Critical Care/Intensive Care Topic Homepage
Critical Care/Intensive Care Overview
Intensive care is the hospital based specialty dedicated to treating critically ill and high risk patients who require aggressive treatment and continuous monitoring.1 Patients in intensive care units (ICUs) are usually complex, with illnesses involving multiple systems and in some cases multiple diseases.1
The main functions of ICUs can be divided into two groups; firstly treatment of emergency patients...
... with potentially reversible organ damage. Secondly to provide organ function support and vital monitoring of patients who have undergone elective surgery with the potential for organ failure.2
In the UK in 2008 there were only 3498 critical care beds; 1970 in ICUs and 1528 in high-dependency units (HDUs). This equates to only 8.6 beds per 100,000 people.3 For this reason the use of ICU and HDU beds are only reserved for those who will benefit significantly from them.
Elective ICU patients are admitted as a precaution, rather than because immediate treatment is required. Patients routinely receive intensive care treatment following cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.4 In contrast, emergency patients are admitted requiring immediate treatment. This may be due to trauma or an unexpected surgical complication.
1. Varon J. et al. Handbook of Critical and Intensive Care Medicine. Springer. 2010 : 422 pages.
2. Takala J. et al. What is Critical Care Medicine. Clinical Critical Care Medicine. Elsevier Ltd. 2006 : xv-xvi.
3. Williams C. et al. Criteria for ICU Admission and Severity of Illness Scoring. Surgery (Oxford). May 2009 ; 27 (5) : 201-206.
4. Weissman C. et al. Who Recieves Postoperative Intensive and Intermediate Care?. Journal of Clinical Anaesthesia. June 2008 ; 20 (4) : 263-270.
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Anti-Infectives Knowledge Network
The Anti-infectives Knowledge Network (AIKN), an initiative by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd, shares the expertise and experience of a number of Thought leaders in the area of anti-infectives.
Topics from EBMT 2013 covered include:
- Advances in prevention strategies for cytomegalovirus (CMV)
- Managing infectious complications in HSCT recipients
- Prophylaxis and management of fungal infections
- Advances and on-going challenges in managing invasive fungal infections
This is in addition to reports and sponsored presentations from ISICEM 2013 and our 2012 coverage from a number of meetings including ECCMID and ISHAM.
Additional content recently added to the Anti-infectives Knowledge Network includes:
- Slides shared by the faculty from the Seeing CDI differently CME-accredited meeting held in London, February 2013. This meeting was funded by Astellas Pharma Europe Ltd. Content was driven by a scientific steering committee
- Free downloadable 2012 ESCMID Guidelines Supplement for the diagnosis and management of Candida diseases and related slides for use in your own presentations
Future 2013 coverage will include congress reports and interactive presentations from ECCMID, EHA, ESOT and TIMM.
We encourage you to return regularly to read the news, clinical insights, and essential information from the latest congresses.
Click here to enter the Anti-infectives Knowledge Network.
Date of Preparation: May 2013 AI/13/0011/EUf
Anti-Infectives Knowledge Centre
The last decade has seen an increase in the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infections (CDI), making it one of the most talked about disease topics with many recent congresses focusing on the disease.
As the leading cause of nosocomial diarrhoea in industrialised countries1 detection and treatment of CDI is extremely important. The ESCMID guidelines recommend that diagnosis is based upon both signs and symptoms and laboratory evidence of toxin producing C. difficile in stools.1,2 In addition antibiotic treatment to eradicate severe C. difficle infection is recommended in these guidelines.2
The management of systemic fungal infections is also a major challenge for healthcare professionals. Due to the invasive nature of fungal infections, many treatments are pre-emptive and are therefore initiated without identifying the specific fungus involved. Targeted approaches will become a more viable option as the speed and delivery of diagnostic methods improve.
The Anti-infectives Knowledge Centre aims to provide you with the most recent information in the areas of both CDI and systemic fungal infections with regularly updated content to help assist in the fight against these diseases.
The Knowledge Centre currently provides information on CDI, including:
- Prevalence – the incidence of CDI and the factors that have been attributed to the rise in these infections
- Symptoms – the symptoms of CDI, including how pseudomembranous colitis manifests
- Recurrence – the impact of recurring infection on patient outcomes
- Diagnosis – the importance of early diagnosis and the diagnostic tests available
- Treatment – treatment options recommended by the current ESCMID guidelines
Additional information on systemic fungal infections will be added soon.
Enter the Anti-infectives Knowledge Centre
References
1. Crobach MJ, et al. Clin Microbiol Infect 2009; 15: 1053‐1066
2. Bauer MP, et al. Clin Microbiol Infect 2009; 15: 1067‐1079
Date of preparation November 2012 AI/12/0038/EUc
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Critical Care/Intensive Care Drug Data - A-Z
Possible searches include drugs or medicines (by brand, generic ingredient or drug class), diseases, conditions and more.
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Clinical Guidelines
Opioids in palliative care: safe and effective prescribing of strong opioids for pain in palliative care of adults
May 2012Pain is common in advanced and progressive disease. Up to two-thirds of people with cancer..
... experience pain that needs a strong opioid. This proportion is similar or higher in many other advanced and progressive conditions.
Despite the increased availability of strong opioids, published evidence suggests that pain which results from advanced disease, especially cancer, remains under-treated.
The guideline will address first-line treatment with strong opioids for patients who have been assessed as requiring pain relief at the third level of the WHO pain ladder. It will not cover second-line treatment with strong opioids where a change in strong opioid treatment is required because of inadequate pain control or significant toxicity.
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Online CME
Effect of Supplement Therapy on Traumatic Brain Injury
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Clinical Trials
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... full and one limited sampling on days 3 (n=9) and 7 (n=5). Furthermore, we will be able to determine intra-individual variability. On non-PK days, trough samples will be taken to determine the time to steady state. All samples will be taken just prior to the morning dose of micafungin. All infusion rates will be according to the SPC label information. Patients are considered to be evaluable if at least the first PK curve has been completed. Two moments of PK analysis will enable us to determine whether there is an increase over time in exposure if steady state has not been reached.
Medical Videos
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Journal of Critical Care
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ICUPearls (Critical care tips for doctors and nurses) - £1.49
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