Show Notes
On this episode of Critical Care Time, Nick & Cyrus embark on a deep dive into the world of lactic acidosis! As it is the beginning of the academic year, we figured this would be a great topic to demystify and disambiguate for our listeners. We discuss why lactic acidosis matters, and deconstruct all the clinically relevant elements from diagnosis to management, so that you are fully equipped with the tools necessary to conquer your next case of lactic acidosis - or maybe your first!! Ring in this new season of CCT with a banger of an episode and let us know what you think! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
More from Critical Care Time
Julie Corley expected to be home by lunchtime. Instead, a routine left-heart cath became a five-month ICU stay involving cardiac arrest, ECMO, terrifying delirium, and a recovery that would reshape her family’s life.
We’re bringing back one of our deep dives into the world of critical care! Nick & Cyrus revisit inotropes, breaking down these essential medications and their role in managing cardiogenic shock. From the different types of inotropes to choosing the right agent for your patient, we cover the key concepts you need to know at the bedside. Plus, we clear up the often-confused difference between an inotropic and an ionotropic agent. It’s a reboot packed with practical critical care goodness!
In this episode of Critical Care Time, neurointensivist Dr. Sean Marinelli joins Nick & Cyrus to tackle brain death/death by neurologic criteria. We break down the prerequisites, neurologic exam, apnea testing, ancillary studies, and the challenging situations where things get complicated—including confounders, ECMO, and families struggling to understand how someone with a beating heart can have died.
Returning guest Dr. Sara Crager joins us again on Critical Care Time, this time to tackle one of the most important, and most commonly overcomplicated, topics in critical care: acid–base physiology. Rather than treating acid–base as a collection of equations and compensation formulas, Sara walks us through her practical State → Process → Story framework for rapidly interpreting blood gases and electrolytes at the bedside. We discuss how to distinguish acidemia from acidosis, interpret CO₂ in the context of bicarbonate, use the anion gap and strong ion difference to uncover mixed metabolic disorders, recognize the importance of chloride and albumin, and understand why a “normal” pH—or a “normal” CO₂—may be anything but normal. Along the way, we work through several real-world ICU cases involving chronic hypercapnia, DKA, vomiting, septic shock, renal failure, saline-induced hyperchloremia, and hypoalbuminemia. The goal isn’t more acid–base math. It’s a better mental model and a faster way to understand what your patient’s numbers are actually telling you. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On this week’s episode of Critical Care Time we had back to the basics again, this time with a focus on the ubiquitous Pulse Oximeter! We will talk all things Pulse Ox from how it generates values, how reliable those values are, what factors can confound your pulse ox and how best to use this powerful - yet imperfect - tool to deliver the best care possible for your patients. Check it out and let us know what you think! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.