The Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) is concensus document that attempts to provide the best evidence to assist in the care of the septic patient.  All providers who provide care to the septic patient should be aware of the contents of the SSC.

In this week's Journal of the American Medical Association a meta-analysis was published that concluded that use of hemoglobin based blood substitutes result in an increased morbidity and mortality.  Included in the same journal is an editorial critical of the method the research has been regulated by the US FDA.

There is a large emphasis on intensive control of blood glucose in the ICU, but how accurate are the monitors we use to follow glucose?  This episode reviews someof the limitations of deploying an instrument designed for control of outpatient diabetes management to tight control of blood glucose in the ICU.

Clostridium difficile colitis is a problematic complication of antibiotic theraoy in hospitalized and critically ill patients.  It is increasing in frequency and can be lethal.

Fluid resuscitation done poorly can result in significant complications to the patient.  This episode will present some of the newer considerations in fluid resuscitation in traumatic shock.

Patients are often admitted to the ICU with an entire list of home medications.   In this episode I talk about the implications and dangers of polypharmacy.

The results of the CORTICUS trial are discussed.

Atrial fibrillation is a common problem in ICU patients, but it is a problem with many potential causes, and not always a well defined treatment.

Pediatric burns: all burns are serious, both big and small.   This episode reviews the objectives of burn care to result in the best functional outcome.  Also, burn is a very common method of child abuse and we detail how these children are injured and what to look for to identify possible abuse.