The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
OVERVIEW Hypothermia occurs when core body temperature is < 35°C mild: 32-35°C moderate: 28-32°C severe: < 28°C Swiss staging system I – clearly conscious and shivering II – impaired consciousness without shivering III – unconscious IV – not breathing V…
Hyperosmolar hyperglycaemic state (HHS) = Hyperosmotic Hyperglycaemic Syndrome (HHS)
Heat stroke is hyperthermia with neurological dysfunction due to the failing thermoregulatory system; rectal temperature exceeds 40.6°C (definition varies between authors — in practice, don't be too strict especially if prehospital cooling performed)
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) potentially life-threatening complication of diabetes mellitus resulting from the consequences of insulin deficiency
Calcium: highly regulated cation
involved in: cell death, duration and strength of cardiac muscle contraction, muscle contraction in blood vessels, airways and uterus, coagulation, bone metabolism, neurotransmitter and hormone release…
Urinary Electrolytes: used in the diagnosis of a number of electrolyte disturbances in ICU (especially when intake of electrolytes is known and relatively controlled)
Syndrome Of Inappropriate ADH secretion (SIADH) is hyponatraemia due to an increase in concentration of ADH inappropriate to the current osmotic or volume status. The differential diagnosis includes ADH analogues
Hyponatraemia: common problem in ICU (30% of patients have a Na < 134mmol/L)
Hypophosphataemia: Phosphate - important intracellular anion; 85% is stored in bone as hydroxyapapitie crystals, 14% in soft tissues, 1% in blood
Hypokalaemia: the most common electrolyte abnormality in hospitalised patients; mostly caused by drugs and GI disease
Hypocalcaemia: Reduced intake; redistribution and increased output
Hypernatraemia can be caused by a number of critical illnesses: water depletion (decreased intake, hypotonic fluid loss – renal/non-renal); solute excess (Na+ or other)