
Lithium Toxicity
Lithium: acute overdose is usually benign if adequate hydration is maintained and renal function is normal; chronic toxicity can be difficult to manage and result in devastating neurotoxicity
The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.

Lithium: acute overdose is usually benign if adequate hydration is maintained and renal function is normal; chronic toxicity can be difficult to manage and result in devastating neurotoxicity

CLASS MECHANISM OF ACTION (1) low concentrations: methylene blue -> NADPH-dependent reduction to leucomethylene blue (due to action of methaemoglobin reductase) -> reduces methaemoglobin -> Hb(2) high concentrations: methylene blue -> converts ferrous iron of reduced Hb to ferric ion…

Hilar lymphadenopathy, seen on chest x-ray or chest CT, can be classified as unilateral or bilateral, and if bilateral as symmetrical or asymmetrical.

OVERVIEW In general terms, validity is “the quality of being true or correct”, it refers to the strength of results and how accurately they reflect the real world. Thus ‘validity’ can have quite different meanings depending on the context! Reliability…

Aspiration Pneumonia = aspiration of oropharyngeal contents which includes colonizing flora and leads to infection.

Propofol-related Infusion Syndrome is a life-threatening condition characterised by acute refractory bradycardia progressing to asystole

Sodium Valproate: anticonvulsant; decreasing neuronal excitability or enhancing inhibition of neuronal transmission.

Protamine: neutralization of heparin. Strongly basic protamine + strongly acid heparin -> forms stable salt -> removed by reticuloendothelial system.

Prostacyclin or Epoprostenol: -> used in the treatment of RV failure and pulmonary hypertension

Atrial fibrillation is an irregularly irregular tachydysrhythmia characterised by the presence of chaotic fibrillation waves on ECG, rather than p waves, due to disorganised electrical activity in the atria.

Sucralfate: aluminium salt of sulphated sucrose; forms viscous paste -> adheres to ulcers via ionic binding -> acts as a barrier to the diffusion of acid, pepsin and bile salts

Tazocin = piperacillin-tazobactam; broad spectrum penicillin + beta-lactamase