * Pneumonia in the Immunocompromised Patient
Sepsis * Catheter-related Infections


Section 10. Other Critical Care Problems


Multi-trauma, Including Peripheral Compartment Syndromes * Burns, Electrical, and Inhalation Injuries * Hypo-hyperthermia * Pregnancy-related Critical Care * Acute Care of Post-cardiac Surgery Patients * Acute Care of Major Surgery Patients * Alcohol and Drug Ingestions * CO Inhalation * Bioterrorism and Unusual Critical Care Medicine Conditions

By Richard K. Albert, Professor of Medicine, University of Colorado, Chief, Medical Service, Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA; Arthur Slutsky; V. Marco Ranieri; Antoni Torres; and Jukka Takala