Identification and Initial Stabilization of Acutely Deteriorated Patients

Authors

Nicholas F. Parchim, Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM, USA.
Nathan D. Nielsen, Internal Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM, USA.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-16-2023

Abstract

The first minutes of contact with a critically ill patient are most important to their overall treatment course and outcome. Classically, with well-appearing patients, we would perform a history of the patient’s illness, examine the patient, and develop an assessment and plan for a particular patient. However, with severe illness and disability, sometimes adaptation is required to assess and treat the patient quickly. In this chapter, we will cover one of the most common algorithms in the triage and evaluation of critical patients—the ABCDEF approach. By the end of this chapter, you should be able to:

1. Describe the steps in quick evaluation of a critically ill patient and methods of evaluation of each system involved.2.

2. Learn steps of how to treat life-threatening conditions as they arise through the ABCDEF algorithm.3.

3. Perform basic assessment and interventional maneuvers for airway, respiratory, and circulatory system.

Recommended Citation

Parchim NF and Nielsen ND. Identification and Initial Stabilization of Acutely Deteriorated Patients. In: Duška, F., Al-Haddad, M., Cecconi, M. (eds) Intensive Care Fundamentals: Lessons from the ICU. Springer, Cham., 2023. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-21991-7_1