Anion Gap
OVERVIEW Anion Gap = Na+ – (Cl- + HCO3-) The Anion Gap (AG) is a derived variable primarily used for the evaluation of metabolic acidosis to determine the presence of unmeasured anions The normal anion gap depends on serum phosphate…
Category CCC
The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
Airway Assessment
This page is currently under revision OVERVIEW The goal of airway assessment is to identify patients who may have difficult airways, mandating alternate approaches to airway management “History predicts the future” – whenever possible identify: Airway assessment and prediction of…
Heart Failure Literature Summaries
Follath F, et al; Steering Committee and Investigators of the Levosimendan Infusion versus Dobutamine (LIDO) Study. Efficacy and safety of intravenous levosimendan compared with dobutamine in severe low-output heart failure (the LIDO study): a randomised double-blind trial. Lancet. 2002 Jul…
Heart Block and Conduction Abnormalities
Heart Block and Conduction Abnormalities with first, second, third degree blocks; and fascicular blocks
Adverse effects of Endotracheal Intubation
Adverse effects of Endotracheal Intubation. Can be classified anatomically or into immediate, short and long term complications.
Managing the Emergency Department
The emergency department is a busy, chaotic environment where lives are at risk and the needs of individual patients must be met and patient flow must be maintained
ICU Outreach
ICU Outreach, critical care outreach teams (CCOT), ICU liaison, intensive care. CCOT services were developed to meet the actual or potential needs of patients through critical care provision ‘without walls’
ICU Response to a Pandemic
ICU Response to a Pandemic. A pandemic is a global outbreak of an infectious disease. This page uses influenza virus as an example
New Equipment Purchasing
Equipment. Asses need; funding; purchase and implementation; education; asses benefits (audit, satisfaction, cost-benefit analysis)
ICU Staffing
In most of the world, critically ill patients are managed in closed ICUs, the closed vs open-model debate is primarily of interest in the USA
ICU Design and Staffing
minimum standards relating to work practice, caseload, staffing and operational requirements, design, equipment and monitoring for Level III, II, I and Paediatric Intensive Care Units (PICUs)
Changes in ICU Mortality
Overall, ICU mortality continues to improve but there are reasons why mortality improvement is not faster