Clinical Cases in Critical Care

In Clinical Cases in Critical Care, the authors explore core clinical topics and basic sciences in a practical and realistic way, and include comprehensive discussions focusing on critically unwell patients with a variety of presentations and underlying disorders, including COVID-19, hypotension, stroke and drug overdose.

Each case begins with a clinical vignette which generates a series of questions the reader must address. Cases are expanded to discuss differential diagnoses, investigations and management issues. Further questions direct the reader to explore relevant clinical and scientific knowledge - similar to the structure of many professional oral examinations. The final section of the book consists of exam style questions in a multiple choice and single best answer style.

Perfect for medical practitioners working in critical care settings, Clinical Cases in Critical Care provides a thorough and accessible reference for trainee physicians with an interest in critical and emergency care, as well as allied health professionals in the field. This engaging textbook will be an essential companion for anyone getting to grips with the foundation of specialist knowledge required by professionals working in intensive care medicine.

Alice Myers is a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust and co-author of a BMJ Book Awards prize winning casebook in paediatric medicine.

Theophilus Samuels is a Consultant in Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine at Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust with level 2 transthoracic echocardiography accreditation from the British Society of Echocardiography.

Foreword and How To Use This Book. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix

Author Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .x

Acknowledgements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xi

List of Abbreviations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xiii

PART I Introduction  1

Section 1 A Brief Introduction to Critical Care. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

Section 2 Intubation of the Critically Unwell Patient. . . . . . . . . . . . .13

PART II The Cases  23

Case 1 The Patient with Rising Vasopressor Requirements . . . .25

Case 2 The Patient with Respiratory Distress I . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .37

Case 3 The Patient with Respiratory Distress II. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .48

Case 4 The Patient with Abdominal Pain and Vomiting. . . . . . . .60

Case 5 The Patient Involved in a Road Traffic Collision. . . . . . . .71

Case 6 The Patient with a Raised Temperature. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .82

Case 7 The Patient with Haematemesis. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .94

Case 8 The Patient Who Is Difficult to Ventilate . . . . . . . . . . . . .104

Case 9 The Patient with Chest Pain. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .118

Case 10 The Out-of-

Hospital

Cardiac Arrest Patient. . . . . . . . . . .130

Case 11 The Patient with Hyponatraemia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .139

Case 12 The Patient in Status Epilepticus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .155

Case 13 The Patient Who is Hypotensive. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .165

Contents

ftoc.indd 7 10/20/2022 15:10:00

viii Contents

Case 14 The Patient Who Deteriorates Post Intubation. . . . . . . .177

Case 15 The Patient with Reduced Consciousness. . . . . . . . . . . .187

Case 16 The Patient Who had A Stroke. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .201

Case 17 The Patient with Chest Pain and a Rash. . . . . . . . . . . . . .213

Case 18 The Young Patient Who Collapses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .225

Case 19 The Patient Who has Taken an Overdose . . . . . . . . . . . .238

Case 20 The Unwell Obstetric Patient. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .254

Case 21 The Patient in Cardiac ICU. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .265

Case 22 The Patient Who was in A House Fire. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .280

Case 23 The Patient with Low Platelets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .293

Case 24 The Patient with COVID-19.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .306

PART III Test Yourself  319

Multiple Choice Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .321

Single Best Answer Questions. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .327

Answers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .333

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .349

The New copy of this book will include any supplemental materials advertised. Please check the title of the book to determine if it should include any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.

The Used, Rental and eBook copies of this book are not guaranteed to include any supplemental materials. Typically, only the book itself is included. This is true even if the title states it includes any access cards, study guides, lab manuals, CDs, etc.