Applied Physiology in Intensive Care Medicine (PDF)

In theory, treatment decisions and assessments of response to therapy in critically ill patients should usually be based on measures of physiological function. Nevertheless, the most appropriate use of the information embodied in such measures is often unclear, and rarely supported by prospective clinical trials. In reality, the bedside clinician is therefore forced to rely primarily on physiological principles when deciding upon the best treatment. Unfortunately, however, the necessary knowledge base of the clinician is often less than optimal for the purpose, and habit or prior training may be more influential than science.

Against this background, this second, revised edition of Applied Physiology in Intensive Care Medicine aims to help overcome the fundamental unevenness in clinicians' understanding of applied physiology. It is divided into three sections. The first comprises a series of "physiological notes" that concisely and clearly capture the essence of the physiological perspectives underpinning our understanding of disease and response to therapy. The second section contains more detailed associated reviews on measurement techniques and physiological processes, while the third provides a number of seminal studies on diverse topics in intensive care.

This up-to-date compendium of practical bedside knowledge essential to the effective delivery of acute care medicine has been written by some of the most renowned experts in the field. It will serve the clinician as an invaluable reference source on key issues regularly confronted in everyday practice.