Handbook of Evidence-Based Critical Care [Paperback]

Paul Ellis Marik (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 30, 2001 | ISBN-10: 0387951539 | ISBN-13: 978-0387951539 | Edition: 1

This is the first bedside pocket reference ever published in evidence-based Critical Care Medicine. It is designed to act as a complement to and precede the forthcoming, larger shelf reference by Zaloga and Marik on Evidence-Based Critical Care Medicine. Its purpose will be to provide easy access to clinical data which is crucial in therapeutic decision-making. This approach will enable the clinician to quickly review the information which will support or refute an intervention and choose the most appropriate, cost-effective treatment. The analysis of treatment strategies will be presented by organ-systems, and there will be miscellaneous ICU topics (eg: severity of illness scoring systems, nutrition, toxicology, infection) covered. The selection of these topics will be based on the most frequently found and difficult to solve problems in ICU patient management.

Editorial Reviews

Review

From the reviews of the second edition: “This is one of the most comprehensive handbooks on critical care medicine with a strong emphasis on evidence base. … The contents of this handbook cover many aspects of critical care medicine and some of the information is extremely useful for junior medical staff without prior exposure to critical care … . Overall, this book should be useful for junior doctors or intensive care trainees who are starting their term in an intensive care unit.” (K. M. Ho, Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, Vol. 39 (2), March, 2011) --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

This updated and revised edition of the classic bedside pocket reference remains the gold standard in critical care medicine. The new edition maintains Dr. Marik's trademark humor and engaging writing style, while adding numerous references to make this book the most current and thorough treatment of evidence-based critical care available. The handbook enables the clinician to find the evidence to support or refute an intervention and to help choose the most appropriate, cost-effective treatment. The analysis of treatment strategies is presented by organ system, and the handbook also covers miscellaneous ICU topics (such as sedation, toxicology, radiology, and sepsis) based on the most frequently found and difficult to solve problems in ICU patient management. --This text refers to an alternate Paperback edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 535 pages
• Publisher: Springer; 1 edition (January 30, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0387951539
• ISBN-13: 978-0387951539
• Product Dimensions: 7.1 x 4.5 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,232,360 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Exactly what you need. Current and evidence based., February 5, 2005

By 

NY EM Resident "CJ" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Handbook of Evidence-Based Critical Care (Paperback)

This book is a great resource for residents on critical care rotations in MICU, SICU, CICU and emergency recess room.

I am an emergency medicine resident and rotate through all of these areas of critical care, and this book has exactly what you need, no more and no less. It gives you a quick understanding of the physiological rationale and then gives assesment and treatment information all backed up with current references from statndard of care setting articles and studies. This is not just some guys opinion, everything is backed up by the literature. It is refreshing to learn things the right way (i.e. evidence based) the first time around.

This book is written in a very strait forward and memorable fasion, and is very practical, making it possible to be read multiple times in a rotation.

I see another reviewer gave this book a three stars and said that the book did not have references. Well, he's wrong, and I think he does not understand the scope of this book, it's a handbook to be used at the bedside, not a textbook to be referenced. This book goes beyond anything I could have asked for in a critical care hand book. It's awsome, and it will help you treat very sick patients and get results.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellence in EBM applied to the ICU, September 5, 2011

By 

Brad Rosen (ABQ, NM) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handbook of Evidence-Based Critical Care (Paperback)

I had briefly paged through a colleague's copy, finding an impressive and concise discourse on several topics before purchasing my own copy. Now I've found that there are a bewildering number of topics, each cleanly discussed with clinical pearls identified and messages that keep you on track. There are several chapters that take on resuscitation, these are phenomenal.

Marik isn't a huge fan of EGDT, he is quick to strike at CVP monitoring, blood product transfusion, and doesn't seem to be enamored with ScVO2 either. His discourse on Lactated Ringer's is classic and excellent.

Overall, this is an excellent buy. It is well priced and contains a large amount of distilled information, ready for implementation at the bedside.

Highly Recommended

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent, and fast access to evidence!, June 9, 2011

By 

BT (Australia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Handbook of Evidence-Based Critical Care (Paperback)

In the era of super-fast information needs, we needs an efficient, fast and quickly downloadable information in all areas of intensive care medicine. Most textbook fails this test when you need the best available evidence in a quickly accessible manner. Marik's book is an exception; it offers a great short cut to the latest evidence...fast! You don't need to read those big volume intensive care textbook as preliminary background reading to gain a basic understanding of the topic area. Marik uses a straight-forward, cut to the chase writing style, so you get an immediate grasp of the topic within minutes. Not only that, he present the cream of the best evidence. His ability to present the best evidence is aided by the fact that he publishes a large number of systematic reviews himself (the reader should PubMed him to check his publication record if in doubt). This is a writing style best suited to the iPhone generation...where one gets the best evidence in the shortest time, with information presented with clarity and minimal junk. I feel this is the greatest strength of this book.

Of course, the inevitable limitation of a single author book is the potential personal bias, because it is impossible to know all the topic area equally well. However, the author is an all-round evidence based medicine clinician and I feel he has made the best effort in presenting information after considering the totality of the existing evidence.