In their book, editors Bryden and Temple1 present an excellent review of the most common types of cases seen in the intensive care unit (ICU). The reviewed topics are relevant for physicians taking care of patients in the neuro-ICU, surgical ICU, trauma ICU, and medical ICU. It provides an excellent overview of critical illnesses and is recommended for students, residents, and fellows preparing for exams, as well as practicing intensivists who wish to revisit these topics. The book is divided into 45 chapters written by 65 authors. Each chapter begins with an introduction reviewing the importance of the topic, followed by a thorough description of an illustrative clinical case. The management of the case is reviewed and critiqued in each chapter’s discussion section, which is followed by a more detailed, evidence-based review of the topic. Each chapter concludes with a bulleted list of key learning points. The discussion topics range from the cardiac realm (eg, cardiac arrest, valvular heart disease, heart failure) to neurological emergencies including intracerebral hemorrhage and status epilepticus. Gastrointestinal (GI) topics include GI hemorrhages, pancreatitis, and liver diseases. The respiratory section covers areas such as acute lung injury, pulmonary hypertension, pneumonia, noninvasive ventilation, and the management of asthma in ventilated patients. Procedure-related chapters include airway management, bronchoscopy, tracheostomy, and central venous catheter infections. Other chapters cover trauma and burns, sepsis, overdoses, acid-base disorders, and endocrine abnormalities. The main strength of this book lies in the presentation of actual clinical vignettes, which are managed with common practices. The authors then proceed to review each of these practices and indicate which have subsequently been supported by evidence. The authors are effective at providing informed and relevant rationale for their approach to each condition. For example, in the preeclampsia and eclampsia chapters, the authors first review the importance of airway management, blood pressure, magnesium therapy, and delivery. They then proceed to review HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelet count) syndrome, and finally conclude by covering some key learning points for the intensivists. One of the notable limitations of the book is the inclusion of multiple laboratory units that are not commonly used in the United States, such as kPa for Paco2 and Pao2, and µmol/L for creatinine. This may hinder the ability of the reader to easily translate the data presented in the cases into familiar ranges. In addition, the reader must be aware that some new definitions published in the past few years (such as the new definitions of sepsis/septic shock and ventilator-associated conditions) are not included.2,3 This will likely be remedied in any future editions, however. This book is also not currently offered in interactive format, and there is no continuous medical education credit associated with it. Although a great review for those preparing for the United States Critical Care Medicine Certification Examination, it is important to note that it should not be the only material relied on. In conclusion, Case Studies in Adult Intensive Care Medicine provides a concise and accurate description of key topics relevant to intensive care medicine. This book is recommended for students who are preparing for exams in intensive care medicine and physicians who seek a clinically oriented approach to the diagnosis and management of critical illnesses. Houssein A. Youness, MD, FCCPJean I. Keddissi, MD, FCCPPulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine SectionDepartment of MedicineOklahoma City Veterans Affairs HealthCare SystemUniversity of Oklahoma Health Sciences CenterOklahoma City, Oklahoma[email protected]
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Sep 1, 2024
Gopal Singh Charan + 2
