Category CCC

The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Dabigatran and Bleeding

Dabigatran is a direct thrombin inhibitor; It is viewed as a warfarin replacement; It's use is controversial because the management of bleeding complications is difficult and there is no definitive antidote

CCC Critical Care Compendium 680

Urea

Urea (Blood Urea Nitrogen – BUN) is the chief end product of protein metabolism. it is formed in the liver from ammonia and excreted by the kidneys. Urea accounts for 50% of serum non-protein nitrogen Causes of Increased serum urea…

CCC Critical Care Compendium 680

Hypomagnesaemia

Hypomagnesaemia: Defined as serum magnesium < 0.75 mmol/L; associated with increased ICU mortality common — affects 10-65% of ICU patients

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Arterial Blood Gas Sample

Indications: Evaluate the adequacy of ventilation, acid–base status, and oxygenation. Evaluate the patient’s response to therapy and/or diagnostic evaluation (e.g. oxygen delivery). Monitor severity and progression of a known disease process. Contraindications: Modified Allen test gives a negative result, indicating…

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Regional citrate anticoagulation

Regional Citrate Anticoagulation is the infusion of citrate into the blood circuit during renal replacement therapy (RRT) to chelate ionized Ca2+ forming calcium-citrate complexes, thus preventing coagulation of blood; calcium is required for the generation of thrombin (involved in the activation of factors II, IX and X)

CCC Critical Care compendium 340

Malignant Hyperthermia

Malignant Hyperthermia = pharmacogenetic disease of skeletal muscle induced by exposure to certain anaesthetic agents; incidence 1:5,000 -> 1:65,000 anaesthetics (suspected); mutation in the gene coding for the ryanodine receptor