WhiteBoard Medicine - Emergency And Critical Care

Tumor lysis syndrome is an oncologic emergency caused by rapid tumor cell breakdown and release of intracellular contents into the bloodstream. In this episode, we review the pathophysiology, risk factors, laboratory abnormalities, diagnostic criteria, prevention, and treatment of tumor lysis syndrome.
Topics covered include:• What tumor lysis syndrome is• Why tumor lysis syndrome occurs• High-risk cancers and clinical risk factors• Hyperkalemia• Hyperphosphatemia• Hypocalcemia• Hyperuricemia• Acute kidney injury• Cairo-Bishop diagnostic criteria• Laboratory monitoring and risk stratification• IV fluids and prevention strategies• Allopurinol and rasburicase• Management of electrolyte abnormalities• Renal replacement therapy considerations• Practical emergency and critical care considerations
Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPippZYtK54 
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Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

The oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve is a foundational concept for understanding oxygen binding, oxygen unloading, hypoxemia, and tissue oxygen delivery. In this episode, we review what the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve represents, how hemoglobin saturation relates to PaO2, what P50 means, and how left and right shifts change hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen.
Topics covered include:• What the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve is• Hemoglobin saturation and PaO2• Oxygen binding and oxygen unloading• Why the curve has a sigmoidal shape• Hemoglobin affinity for oxygen• P50 and what it means• Left shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin curve• Right shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin curve• Temperature, pH, CO2, and 2,3-BPG• How left shift affects oxygen unloading• How right shift affects oxygen unloading• Clinical relevance of the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve• Practical interpretation of oxygen saturation and PaO2
Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ioZCpTEfpN8 
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

The oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve is a foundational concept for understanding oxygen binding, oxygen unloading, hypoxemia, and tissue oxygen delivery. In this episode, we review what the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve represents, how hemoglobin saturation relates to PaO2, what P50 means, and how left and right shifts change hemoglobin’s affinity for oxygen.
Topics covered include:• What the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve is• Hemoglobin saturation and PaO2• Oxygen binding and oxygen unloading• Why the curve has a sigmoidal shape• Hemoglobin affinity for oxygen• P50 and what it means• Left shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin curve• Right shift of the oxygen-hemoglobin curve• Temperature, pH, CO2, and 2,3-BPG• How left shift affects oxygen unloading• How right shift affects oxygen unloading• Clinical relevance of the oxygen-hemoglobin dissociation curve• Practical interpretation of oxygen saturation and PaO2
Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhfGv85TwfI 
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Volume control and pressure control are two of the most important mechanical ventilation modes used in critical care. In this episode, we review the physiologic principles behind both modes, explain how ventilator settings influence pressure, flow, and tidal volume, interpret ventilator scalars and waveforms, and compare the advantages, limitations, and bedside applications of each mode.
Topics covered include:• Foundations of controlled mechanical ventilation• Mandatory breaths and ventilator modes• Volume control ventilation principles• Volume control ventilator settings• Tidal volume, respiratory rate, PEEP, FiO₂, and inspiratory flow• Pressure, flow, and volume scalars in volume control• Peak pressure and plateau pressure interpretation• Pressure control ventilation principles• Pressure control ventilator settings• Inspiratory pressure, inspiratory time, respiratory rate, PEEP, and FiO₂• Pressure, flow, and volume scalars in pressure control• Delivered tidal volume in pressure control ventilation• Effects of lung compliance and airway resistance• Comparing volume control versus pressure control• Advantages and limitations of each ventilation mode• Practical bedside applications in respiratory failure and critical care
Watch the full video on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cVgxMkiI6Y 
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Dead space ventilation is a foundational concept in pulmonary physiology and mechanical ventilation. In this episode, we review anatomic dead space, alveolar dead space, physiologic dead space, and how dead space relates to ventilation-perfusion mismatch, shunt physiology, CO2 clearance, respiratory failure, and bedside clinical interpretation.
Topics covered include:• What dead space ventilation means• Anatomic dead space• Alveolar dead space• Physiologic dead space• Ventilation without effective gas exchange• Relationship between dead space and CO2 clearance• High V/Q physiology• Dead space versus V/Q mismatch• Dead space versus pulmonary shunt• How pulmonary embolism increases dead space• Dead space in ARDS and critical illness• Dead space in mechanical ventilation• Minute ventilation and alveolar ventilation• Practical applications in respiratory failure and critical care
Watch the full video on YouTube:[YouTube link]
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Volume control and pressure control are two foundational modes of mechanical ventilation. In this episode, we compare volume control ventilation with pressure control ventilation, focusing on core principles, ventilator settings, pressure and flow patterns, tidal volume delivery, and practical bedside differences.
Topics covered include:• What volume control ventilation is• What pressure control ventilation is• Mandatory breaths and controlled ventilation• Tidal volume, inspiratory pressure, respiratory rate, PEEP, and FiO2• How volume control delivers a set tidal volume• How pressure control delivers a set inspiratory pressure• Pressure, flow, and volume waveforms• Peak pressure and plateau pressure considerations• Effects of lung compliance and airway resistance• Advantages and limitations of volume control• Advantages and limitations of pressure control• How changes in patient mechanics affect each mode• Practical comparison for mechanical ventilation• Bedside considerations in respiratory failure and critical care
Watch the full video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e7QDTu_CIg0
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Decompensated cirrhosis is defined by the development of major complications of advanced liver disease and portal hypertension. In this episode, we review the core complications of decompensated cirrhosis, including esophageal variceal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and hepatic encephalopathy.
Topics covered include:• What decompensated cirrhosis means• Portal hypertension and advanced liver disease• Esophageal varices and variceal bleeding• Initial management of suspected variceal hemorrhage• Octreotide, antibiotics, endoscopy, and band ligation• Ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis• Diagnostic paracentesis and ascitic fluid interpretation• SBP antibiotic therapy and albumin use• Hepatorenal syndrome and kidney dysfunction in cirrhosis• HRS-AKI diagnosis and treatment principles• Hepatic encephalopathy and altered mental status• Precipitating factors for hepatic encephalopathy• Lactulose and rifaximin therapy• Practical emergency and critical care considerations• Liver transplantation considerations
Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eESt2fgkKyE
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Pulmonary physiology is essential for understanding hypoxemia, respiratory failure, oxygenation, V/Q mismatch, and shunt physiology. In this episode, we review ventilation-perfusion relationships, V/Q mismatch, pulmonary shunting, and the key differences between these mechanisms of impaired oxygenation.
Topics covered include:• Ventilation and perfusion basics• Normal V/Q relationships in the lung• What V/Q mismatch means• Low V/Q physiology• High V/Q physiology• What pulmonary shunt means• Right-to-left shunt physiology• Intrapulmonary and intracardiac shunts• How V/Q mismatch causes hypoxemia• How shunting causes hypoxemia• Response to supplemental oxygen• A-a gradient and oxygenation assessment• Difference between V/Q mismatch, shunt, and dead space• Common clinical examples• Pneumonia, pulmonary edema, ARDS, atelectasis, COPD, asthma, and pulmonary embolism• Practical application in respiratory failure and critical care
Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPrdV99D2qs
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Hepatopulmonary syndrome and portopulmonary hypertension are two important pulmonary vascular complications of liver disease and portal hypertension. In this episode, we compare hepatopulmonary syndrome with portopulmonary hypertension, focusing on pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, hemodynamics, treatment, and liver transplant considerations.
Topics covered include:• What hepatopulmonary syndrome is• What portopulmonary hypertension is• How liver disease and portal hypertension affect the pulmonary circulation• Intrapulmonary vascular dilatations in hepatopulmonary syndrome• Pulmonary vascular remodeling in portopulmonary hypertension• Hypoxemia, platypnea, and orthodeoxia• Pulmonary hypertension symptoms and right heart strain• Pulse oximetry and arterial blood gas testing• Contrast-enhanced echocardiography and bubble study• Transthoracic echocardiography screening• Right heart catheterization and hemodynamic confirmation• Differentiating hepatopulmonary syndrome from portopulmonary hypertension• Oxygen therapy and supportive care• Pulmonary vasodilator therapy• Liver transplantation considerations
Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfN0gn4qavc
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, or SBP, is a serious infection of ascitic fluid that occurs in patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension. In this episode, we review the pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, treatment, albumin use, and prophylaxis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis.
Topics covered include:• What spontaneous bacterial peritonitis is• Why SBP occurs in cirrhosis and ascites• Bacterial translocation and ascitic fluid infection• Clinical presentation and symptoms• When to perform diagnostic paracentesis• Ascitic fluid cell count and PMN threshold• Ascitic fluid culture and diagnostic testing• Differentiating SBP from secondary bacterial peritonitis• Initial antibiotic treatment• Cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, and antibiotic selection• Albumin therapy and prevention of kidney injury• Repeat paracentesis and treatment response• Primary and secondary SBP prophylaxis• Norfloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole• Practical management considerations in cirrhosis
Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXhdupsucHM
📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Communityhttps://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine
Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning.
Patreon members get access to:• Comprehensive Study Guides• Bedside One-Pagers• Clinical Reviews• Mini-Courses• Practice Questions• Ad-Free Videos• Structured Topic Collections
🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine WebsiteExplore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content:https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com
⚠️ Educational Disclaimer:This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care.Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer