Critical Care Study Guide

Critical care medicine is a dynamic and exciting arena where complex pathophysiologic states requiring extensive knowledge and clinical acumen are commonly found. Caring for critically ill patients requires an extensive knowledge of basic pathophysiology, as well as awareness of the appropriate diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions. Because this knowledge base crosses many different disciplines, introduction to caring for the intensive care patient, while exciting, may also be intimidating. This textbook is designed toward making the dynamic environment of the critical care unit understandable and the approach to the patient both logical and successful. The book contains three components: (1) description of the procedural tasks commonly performed for the critically ill patient, (2) explanation of the most common pathophysiologic states en- countered, and (3) description of specific disease entities with details of their differential di- agnosis, diagnostic strategy, and therapeutic plan. This book also uses several educational approaches that we have found useful in our own teaching sessions and prior textbooks. Clinical cases introduce chapters and highlight chap- ter segments to emphasize clinical relevancy. As an additional study aid, margin notes high- light important teaching points and facilitate easy review of chapter content. To consolidate the principles outlined in each chapter, review questions with full text explanations are pro- vided at the end of each chapter. All these elements help reinforce the most important mes- sages for the reader.