The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
OVERVIEW we generally keep good health we are prone to ‘drugs, drink and depression’ THINGS TO DO have a GP for self and family don’t self prescribe (except for simple OTC medications) have consults about self in formal clinics have…
RRT Prescription: Aims of treatment - fluid management; acidosis correction; hyperkalaemia correction; uraemia; toxin removal
A pleural effusion is a collection of fluid in the pleural space. Review of basic Pleural Fluid Analysis
Platypnea-orthodeoxia (P-O) syndrome is an under-diagnosed condition characterized by dyspnea and deoxygenation when changing from a recumbent to an upright position
Animal and laboratory studies form the lowest level of evidence for informing clinical decisions
Patient safety is defined as the “absence of adverse events” and often extended to include the activities involved in preventing adverse events, including adherence to quality standards and access to healthcare services
Administration of intravenous calcium has traditionally been considered a contra-indication for the treatment of hyperkalemia in the presence of digoxin toxicity. This is based on the ‘Stone Heart’ Theory: calcium may lead to an irreversible non-contractile state, due to impaired diastolic relaxation from calcium-troponin C binding
Ludwig angina: rapidly progressive gangrenous bilateral cellulitis of the submandibular space with risk of life-threatening airway compromise
The CT head scan is a computer-generated series of images from multiple X-rays taken at different levels. Fine X-ray beams passed through the subject are absorbed to different degrees by different tissues and the transmitted radiation is measured by a scanning device.
Blood Gas Analyser: machine for point of care measurement of arterial blood gas indices and electrolytes
Glucose Control Literature Summaries
Rotavirus is the leading cause of gastroenteritis worldwide and a leading cause of infant death in the developing world. 95% of U.S. children have had a rotavirus infection by the age of 5 years.