Section 1 Cardiovascular. 1
Cardiac arrest. 3
Myocardial infarction. 11
Preinfarction syndrome^ (unstable angina). 23
Cardiac arrhythmias. 26
Acute pulmonary oedema. 43
Hypertensive emergencies. 48
Pulmonary embolus. 52
Peripheral embolus. 60
Dissections of the thoracic aorta. 63
Cardiac tamponade. 65
Section II Respiratory. 69
Respiratory failure. 71
Severe attacks of asthma. 80
Pneumothorax. 85
Massive pulmonary collapse. 90
Acute laryngeal obstruction. 92
Massive pleural effusions. 95
Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) (shock lung). 97
Pulmonary aspiration syndrome. 101
Community-acquired pneumonia. 104
Section III Gastrointestinal. 109
Massive upper gastrointestinal haemorrhage. 111
Lower gastrointestinal bleeding. 121
Acute pancreatitis. 124
Ulcerative colitis. 128
Medical conditions which may present with acute abdominal pair. 133
Pseudo- obstruction. 137
Acute gastric dilatation. 139
Acute liver failure. 140
Section IV Acute renal failure. 147
Section V Endocrine. 159
Diabetic ketoacidosis and coma. 161
Hyperosmolar non-ketotic diabetic coma. 168
Non-ketotic diabetic acidosis. 171
Urgent surgery in diabetics. 172
Hypopituitary coma. 175
Pituitary apoplexy. 178
Acute lactic acidosis. 179
Hypoglycaemic pre-coma and coma. 183
Addisonian crisis. 185
Myxoedema coma. 188
Thyrotoxic crisis. 191
Acute hypercalcaemia. 194
Tetany. 196
Section VI Neurological. 199
The completed stroke. 201
Transient ischaemic attacks. 211
Closed head injury. 215
Syncopal attacks (faints). 221
Fits. 224
Spinal cord compression. 228
Acute ascending polyneuritis. 229
Myasthenia gravis. 233
Generalised tetanus. 238
Brain death. 242
Section VII Sickle cell anaemia. 245
Section VIII The overdose. 251
The overdose: general management. 253
Salicylates. 260
Digoxin. 264
Iron. 267
Barbiturates. 269
Tricyclic and tetracyclic anti-depressants. 271
Paracetamol. 273
Distalgesic (coproxamol). 276
Beta blockers. 277
Methanol. 278
Ethylene glycol (anti-freeze). 279
Theophylline. 280
Carbon monoxide. 281
Organophosphate poisoning. 283
Section IX Hypothermia. 287
Section X Acute febrile illness. 293
The acutely febrile patient. 295
Infections associated with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). 305
Malaria. 316
Typhoid. 320
Section XI General clinical problems. 323
Acute confusional states—delirium. 325
Acute psychoses. 329
Toxic confusional state due to acute alcohol withdrawal—delirium tremens. 331
The poorly perfused patient. 334
Blood transfusion reactions. 344
Anaphylactic shock. 345
Bacterial shock. 347
The unconscious patient—coma. 355
Severe chest pain. 365
Severe headaches. 367
The acutely painful joint. 372
The acutely breathless patient. 375
Social problems. 377
Section XII Central venous pressure and the pulmonary artery occlusion catheter (Swan-Ganz). 379
Central venous pressure. 381
The pulmonary artery flotation (Swan-Ganz) catheter. 387
Index. 395