Unexpected Effects of Transfusion in the Critically Ill


Book Description

"Since the first recorded successful blood transfusion was performed in 1665 and the first Intensive Care Unit (ICU) was founded in 1952, a transfusion has gradually become a common medical procedure in the ICU. However, recent studies have shown an association between transfusion and adverse outcome. This thesis contains both clinical and pre-clinical investigations of the effects of a transfusion in the critically ill. The studies focus on investigations of mechanisms of the association between transfusion and adverse outcome and are clustered in three parts that each focus on one of the different blood components and have its own aims: Red blood cells (I): To investigate the role of storage red blood cells as well as the presence of an inflammatory condition on the association between RBC transfusion and host response. Fresh frozen plasma (II): To assess the effect of a FFP transfusion on host response and hemostatic balance in critically ill patients. Platelets (III): To assess the effect of platelet transfusion on the development of infections in critically ill patients."--Samenvatting auteur.







Handbook of ICU Therapy


Book Description

Handbook of ICU Therapy provides rapid access to important information on the treatment of the critically ill patient. It comprises a series of 'cutting edge' reviews of the most advanced treatment concepts available in the modern ICU. Whilst assuming a basic knowledge of underlying conditions, it nonetheless outlines key physiological principles where necessary, and critically reviews current literature and best practice. The heart of the book is aimed at providing key practical information on treatment techniques to the busy clinician in an easily accessible style. In addition to conventional drug therapy, ventilator, fluid and physical therapies are also discussed in detail. All of the authors are directly involved in ICU research and practice and are familiar with all of the latest developments in this fast-moving field of medicine.




Anemia in the Elderly


Book Description

Anemia in the elderly has been properly defined as the silent epidemic, representing 3 million people in the United States aged 65 years and older. Incidence and prevalence of this condition increase with age. It differs in its etiology, pathogenesis and treatment from anemia in children and younger adults. Anemia is associated with reduced survival, increased risk of functional dependence and hospitalization, increased risk of congestive heart failure and stage renal disease and cognitive disorders. Approximately 70% of anemia in older individuals is reversible.




Strange Blood


Book Description

In the mid-1870s, the experimental therapy of lamb blood transfusion spread like an epidemic across Europe and the USA. Doctors tried it as a cure for tuberculosis, pellagra and anemia; proposed it as a means to reanimate seemingly dead soldiers on the battlefield. It was a contested therapy because it meant crossing boundaries and challenging taboos. Was the transfusion of lamb blood into desperately sick humans really defensible? The book takes the reader on a journey into hospital wards and lunatic asylums, physiological laboratories and 19th century wars. It presents a fascinating story of medical knowledge, ambitions and concerns - a story that provides lessons for current debates on the morality of medical experimentation and care.




Core Topics in Critical Care Medicine


Book Description

The critical care unit manages patients with a vast range of disease and injuries affecting every organ system. The unit can initially be a daunting environment, with complex monitoring equipment producing large volumes of clinical data. Core Topics in Critical Care Medicine is a practical, comprehensive, introductory-level text for any clinician in their first few months in the critical care unit. It guides clinicians in both the initial assessment and the clinical management of all CCU patients, demystifying the critical care unit and providing key knowledge in a concise and accessible manner. The full spectrum of disorders likely to be encountered in critical care are discussed, with additional chapters on transfer and admission, imaging in the CCU, structure and organisation of the unit, and ethical and legal issues. Written by Critical Care experts, Core Topics in Critical Care Medicine provides comprehensive, concise and easily accessible information for all trainees.




Reducing Mortality in Critically Ill Patients


Book Description

The 2nd edition of this book describes the recent techniques, strategies, and drugs that have been demonstrated by multicenter randomized trials to influence survival in critically ill, defined as those who have acute failure of at least one organ, due to either a pathological condition or a medical intervention, and require intensive care treatment. Each chapter focuses on a specific procedure, device, or drug. The scope is accordingly wide, with coverage of topics as diverse as noninvasive mechanical ventilation, protective ventilation, prone positioning, intravenous salbutamol in ARDS, high-frequency oscillatory ventilation, mild hypothermia after cardiac arrest, daily interruption of sedatives, tranexamic acid, diaspirin cross-linked hemoglobin, albumin, growth hormone, glutamine supplementation, tight glucose control, supranormal oxygen delivery, and hydroxyethyl starch in sepsis. The topics selection was performed with the help of hundreds of specialists from dozens of countries; they expressed via web if they agreed or not with these topics and if they used them in their daily clinical practice. The clear text is supported by "how to do" sections and "key point" boxes that provide easily accessible practical information. Written by acknowledged international experts, Reducing Mortality in Critically Ill Patients is of interest for a wide variety of specialists, including intensivists, emergency doctors, and anesthesiologists.




Transfusion Medicine for Pathologists


Book Description

Transfusion Medicine for Pathologists: A Comprehensive Review for Board Preparation, Certification, and Clinical Practice is a concise study guide designed to complement standard textbooks in the field of clinical pathology. Pathology residents and fellows of transfusion medicine will find this book useful as a preparation tool for their exams. In addition, the book is a valuable timesaver for busy residents looking for a focused and compact study guide on transfusion medicine that will also be ideal for practicing pathologists who cross-cover transfusion medicine in their clinical practice. Incorporates key words at the end of each chapter for quick review before an exam Includes concise and easy-to-digest chapters ranging from Donor Selection and Testing, to Blood Bank Testing, Transfusion Reactions, Apheresis, Hemotherapy, Special Transfusion Situations, and more Focuses on key topics to study for board examinations, saving time during busy residency programs




Animals and Medicine


Book Description

Animals and Medicine: The Contribution of Animal Experiments to the Control of Disease offers a detailed, scholarly historical review of the critical role animal experiments have played in advancing medical knowledge. Laboratory animals have been essential to this progress, and the knowledge gained has saved countless lives—both human and animal. Unfortunately, those opposed to using animals in research have often employed doctored evidence to suggest that the practice has impeded medical progress. This volume presents the articles Jack Botting wrote for the Research Defence Society News from 1991 to 1996, papers which provided scientists with the information needed to rebut such claims. Collected, they can now reach a wider readership interested in understanding the part of animal experiments in the history of medicine—from the discovery of key vaccines to the advancement of research on a range of diseases, among them hypertension, kidney failure and cancer.This book is essential reading for anyone curious about the role of animal experimentation in the history of science from the nineteenth century to the present.




Core Topics in Paediatric Anaesthesia


Book Description

This book covers all of the important elements of paediatric anaesthesia in a concise and structured manner. From the premature infant to the teenager, readers are guided through the complexities they may encounter, with key points at the end of each chapter to summarise the most important information. The common surgical conditions encountered in daily practice are covered along with comprehensive discussion of consent and the law, safeguarding children, and the complexity of drug dosing in the paediatric population. Other topics covered include trauma, burns, resuscitation, principles of intensive care, and transporting a sick child. Each chapter is written by an acknowledged expert in their field, sharing a wealth of relevant, practical experience. Covering the whole curriculum necessary for advanced training, this is essential reading for trainees, general anaesthetists managing children in non-specialist hospitals and anyone aspiring to become a paediatric anaesthetist, as well as those established in the field.