Critical care clinics
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Critical care clinics · Jul 2007
ReviewThe cognitive consequences of critical illness: practical recommendations for screening and assessment.
Critically ill patients are at risk for several secondary complications, including delirium and long-term cognitive impairment. The exact mechanisms of delirium and ICU-related cognitive decline are not fully understood; however, the authors review several recent investigations that have proposed plausible explanations. This article also includes several practical guidelines for the identification and management of delirium to aid in the development and implementation of clinical procedures that will lower the risk for ICU delirium and cognitive decline.
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Critical care clinics · Jul 2007
ReviewAbdominal compartment syndrome: clinical aspects and monitoring.
Markedly elevated intra-abdominal pressures will result in predictable hemodynamic consequences related to compromised venous return. When the hemodynamic abnormalities are associated with organ dysfunction of failure, patients suffer from the abdominal compartment syndrome. ⋯ Vigilance, prompt diagnosis, and intervention for abdominal compartment syndrome will reduce the morbidity and mortality in critically ill. Future challenges include altering resuscitation strategies to reduce ascites formation, earlier diagnosis of organ dysfunction, and intra-organ monitoring techniques.
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Multimodality monitoring of cerebral physiology encompasses the application of different monitoring techniques and integration of several measured physiologic and biochemical variables into assessment of brain metabolism, structure, perfusion, and oxygenation status. Novel monitoring techniques include transcranial Doppler ultrasonography, neuroimaging, intracranial pressure, cerebral perfusion, and cerebral blood flow monitors, brain tissue oxygen tension monitoring, microdialysis, evoked potentials, and continuous electroencephalogram. ⋯ Real-time analysis of cerebral physiologic, metabolic, and cardiovascular parameters simultaneously has broadened knowledge about complex brain pathophysiology and cerebral hemodynamics. Integration of this information allows for more precise diagnosis and optimization of management of patients with brain injury.
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The evaluation of hormonal status in critically ill patients is challenging and has many pitfalls. This article reviews proper assessment of glycemic status AND adrenal and thyroid function during critical care.
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Imaging in the ICU plays a crucial role in patient care. The portable chest radiograph (CXR) is the most commonly requested radiographic examination, and, despite its limitations, it often reveals abnormalities that may not be detected clinically. Recent advances in CT technology have made it possible to obtain diagnostic-quality images even in the most dyspneic patient. This article reviews the significant contribution thoracic imaging makes in diagnosing and managing critically ill patients.