Serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) are two life-threatening toxicologic emergencies that every emergency medicine physician, intensivist, hospitalist, nurse, pharmacist, and trainee should recognize early.

In this toxicology deep dive, we review:

This episode also includes a focused comparison section on how to rapidly differentiate serotonin syndrome from neuroleptic malignant syndrome at the bedside.

This episode is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, trainees, respiratory therapists, and anyone interested in emergency critical care medicine and toxicology.

🎥 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdWPkutb9oE 

📚 Download the study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

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Nutrition support is a core component of modern critical care medicine, yet ICU feeding strategies can become confusing quickly. When should we use enteral nutrition vs parenteral nutrition? What are trophic feeds? Should we check gastric residual volumes? How do we approach aspiration risk?

In this episode, we break down the fundamentals of ICU nutrition and feeding strategies including:

This episode is designed for physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, pharmacists, trainees, dietitians, and anyone interested in emergency critical care medicine.

🎥 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CG_uFo6m3M 

📚 Download the study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

🎧 WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

DISCLAIMER:

Serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) are two life-threatening toxicologic emergencies that can appear very similar at the bedside — but recognizing the key differences is critical for emergency department and ICU management.

In this episode, we focus on the high-yield differences between serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome including:

This quick comparison episode is designed to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists, trainees, respiratory therapists, and critical care learners rapidly differentiate these two dangerous syndromes in clinical practice.

🎥 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUl80DoHZB0 

📚 Download the study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

🎧 WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

DISCLAIMER:

Serotonin syndrome is a potentially life-threatening toxicologic emergency caused by excess serotonergic activity. Early recognition is critical in the emergency department, ICU, inpatient wards, and prehospital settings.

In this episode, we review the fundamentals of serotonin syndrome including:

This episode is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, trainees, respiratory therapists, and anyone interested in emergency critical care medicine and toxicology.

🎥 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoinGYGfs8k 

📚 Download the study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

🎧 WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

DISCLAIMER:

Neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS) is a rare but life-threatening toxicologic emergency associated with dopamine blockade and antipsychotic medications. Early recognition is critical in the emergency department, ICU, inpatient wards, and perioperative settings.

In this episode, we review the fundamentals of neuroleptic malignant syndrome including:

This episode is designed for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, trainees, respiratory therapists, and anyone interested in emergency critical care medicine and toxicology.

🎥 YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di0ksOt1Dl0 

📚 Download the study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

🎧 WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

DISCLAIMER:

Salicylate toxicity is one of the most important acid-base and toxicologic emergencies encountered in emergency medicine, critical care, and hospital medicine. In this episode, we break down salicylate poisoning from the ground up including salicylate pharmacology, acid-base physiology, respiratory alkalosis, metabolic acidosis, sodium bicarbonate therapy, hemodialysis indications, airway management, and ICU management strategies.

We also discuss:

This episode is designed for medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, respiratory therapists, advanced practice providers, and practicing clinicians looking for a high-yield review of salicylate toxicity and acid-base disorders in critical illness.

Watch the full YouTube video here:

🔗 Download the full study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

Disclaimer:

Opioid toxicity remains one of the most important toxicologic emergencies encountered in emergency medicine, critical care, EMS, and hospital medicine. In this episode, we break down opioid overdose from the ground up including opioid pharmacology, respiratory depression physiology, recognition of the opioid toxidrome, naloxone administration, airway management, ventilator considerations, post-reversal monitoring, and ICU management strategies.

We also discuss:

This episode is designed for medical students, residents, fellows, nurses, respiratory therapists, advanced practice providers, and practicing clinicians looking for a high-yield review of opioid toxicity and overdose management.

Watch the full YouTube video here:

🔗 Download the full study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

WhiteBoard Medicine Podcast:

Disclaimer:

The Frank-Starling curve is one of the most important concepts in cardiac physiology—and one of the most clinically useful in critical care.

In this episode, we break down the Frank-Starling relationship and connect it directly to cardiac output, so you can understand how preload affects stroke volume and how this translates to real bedside decision-making.

We cover:

What the Frank-Starling curve represents

How preload affects stroke volume and cardiac output

The relationship between venous return, ventricular stretch, and contractility

How to identify the steep vs plateau portions of the curve

What fluid responsiveness actually means

Clinical applications in shock, heart failure, and critical illness

Whether you’re managing hypotension, shock, or complex hemodynamics, this episode provides a clear framework to understand preload responsiveness and optimize perfusion in real time.

🎥 Watch the full video version here:

📚 Download the full study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

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Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made by licensed healthcare professionals using their clinical judgment, institutional protocols, and current evidence. Whiteboard Medicine assumes no responsibility for clinical outcomes.

AutoPEEP is one of the most important—and most commonly missed—problems in mechanically ventilated patients.

In this episode, we break down AutoPEEP and the I:E ratio in a clear, practical way so you can understand how they impact ventilation, gas exchange, and patient outcomes in the ICU and emergency department.

We cover:

What AutoPEEP is and why it occurs

How the I:E ratio contributes to breath stacking

The relationship between expiratory time, airflow, and trapped gas

How to recognize AutoPEEP on ventilator waveforms

How to adjust the I:E ratio to prevent and treat AutoPEEP

Clinical scenarios including COPD, asthma, and ARDS

Whether you’re managing obstructive lung disease or troubleshooting a ventilated patient with rising pressures, this episode gives you a practical framework to recognize and fix AutoPEEP at the bedside.

🎥 Watch the full video version here:

📚 Download the full study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made by licensed healthcare professionals using their clinical judgment, institutional protocols, and current evidence. Whiteboard Medicine assumes no responsibility for clinical outcomes.

Volume control or pressure control—how do you actually choose the right ventilator mode in real clinical practice?

In this episode, we break down volume control and pressure control ventilation step-by-step, focusing on settings, scalars, and how to apply both modes at the bedside in the ICU and emergency department.

We cover:

What you set vs what is guaranteed in volume vs pressure control

Key ventilator settings including tidal volume, inspiratory pressure, flow, and PEEP

How to interpret scalars and waveforms in each mode

How compliance and resistance affect pressure and volume delivery

Clinical scenarios where volume control or pressure control is preferred

Common pitfalls in ventilator management

Whether you’re managing ARDS, COPD, asthma, or undifferentiated respiratory failure, this episode gives you a practical framework to choose the right mode and interpret what the ventilator is telling you in real time.

🎥 Watch the full video version here:

📚 Download the full study guide + access our complete emergency critical care curriculum:

Our Patreon includes:

Disclaimer: This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Clinical decisions should be made by licensed healthcare professionals using their clinical judgment, institutional protocols, and current evidence. Whiteboard Medicine assumes no responsibility for clinical outcomes.