The care of the critically ill has changed radically during the past 10 years. Technological advances have improved monitoring, organ support, and data collection, while small steps have been made in the development of drug therapies. Conversely, new challenges (. severe acute respiratory syndrome [SARS], multiple antimicrobial resistance, bioterrorism) continue to arise and public expectations are elevated, sometimes to an unreasonable level. In this book we summarize some of the most important medical advances that have emerged, concentrating particularly on those relevant to the growing numbers of respiratory physicians who pursue a subspecialty interest in this clinical arena
