Critical-Care Books

I am a guidance counselor who uses this book with fourth grade students. It provides an easy format for helping this age student understand that they have control of their feelings and reactions. It has helped some of my most difficult students to gain skill in social situations by controlling their own feelings. The more they understand themselves the more they can accept responsibility for their actions. This book helps them step by step to learn how to take that responsibility for their emotions and their lives. I recommend it heartily. (My students can check this book out from me to read at home. I was surprised at the number of parents who read it and commented that, not only did they enjoy it, but they also found themselves using the ideas in the book.) Nancy Lessig (rlessig@bellsouth.net

I am a school psychologist who has used this book for 15 years with intermediate students. Ms. Anderson has translated the concepts of Ellis' Rational Emotive Therapy into a book which through pictures and examples clearly helps children grasp that feelings are not caused directly by events, but by what we think about the events. This key notion creates the possibility for change in how we interact with the world around us, and the book provides specific examples and practice in how to change our language to reflect more realistic beliefs about this world. Students enjoy the chapters and exercises, while learning how to interact more appropriately with peers and adults and to become more in control of their own behavior. I've also used the concepts effectively with parents because the book is so clear and pragmatic. I think parents could use the book effectively with their own children to discuss how we react to other people and the choices we have in our behavior. Best for ages 8 on up. A great book!

I purchased this book to include in my library and to serve as a reference for lectures. I have found this book to be a superior guide for gaining the basic knowledge of the important topics in toxicology, without too much information. I very much enjoy all of the Secrets Series books that I have purchased (about 10 of them so far), but have found this one to be one of the best of the bunch. The concise nature of the various topics is put together very well and has many interesting "extra tidbits" that are great as "Did you know" facts for lectures. All major and many less common medications and environmental toxicities are covered. Definitely a great choice for the home or office library.

I purchased this book to include in my library and to serve as a reference for lectures. I have found this book to be a superior guide for gaining the basic knowledge of the important topics in toxicology, without too much information. I very much enjoy all of the Secrets Series books that I have purchased (about 10 of them so far), but have found this one to be one of the best of the bunch. The concise nature of the various topics is put together very well and has many interesting "extra tidbits" that are great as "Did you know" facts for lectures. All major and many less common medications and environmental toxicities are covered. Definitely a great choice for the home or office library.

This book is concise and thorough from the leaders in trauma surgery. I would highly recommend it.

The manual is updated, easy to reference and full of immediate use material. The diagrams and tables are superb and easy to navigate. The explanations are perfect for the "new" and the experienced for the immedidate reference "with benefits" of deeper understanding.
Dr. Craig Jacobus

