Critical care

Critical Care Neurology and Neuro Critical Care

CRITICAL CARE/RESPIRATORY CARE Corticosteroid Replacement in Critical Illness

Intensivists routinely administer glucocorticoids, which are potent anti-inflammatory, immune, metabolic, and adrenergic modulating compounds at physiologic and pharmacologic doses. Recent investigations report increasing recognition of relative or absolute adrenal insufficiency in critically ill patients and the impact of cortisol responsiveness as a predictor of outcome for the critically ill...

Clinical review: Critical care transport and austere critical care

The development of modern intensive care units (ICUs) has allowed the survival of patients with advanced illness and injury, although at a cost of substantial infrastructure. Natural disasters and military operations are two common situations that can create critically ill patients in an environment that is austere or has been rendered austere. This has driven the development of two related str...

The pulmonary physician in critical care: towards comprehensive critical care?

This overview of intensive care medicine in Europe and the United States is an introduction to the review series on "The pulmonary physician in critical care" which starts in this issue of Thorax.

Update in Nonpulmonary Critical Care Advances in Critical Care Hepatology

Liver disease is a major source of morbidity and mortality in the intensive care unit (ICU). Cirrhotic patients admitted to the medical ICU have increased mortality (40 to 90%) and a poor prognosis (1). This article addresses specific management issues for conditions the intensivist is often called on to treat, including fulminant hepatic failure, complications of chronic liver disease such as ...