Pulmonary changes in treated hemorrhagic shock. II. Ringer's lactate solution versus colloid infusion

Use of albumin as a volume expander

In some hospitals, albumin products account for 10% of the pharmaceutical budget. As much as 60% of these prescriptions are empiric, and from 40 to 70% of albumin that is administered is given for inappropriate reasons. Although the reasons for albumin administration vary, prevention or reversal of hypovolemia is part of the reason in the majority of cases.

Tuberculous pneumonia with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone: cause of the adult respiratory distress syndrome

Bilateral tuberculous pneumonia with the syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone was the cause of the adult respiratory distress syndrome in an elderly patient. Early recognition and prompt therapy enabled the patient to make a complete recovery without the necessity for mechanical ventilation. With the shift of care of tuberculous patients out of the sanitorium, the practicing physician should be aware of the varied manifestations of tuberculosis.

Patient monitoring

Optimum results are obtained in the care of the critically ill patient if efforts are directed to maintaining the internal environment in a state as near normal as possible. This cannot be done without the use of basic monitoring procedures. Complex investigations may have a legitmate and necessary role as research tools. There is, however, a real risk of complex procedures becoming an end in themselves in general intensive therapy units, where they are apt to distract overworked nurses and medical attendants from the care of their patients. It is important, therfore, for clearcut indications for various monitoring procedures to be defined, and in this paper an attempt has been made to outline alogical approach to the monitoring of critically ill genral surgical patients admitted intensive therapy units.