Most of the edited, multiauthor texts available in the medical marketplace avoid repetitive coverage of specific topics by design, if not always in practice. For instance, a typical book on ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) would include one chapter on epidemiology, one on diagnosis, one on treatment, and so on. The series Perspectives on Critical Care Infectious Diseases, of which the present volume represents the fourth contribution, is quite different in that any given subject is discussed by more than one author or group of authors. As stated in the preface by the series editor, Jordi Rello, MD, this was a calculated plan meant to present"...the different management perspectives for these controversial and evolving topics." Dr. Rello goes on t specify that two guest editors are chosen for each volume, one from Europe and one from North America, thus further guaranteeing a more international perspective. After reading Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia, it is clear that such an approach has many advantages for the sophisticated reader but presents a significant challenge to the novice.
The book begins with two discussions of diagnostic strategies for VAP, as presented by Jean-Yves Fagon and Jean Chastre (presumably, the European experience) and Michael S. Niederman (presumably, the North American counterpart). The editors clearly chose their authors wisely, since one could hardly imagine two more opposite viewpoints. the first advocates invasive, quantitative culture techniques while the latter maintains that a "clinical and empiric approach" makes better sense. Both chapters marshal considerable supporting evidence from the literature, but neither can cite definitive randomized controlled trials providing unequivocal evidence of the superiority of either approach. The reader is still left with the essential controversy unresolved. While the empiric view may be easier and more convenient, a diagnosis that relies on "a new or progressive infiltrate with at least 2 of the following 3 criteria: fever, purulent sputum, or leukocytosis" can hardly be specific when other common intensive care syndromes can and often do, duplicate these findings. On the other hand, quantitative culture techniques may lack sensitivity, particularly in the case of early infection and may be prone to false-negative results, especially when performed after antibiotic treatment already has been started.
The remainder of the book seems far less controversial. The prevention of VAP is covered by two different authors, the pathogenesis of VAP (including the putative roles of the oropharynx and digestive tract) is covered in one chapter, and the treatment of VAP in Europe and North America is discussed by representatives from those respective medical communities. The text concludes with two views on the emergence and control of resistant organisms, and with a brief chapter further discussing some of the controversies existing in the VAP literature (as exemplified in the previous chapers). This last chapter provides a degree of summation and resolution for the opposing opinions presented earlier in the book, but it could have been more comprehensive in that regard. Also, this particular chapter contained numerous grammatical and typographic errors that interfered with readability. There is much repetition present throughout the text, mainly among the chapters on treatment and antibiotic resistance, but this is certainly unavoidable given the central premise of a book that seeks to present differing opinions on identical topics.
Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia serves the needs of a more restricted audience compared to other texts. Since it presents varyng points of view on many topices, it is not particularly suitable for medical students, residents, or fellows who are new to critical care medicine and who will have difficulty coming away with a unified "game plan" for VAP management. Rather, this book is a usefull tool for the experienced critical care, pulmonary, or infectious disease clinician or researcher, who can interpret the material presented in light of his/her own experience and knowledge, and perhaps alter an already mature practice style accordingly.
Lee K. Brown, MD, FCCP, Albuquerque NM, bookshelf

A rollicking good yarn: Fast-paced and tenacious, it'll hold you to your seat, work you up a good sweat, and never fail to dissapoint. Had me jumpping at shadows at some points, and crying myself to sweet sleep at others. In short, a must-read!

I am a nurse who works in the Progressice Care Unit of Exeter Hospital. I use to be a Med-Surg Nurse for 7 years prior to this job. I have found this book a great resource for my new position. I also plan on using this book when I work toward certification in the future. Great Purchase!!!!

This is an excellent reference, whether studying for the CCRN or simply take it to work and use at the bedside. Covers every body system, hemodynamic monitoring,, ethics and legal issues, pharmacology, and pain. It has a section devoted to advanced concepts in cardiac, respiratory, and neuro systems. Plenty of diagrams and drawing to explain set up of equipment and anatomical sites. Great section on dialysis and waveform interpretations. Also covers alternative therapy in great detail. Highly recommended.

I am a new graduate and new to the ICU as well. This reference is not only perfect for new RNs to the unit, but also is fantastic for the experienced and the facility! my peers and me use this manual ALOT and the hospital also borrows it to write and revise their policies! so when you learn from this book, you are learning the correct and most up to date way of doing things. it not only teaches you your role as an RN but procedures the doctors are doing as you assist so you know what to expect and what the outcome will be as well. it also has detailed explainations on why the procedures are done. its a must have for new and experienced Rns especially ones that have learned years ago and the procedures have since changed.

This book is a highly informative and useful guide for professionals who need a comprehensive and well organized procedure manual for critical care nursing. For those new to the field, or veterans with an advanced understanding of the subject, it is a must read!

This is a technical book written by psychiatrists for physicians interested in Cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes and how these systems affect the metabolism of commonly prescribed drugs. Interest in these enzymes was heightened by problematic drug-drug interactions that lead to several fatalities and the removal of some prescription drugs from the market. Since then, there has been a heightened awareness by physicians, especially when prescribing drugs that inhibit one of these enzymes. From a clinical perspective, several questions are difficult to answer. For example, referring to commonly used tables or references it may be difficult to figure out why a particular drug has accumulated. It is also difficult at times to figure out a specific time course of action. When a drug is discontinued - how long does it have an effect on CYP systems? How immediate is the effect when it is started? Which drug-drug interactions are significant and which are not? This book provides a good deal of information in all of these areas.

