Impellas are temporary percutaneous cardiac devices assist used for hemodynamic support in patients with severe heart failure. This OnePager explains the function & physiology of LVADs as well as the settings and potential complications. Understanding how to interpret the placement signals is essential.

Over 2 billion people travel by commercial aircraft every year. When they become unexpectedly sick, it is essential to understand what to do in the austere aerospace medical environment. This OnePager covers the ethics/legality of volunteering, the physiology of the aerospace environment, the resources available (crew, equipment, ground communications) as well as an overview of common medical emergencies seen among passengers on commercial flights.

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a hyperinflammatory syndrome due to aberrant activation of macrophages. It can be challenging to diagnose & often leads to critical illness with multiple organ system failure. This ICU OnePager reviews the etiology, diagnostic criteria, and treatment approach to this complex illness.

One of the most important things we do in critical care is manage pain and anxiety while avoiding delirium. Here’s a #OnePager summary of how I assess, prevent, and treat each of these issues. Handy cheat-sheet for RASS & CAM-ICU scoring too

Masks are a common method of delivering supplemental oxygen. This OnePager explains the differences between the different masks used in the ICU: Simple (Hudson) Mask, Face Tent, Venturi Mask, and Non-rebreather Mask.

Acid base abnormalities are ubiquitous in the ICU, and sometimes multiple can coexist at the same time. This OnePager outlines a stepwise approach and differential diagnosis for each acid base abnormality (RAGES for NAGMA, GOLDMARKeT for AGMA, BLVD PLACE for metabolic acidosis, etc). It also includes those handy formulas & rules so you can figure out if more than acid-base disturbance is present.

People in the custody of law enforcement deserve respectful & ethical care, particularly during critical illness. Critical care providers should be aware of their patients right and the law. This ICU OnePager discusses important topics including Privacy (disclosing information in front of LEO can violate HIPAA), Restraints (restraints can cause injury and you can request removal), Surrogate decision makers (patients have a right to choose surrogates), Testing, Visitation rights, and Compassionate Release.

Patients undergoing mechanical circulatory support (MCS) are at high risk for cardiac arrest due to their the underlying illness. But when these patients experience cardiac arrest, resuscitation protocols need be modified to reflect device & clinical context. This ICUOnePager describes how to adjust resuscitation in the presence of ECMO, IABP, Impella, or LVAD and what to do in the perioperative setting.

Cardiac arrests can be chaotic. Leading resuscitation is a complex skill, involving both a mastery of the knowledge & a structured approach to lead a team. This ICU OnePager presents a framework for clinicians to use: how to assign roles & crucial tasks physically in the room and how to structure events temporally. The goal is a smooth team based resuscitation.

Thoracentesis can rapidly relieve dyspnea, but not every thoracentesis goes according to plan. Pleural manometry can help identify lung pathologies like entrapped lung and trapped lung, and may even predict response to pleurodesis and likelihood of re-expansion pulmonary edema. This #OnePager explains the principles of pleural manometry and pleural elastance and shows you how to interpret the results.

Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVADs) are implanted cardiac devices used for hemodynamic support in patients with severe heart failure. This OnePager explains the function & physiology of LVADs as well as the settings and potential complications. (spoiler: this is one time when it’s normal to not have a pulse!).

Disorders of ketosis (DKA, HHS, AKA, etc) are very common in the ICU, but can have high morbidity if mismanaged. This OnePager covers the differences between these disorders & provides a differential to identify the underlying cause (the 5 I’s mnemonic: infection, ischemia, inflammation, intoxications, insulin deficiency). It also explains the 3 pillars of treating DKA/HHS: Insulin, IV fluids, and aggressive electrolyte replacement.