Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is common in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care units (ICU). ARDS results in increased use of critical care resources and healthcare costs, yet the overall mortality associated with these conditions remains high. Research focusing on preventing ARDS and identifying patients at risk of developing ARDS is necessary to develop strategies to alter the clinical course and progression of the disease. To date, few strategies have shown clear benefits. One of the most important obstacles to preventive interventions is the difficulty of identifying patients likely to develop ARDS. Identifying patients at risk and implementing prevention strategies in this group are key factors in preventing ARDS. This review will discuss early identification of at-risk patients and the current prevention strategies.
Tom, one of my colleagues from the Critical Care Outreach Team and I discuss this paper and its findings reaching our own conclusions. Deferring Arterial Catheterisation in Patients with Septic Shock.
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We return to our 48-year-old patient: jaundiced, hypotensive, drowsy, and bleeding. In decompensated cirrhosis, every treatment targets a disrupted system — splanchnic vasodilation, portal hypertension, toxin accumulation, and renal hypoperfusion.Although these patients look fluid overloaded, they are effectively hypovolaemic. Start with small aliquots of balanced crystalloid, avoiding 0.9% saline. In hepatorenal syndrome or tense ascites, 20% albumin is
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In this episode, I walk through the real-world critical care management of acute decompensated alcohol-related liver disease, using a high-risk ICU case to anchor the discussion. The focus is on understanding the underlying physiology—portal hypertension, rebalanced haemostasis, hepatic encephalopathy, infection, and hepatorenal syndrome—and translating that physiology into clear first-hour priorities at the bedside. Listeners are
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