The LITFL Critical Care Compendium is a comprehensive collection of pages concisely covering the core topics and controversies of critical care.
TYPES Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) Wide complex SVT Accelerated idioventricular rhythm Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) VENTRICULAR TACHYCARDIA see separate document WIDE COMPLEX SVT see VT document for Brugada algorithm ACCELERATED IDIOVENTRICULAR RHYTHM (AIVR) encountered in an inferior AMI often causes haemodynamic compromise…
OVERVIEW endotracheal suction catheter USE clears secretions from the airways when the cough reflex is impaired or absent DESCRIPTION fine bore suction catheter that is can be passed down an endotracheal tube sterile sleeve allows repeated use METHOD OF USE…
Mobilisation in the ICU. The effects of critical illness, and the therapies instituted, can have effects that persist long after ICU discharge. These effects include profound and prolonged neuromuscular dysfunction
Wellens Syndrome = high grade LAD or LM coronary lesion
Ventricular Tachycardia = 3 or more VEB at a rate of > 130 beats/min. If > 30 seconds = sustained; can be monophoric or polymorphic
Ventricular Fibrillation requires a initiating stimulus in a susceptible myocardium.
Location of gas on the abdominal x-ray may suggest the the underlying cause. Differential diagnosis
Vascular gas embolism (VGE) is the entrainment of air (or exogenously delivered gas) from a communication with the environment into the venous or arterial vasculature, producing systemic effects.
Severe Heart Failure Management
Right ventricular infarction. Suspect in all patients with inferior STEMI
Medication error occurs when a medication given inappropriately regardless of whether an adverse clinical outcome occurs; drug error incidence = 1/135 anaesthesia; can cause significant harm to patients; need to recognise and adopt techniques to minimise such events
Approach to Fire in ICU has 3 key goals: protect patients and staff; manage fire hazard; identify cause and prevention