The layout of the book is interesting and practical. The authors start out with a review of the 6 CYP systems as separate chapters. They start out with the most well characterized systems. They look at enzyme locations, metabolic activity, polymorphisms, inducers and inhibitors. They also provide vignettes of typical problems at the end of each chapter. A good example of the level of analysis in this book is contained in the brief vignette at the end of the 2C9 chapter. They describe a case of phenytoin toxicity that occurs when fluoxetine is added to phenytoin maintenance therapy. Their comment is: "Phenytoin is metabolized by 2C9, 2C19, and phase II conjugation systems. Although not a potent inhibitor of 2C9 and 2C19, fluoxetine does inhibit these enzymes and most certainly was the cause of this woman's increase in phenytoin levels". Comparison with other methods of checking these interaction usually does not provide this level of detail. Commonly used drug interaction programs may attribute the accumulation of phenytoin to "decreased metabolism" and point out that other compounds also have this effect. Drug interaction cards or charts might count on you being able to see both phenytoin and fluoxetine in two different columns and making the connection. The authors' analysis pulls all the relevant facts together in one place.

Chapters specific to Gynecology, Internal Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Neurology, Oncology and Surgery follow the initial chapters on CYP enzymes. Specific clinical examples of relevant drug- drug interactions are given in each chapter. As an example, the Gynecology chapter discusses the issue of contraceptive failure due to enzyme induction. Specific prescription drugs and a potential problem with St. John's wort are discussed. These chapters are all clinically relevant and well referenced.

The book concludes with two appendices - one about how to search the literature and very well written Appendix A. Guidelines for Prescribing in a Polypharmacy Environment. Polypharmacy has become the rule rather than the exception these days as more therapeutic agents are added to treat multiple illnesses in the same patient. In fact, in some situations multiple agents from the same therapeutic class are being used to treat refractory problems. The authors suggest five principles for physicians to use that decrease the likelihood of drug-drug interactions. These guidelines are adaptable to individual practices and allow the clinician to choose a profile of medications with the greatest level of safety. The book also contains a pocket guide called "P450 Tables" that summarizes the interactions listed on specific chapters.

My particular bias as a practicing physician is that I need to know the information in this book. After attending seminars on the topic, reading journal articles and pharmacology texts, and using several computer programs on drug interactions the information presented in this book is comprehensive and unique. As a paperback book it is also inexpensive. It is a book that should be read by psychiatrists and other physicians who prescribe medications to patients using other prescription or over the counter medications.

George Dawson, MD

Acid-base balance has long been considered a very difficult subject
to understand but it is an every day task for health care
professionals who must evaluate acid-base balance and electrolyte
imbalance in their patients. I really liked this book because it
explains how acids and bases interact in the kidney, lung and total
body in an easy to understand, quantitative and pictorial fashion,
without complicated equations and calculations. This book would be
very useful for anyone involved in health care. It explains the
metabolic pathways that maintain normal electrolyte balance and what
happens to cause electrolyte imbalance when these processes are
altered. It gives some examples of how electrolyte disturbances occur
in conditions such as prolonged diarrhea or diabetes mellitus. By
making it easier to understand the factors that produce electrolyte
disturbance, this book helps the reader understand how to treat or
prevent acid-base imbalance. As an author of a detailed textbook on
renal physiology, I think the unique aspect of this book is that the
material is presented in an easy to understand way while also
providing complete explanations along with written, graphic and
pictorial examples. This book provides a thorough overview of acid-
base balance. As a physiologist and someone who taught acid-base
physiology for over 35 years to all levels of students including
medical students, nursing students and allied health students, I
think anyone involved in any aspect of health care would find this
book helpful to enhance their understanding of acid-base balance and
electrolyte disturbances in the body. I highly recommend this book
for anyone involved in health care.

By: Esmail Koushanpour, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor, Northwestern University Medical School