The Practice of Emergency and Critical Care Neurology

Published in 1997 as the first single-authored book on critical care neurology, The Practice of Emergency and Critical Care Neurology serves as a comprehensive guide to managing all aspects of critically ill neurologic patients. Following patients from the moment they enter the emergency department, this textbook demonstrates how specialists in the neurosciences assume full responsibility for patient care. Edited succinctly for relevance, this book differs from conventional textbooks by following the time course of clinical complexities as they emerge and change, instead of focusing on just the theoretical aspects of the field. Great emphasis is placed on the management of unstable and deteriorating patients. As any patient presents a unique, complex problem, the book pays special care in describing the considerations behind the rapid-fire decisions that comprise the work environment of the neurointensivist.

In this new third edition, all chapters have been revised with added information and, in some, new concepts and ideas. Key features of this new edition include:

1. Additional chapters on the basics of neuroimaging and its interpretation; basic pharmacology issues in the intensive care setting (e.g., drug interactions and side effects); intoxications; the principles of critical care ultrasound and its relevance in the NeuroICU and the principles of neuro palliation including neuroethics
2. Rich illustrations using color photos of patients and drawings of important basic concepts of mechanisms in diseases of neurocritical care
3. Fully updated and comprehensive reference list
4. Narrated instruction video of the coma FOUR score

Eelco F.M. Wijdicks MD, PhD is Professor of Neurology, College of Medicine, Mayo Clinic. In 1992 he established the Mayo Clinic Neurocritical Care Program. He is an attending neurointensivist in the Neurosciences Intensive Care Unit at Saint Marys Hospital Rochester MN. He was the founding editor of the journal Neurocritical Care, the official journal of the Neurocritical Care Society and has been named Honorary Member of the Neurocritical Care Society. He received the Dutch Winkler medal and Mayo Clinic has honored him with the Karis Award and Distinguished Educator Award. He originated the FOUR SCORE coma scale and has over 1000 research papers, practice guidelines, topic reviews, book chapters and editorials to his credit. He is also a Professor of the History of Medicine and has single-authored, co-authored, and edited 40 books on Neurocritical Care including multiple later editions.