In this episode, I’ll discuss whether it is ever appropriate for a patient to be on oral and IV vancomycin. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher While IV vancomycin is indicated to treat a variety of infectious diseases, oral vancomycin is primarily used to treat C diff infection (CDI). Unlike IV metronidazole, which achieves therapeutic […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss whether the reversal of anticoagulants is necessary for neurologically intact patients with traumatic intracranial hemorrhage. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher While intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) has the potential to lead to a catastrophic outcome in patients with traumatic injury who are also taking oral anticoagulants, the reversal of anticoagulation is […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss what phenotype of patients are most affected by delays in antibiotic therapy. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher For patients with sepsis, the link between a delay in antibiotic therapy and increased risk of mortality is well-established. However, it is possible that not all patients are affected the same way […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss the change in serum potassium after supplementation. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher A common estimate for the increase in serum potassium levels is 0.1 mEq/L per 10 mEq of potassium administered. However, there is little data that can support this conversion formula. Therefore a group of authors sought to […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss the unwarranted continuation of antipsychotics after ICU and hospital discharge. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher Although the use of antipsychotics to treat ICU delirium does not have robust patient-focused outcomes data, they are frequently used. Usually antipsychotics are started when a patient with ICU delirium becomes agitated to the […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss anti-Xa monitoring of enoxaparin in VTE prophylaxis. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher An advantage of using enoxaparin for VTE prophylaxis is that it has predictable pharmacokinetics and pharmacodyamics which allow for either fixed dosing of 40 mg subQ once daily or 0.5 mg/kg in the case of obese patients. […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss the bioavailability of methadone. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher Popular tertiary references suggest a conversion ratio of oral to IV methadone of 2:1, meaning 10 mg of oral methadone is equivalent to 5 mg of IV methadone. But a team of researchers recently published a scoping review on the […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss the prediction of hypotension from propofol when used as an ICU sedative. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher Hypotension from ICU sedatives like propofol and dexmedetomidine can complicate patient management.  I discussed predicting hypotension from dexmedetomidine back in Episode 563. Hypotension from propofol in the ICU can also be reasonably […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss the AHA/NCS scientific statement on critical care management of patients after cardiac arrest. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher There is a lack of high-quality published research to support the critical care management of patients after cardiac arrest, and as a result there are few guideline recommendations in this area. […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss IV levothyroxine in unstable brain-dead heart donors. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher Observational data has been used to support giving hemodynamically unstable brain-dead organ donors high-dose infusions of levothyroxine. However a 2020 study cast some doubt on whether levothyroxine has the desired effect, giving support to the design of […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss whether diuretics are safe for reducing fluid balance in critically ill patients. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher Interest in fluid balance and the associated adverse effects in ICU patients has grown considerably over the last decade. The general practice of reducing fluid balance, sometimes referred to as deresuscitation, is […]

In this episode, I’ll discuss what Impella purge solution can be used if the patient has a contraindication to heparin. Subscribe on iTunes, Android, or Stitcher The Impella device is a miniature ventricular assist device that is placed using a catheter into the left ventricle across the aortic valve. It works by pumping blood from left […]