Learn a common sense approach to managing ICU patients
In the ICU, the fight is realPatients’ lives, on the line to healBeeping machines, and alarms so loudDoctors and nurses, working in a crowd In critical care, we’re the last line of defenseSaving lives, at the expense of our own Continue Reading
All in the critical care community know 6 ml/kg (recently changed to 4 ml/kg) tidal volume guidelines for ventilating ARDS patients. Many mistakenly interpret ARDS Net trials as a recommendation for 6 ml/kg, while the only logical conclusion should have Continue Reading
Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) is very common. Its treatment is seemingly straightforward, consisting of fluid/electrolyte replenishment and insulin administration. There are a few essential nuances, however, that clinicians and protocols frequently miss. Insulin does not simply lower blood glucose. It facilitates Continue Reading
It is well-known that minute ventilation and carbon monoxide level are inversely related. Higher minute ventilation leads to lower CO2. What many need to appreciate is that the relationship is not linear. The magnitude of the effect of minute ventilation Continue Reading
The “hypoxic drive” theory dominated ICU circles for quite some time as an explanation for why some chronic CO2 retainers experience increased CO2 levels while given supplemental oxygen. According to this theory, in these patients, hypoxemia is the primary stimulus Continue Reading
There is no mystery behind the Airway Pressure Release Ventilation (APRV) mode. In fact, there is no mystery behind any mode. Your patient doesn’t know what mode they are ventilated with. They simply respond to physical parameters – pressure, volume, Continue Reading
This is a common misconception that Pressure Control Ventilation (PCV) is somehow “safer” than Volume Control Ventilation (VCV), presumably because the pressure is controlled. Similarly, some believe that VCV can ventilate better than PCV because the volume is set. Neither Continue Reading
The prevalence of goals of care discussions in the ICU setting can only match the lack of preparation healthcare providers have regarding this topic. While it is always challenging, considering a few aspects of human psychology can help make complex Continue Reading
The amount of oxygen in venous blood is the difference between the amount supplied by arterial blood and the amount extracted by the tissue. In the absence of significant anemia, hypoxemia, or increased/ decreased metabolic rate, venous oxygen (specifically, venous Continue Reading
The amount of oxygen in 100 mL of blood is the total oxygen content. Plasma carries a small fraction of oxygen called dissolved content, which is directly proportional to the partial pressure of oxygen in the blood (PaO2) measured by Continue Reading