PulmCrit (EMCrit)

Critical illness leads to a variety of gastrointestinal motility problems (largely due to the constellation of immobility, medications, and metabolic abnormalities).  Although these topics don’t generally attract much interest, maintaining adequate bowel motility is essential to avoid iatrogenic harm. The chapter on gastroparesis is located 👉 here. The chapter on ileus is located 👉 here. […]

Cerebral vein thrombosis is a neurological emergency with a frequency similar to meningitis.  We don’t often think about this, but we probably should.  With early diagnosis and appropriate management, outcomes are often very good (making this one of the most treatable forms of stroke). The IBCC chapter is located 👉 here. The podcast & comments […]

Hypertriglyceridemia is responsible for about ~10% of pancreatitis episodes seen in critical care.  The management of this entity is highly variable, due to a lack of high-quality evidence.  Approaches range from extremely aggressive (e.g. plasmapheresis) to more conservative therapy (e.g. subcutaneous insulin).  This chapter attempts to unpack the physiology and evidence underlying this diagnosis, with […]

Fungal infections are becoming common among critically ill patients, as our patient population is increasingly complex and more frequently immunosuppressed.  Traditional curricula often focus on antibacterial agents rather than antifungals, leaving antifungal agents shrouded in a sense of mystery.  Antifungals actually aren’t that tricky though, as there is a very limited number of them. The […]

Enormous attention is committed to the control of pain, with much less being directed to the control of nausea.  However, nausea and vomiting can be even more distressing than pain.  By understanding the receptor pharmacology of various antiemetics, a rational and effective approach is possible. The IBCC chapter is located here. The podcast & comments […]