Critical care clinics
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Status epilepticus (SE) in children and adults is one of the most common neurology problems confronting the intensivist. Recognition of SE is usually straightforward, but may be complicated by the effects of other diseases or therapies. Emergent treatment is necessary to prevent further brain damage. This article reviews protocols for standard treatments of SE patients and includes recommendations for the management of refractory SE.
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Motor vehicle-related accidents account for the largest number of head injuries in all ages. This article reviews types of injury, neurologic assessment, secondary injury, brain swelling, seizures, resuscitation, and intensive care.
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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) occurs in a wide range of adult and pediatric critical care settings. This article provides an overview of ARDS including the controversies in definition, a summary of pathophysiology, diagnosis, clinical presentation, and management options. The article also attempts to emphasize new management options in the management of ARDS, and highlights differences between adults and children.
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India is a vast democracy of nearly one billion people. Before the British rule ended in 1947, the life span of an Indian was a mere 21 years. Within a short span of 50 years, it increased to an impressive 63 years, largely due to public health measures initiated by the government. ⋯ Critical care medicine, as practiced in the West, is still confined to large Metropolitan areas. A large pool of expatriate Indian physicians from all over the world are helping bridge the resource gap between the West and India by transfer of technology and providing appropriate training to physicians and paramedical personnel. This article describes the history and current status of development of critical care medicine in India.
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Critical care clinics · Apr 1997
Review Comparative Study Historical ArticleCritical care in Canada. The North American difference.
Critical care medicine in Canada has evolved into a multidisciplinary service, teaching, and research activity. Pressure on existing funding models for the delivery of health care in Canada is leading to substantial change in the hospital sector. Although not explicitly targeted for change, pre-existing models of critical care delivery will be caught in the acute care services, redesign (that results from the health care restructuring because of the substantial impact that delivering critical care services has on overall hospital budgets). ⋯ What critical care will look like in its major domains (service, education, and research) in the year 2001 is difficult to foresee at this time. In this context, therefore, change occurring in Canada's critical care system will be no less challenging than what will occur in the United States or other health care systems. For the resources we have developed for the critically ill patient population to survive health care redesign, we must improve our way of working together internationally, to understand and benchmark best practices and to share ideas for the most effective critical care systems.