Critical care medicine
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2011
Case ReportsEncephalopathy in acute liver failure resulting from acetaminophen intoxication: new observations with potential therapy.
Hyperammonemia is a major contributing factor to the encephalopathy associated with liver disease. It is now generally accepted that hyperammonemia leads to toxic levels of glutamine in astrocytes. However, the mechanism by which excessive glutamine is toxic to astrocytes is controversial. Nevertheless, there is strong evidence that glutamine-induced osmotic swelling, especially in acute liver failure, is a contributing factor: the osmotic gliopathy theory. The object of the current communication is to present evidence for the osmotic gliopathy theory in a hyperammonemic patient who overdosed on acetaminophen. ⋯ We suggest that the biochemical data are consistent with the osmotic gliopathy theory--high plasma ammonia leads to high plasma glutamine--an indicator of excess glutamine in astrocytes (the site of brain glutamine synthesis). This excess glutamine leads to osmotic stress in these cells. The lag in recovery of brain function presumably reflects time taken for the astrocyte glutamine concentration to return to normal. We hypothesize that an inhibitor of brain glutamine synthesis may be an effective treatment modality for acute liver failure.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2011
Saddle pulmonary embolism: is it as bad as it looks? A community hospital experience.
Saddle pulmonary embolism represents a large clot and a risk for sudden hemodynamic collapse. However, the clinical presentation and outcomes vary widely. On the basis of the findings of right heart dysfunction on echocardiograms, computed tomography angiography, or cardiac enzyme elevation, some argue for the use of thrombolytics or catheter thrombectomy even for hemodynamically stable patients. ⋯ Most patients with saddle pulmonary embolism found on computed tomography angiography responded to the standard management for pulmonary embolism with unfractionated heparin. Although ominous in appearance, most patients with saddle pulmonary embolism are hemodynamically stable and do not require thrombolytic therapy or other interventions.
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Regionalization of care is a potential strategy for the management of shock. There are no data describing the regional distribution of patients with out-of-hospital shock. We sought to describe the incidence, demographic, clinical, and regional characteristics of patients with traumatic and nontraumatic medical shock treated by out-of-hospital emergency medical services. ⋯ While sharing similar regional distributions, key differences exist between emergency medical services patients with traumatic and nontraumatic shock. These differences identify opportunities for and barriers to regionalizing emergency medical services care of patients with shock.
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Critical care medicine · Nov 2011
Preparing your intensive care unit to respond in crisis: considerations for critical care clinicians.
In recent years, healthcare disaster planning has grown from its early place as an occasional consideration within the manuals of emergency medical services and emergency department managers to a rapidly growing field, which considers continuity of function, surge capability, and process changes across the spectrum of healthcare delivery. A detailed examination of critical care disaster planning was undertaken in 2007 by the Task Force for Mass Critical Care of the American College of Chest Physicians Critical Care Collaborative Initiative. We summarize the Task Force recommendations and available updated information to answer a fundamental question for critical care disaster planners: What is a prepared intensive care unit and how do I ensure my unit's readiness? ⋯ Critical care disaster planners have a complex, challenging task. Experienced planners will agree that no disaster response is perfect, but careful planning will enable the prepared intensive care unit to respond effectively in times of crisis.