Acute Medicine: A Practical Guide to the Management of Medical Emergencies

Acute Medicine is a truly practical guide aimed at the junior physician, casualty officer and final year student, explaining what to do when faced with medical emergencies on take , on the ward or in the emergency department. This well–established manual has been fully revised to cover the curriculum for trainees in General Internal Medicine (GIM).

Preface.

Acknowledgments.

Section 1: Common presentations.

1 The critically ill patient: assessment and stabilization.

2 Cardiac arrest.

3 Cardiac arrhythmias: general approach.

4 Broad complex regular tachycardia.

5 Broad complex irregular tachycardia.

6 Narrow complex tachycardia.

7 Atrial fibrillation and flutter.

8 Bradycardia and atrioventricular block.

9 Hypotension.

10 Sepsis and septic shock.

11 Poisoning: general approach.

12 Poisoning with aspirin, paracetamol and carbon monoxide.

13 Acute chest pain.

14 Acute breathlessness.

15 Arterial blood gases, oxygen saturation and oxygen therapy.

16 Respiratory failure.

17 Acid base disorders.

18 The unconscious patient.

19 Transient loss of consciousness.

20 Acute confusional state.

21 Falls and ′off legs′.

22 Acute headache.

23 Acute vomiting.

24 Acute abdominal pain.

Section 2: Specific problems.

Cardiovascular.

25 Acute coronary syndromes with persisting ST elevation or new left bundle branch block.

26 Acute coronary syndromes without persisting ST elevation.

27 Cardiogenic shock.

28 Aortic dissection.

29 Acute pulmonary edema.

30 Cardiac valve disease and prosthetic heart valves.

31 Infective endocarditis.

32 Acute pericarditis.

33 Cardiac tamponade.

34 Severe hypertension.

35 Deep vein thrombosis.

36 Pulmonary embolism.

37 Problems with pacemakers and implantable cardioverter–defi brillators.

Respiratory.

38 Airway management and upper airway obstruction.

39 Acute asthma.

40 Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

41 Pneumonia (1): community–acquired pneumonia.

42 Pneumonia (2): hospital–acquired pneumonia.

43 Pneumothorax.

44 Pleural effusion.

45 Hemoptysis.

Neurological.

46 Examination of the nervous system in acute medicine.

47 Stroke.

48 Transient ischemic attack.

49 Subarachnoid hemorrhage.

50 Bacterial meningitis.

51 Encephalitis.

52 Spinal cord compression.

53 Guillain Barré syndrome.

54 Epilepsy (1): generalized convulsive status epileticus.

55 Epilepsy (2): management after a generalized fit.

56 Raised intracranial pressure.

Gastrointestinal/liver/renal.

57 Acute upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage.

58 Esophageal rupture.

59 Acute diarrhea.

60 Acute jaundice.

61 Ascites.

62 Acute liver failure.

63 Alcoholic hepatitis.

64 Biliary tract disorders and acute pancreatitis.

65 Acute renal failure.

Endocrine/metabolic.

66 Hypoglycemia and hyperglycemic states.

67 Diabetic ketoacidosis.

68 Hyperosmolar non–ketotic hyperglycemia.

69 Sodium disorders.

70 Potassium disorders.

71 Calcium disorders.

72 Acute adrenal insufficiency.

73 Thyroid emergencies.

Dermatology/rheumatology.

74 Cellulitis.

75 Acute arthritis.

76 Acute vasculitis.

Hematology/oncology.

77 Interpretation of full blood count.

78 Bleeding disorders and thrombocytopenia.

79 Management of anticoagulation.

80 Sickle cell crisis.

81 Anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock.

82 Complications of cancer.

Miscellaneous.

83 Acute medical problems in the HIV–positive patient.

84 Fever on return from abroad.

85 Acute medical problems in pregnancy and peripartum.

86 Psychiatric problems in acute medicine.

87 Alchohol–related problems in acute medicine.

88 Hypothermia.

89 Drowning and electrical injury.

90 Palliative care.

Section 3: Procedures in acute medicine.

91 Arterial blood gas sampling.

92 Central vein cannulation.

93 Temporary cardiac pacing.

94 Pericardial aspiration.

95 DC cardioversion.

96 Insertion of a chest drain.

97 Lumbar puncture.

98 Aspiration of a knee joint.

99 Insertion of a Sengstaken Blakemore tube.

Index.

David C. Sprigings, Consultant Physician, Northampton General Hospital, UK

John B. Chambers, Reader, Guy′s, King′s and St Thomas′ Hospitals, London, UK and Consultant Cardiologist, Maidstone Hospital, Kent, UK

"This book makes an excellent companion for the junior doctor in the Emergency Department or the Admissions Unit.... [It Provides] the essentials in an easy to use format and comes highly recommended as an at–your–fingertips companion." ( Acute Medicine Journal, December 2008)

It is a handy book, especially for doctors in training who need immediate help in managing a medical emergency. I can recommend it without hesitation. (Hospital Doctor)

"This excellent little book was written for junior medical staff. However as a concise vade–mecum for the anaesthetist it would be extremely valuable." (Anaethesia & Intensive Care)