Critical Matters

Acute respiratory failure is one of the most common reasons adults require intensive care, and choosing the right respiratory support strategy can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. In this episode of Critical Matters , Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores the evidence behind noninvasive respiratory support for adults with acute respiratory failure. The discussion examines current clinical guid...

Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, making early recognition and coordinated care essential to improving patient outcomes. In honor of Sepsis Awareness Month, observed every September, we are revisiting an episode of Critical Matters featuring a conversation about hospital sepsis programs and the CDC Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements. Originally debuting...

For patients receiving mechanical ventilation, losing the ability to speak can be one of the most frightening and frustrating aspects of critical illness. In this episode of Critical Matters , Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the experience of being "voiceless" in the ICU and examines evidence-based strategies to improve communication between patients, families, and care teams. He is joined by Mary Be...

Recovering after a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a long and difficult process, and for some survivors, healing the body may only be a fraction of the journey. In recent years, attention has increasingly turned to the cognitive impact post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS, has on ICU patients. In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores how to communicate w...

When it comes to critical illness, nutrition isn't just supportive care—it can be a key part of the treatment plan. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti sits down with Dr. Jayshil Patel to discuss nutrition therapy for critically ill adults and the growing evidence behind enteral nutrition's role in improving outcomes. Dr. Patel is a pulmonary and critical care physician in the Division of Pulmonar...

In a recent episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discussed the 2026 iteration of the Surviving Sepsis Guidelines. In this episode, the discussion continues, focusing on important aspects beyond clinical guidelines. He is joined by Dr. Andre Kalil, a physician specializing in critical care and infectious diseases. Dr. Kalil is a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of Transplant Inf...

This episode was originally posted Feb. 24, 2022. The last 24 months have pushed ICU teams around the world to their limits. As we move forward, we need to heal and rebuild our critical care teams. Healthcare more than ever will require ICU teams to perform at the highest levels and to continuously innovate to deliver high-value care to the sickest of the sick. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the care of older adults in the ICU. He is joined by Dr. Lauren Ferrante, a pulmonary critical care physician in the medical intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and serves as Director, Operations Core, at the Yale Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center. D...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses arterial catheters in shock through the lens of the recently published EVERDAC trial. He is joined by Dr. Gregoire Muller, a critical care physician in the Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Resuscitation at the University Hospital Center of Orléans, Orléans, France. Dr. Muller is an accomplished clinician and researcher. He is the principal inv...

In this, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the management of invasive candidiasis in critically ill patients. Invasive candidiasis is frequent in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. He is joined by Dr. Max Adelman, a practicing critical care and infectious disease physician at Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Adelman is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill...

In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2026. He is joined by Dr. Hallie Prescot and Dr. Bram Rochwerg. Dr. Hallie Prescott is an Associate Professor in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan and a staff physician at the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. She se...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses emergency management and resuscitation of patients with left-sided Impella support. We will base our discussion on a recently published United Kingdom multisociety consensus statement. Our guests for this episode are two of the authors of this consensus statement. Dr. Zanotti is joined by Dr. Waqas Akhtar, a consultant at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Fou...

In this episode Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the recently released Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Adults. This guideline is a report of the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. He is joined by Dr. Mark Creager, the lead author and chair of the writing committee for...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses a structured approach to ECMO emergencies, focusing on recognizing cardiac arrest, organizing the team response, and early ECMO troubleshooting to support key life-saving interventions. He is joined by Dr. Waqas Akhtar, a consultant at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trustin the United Kingdom. Dr. Akhtar completed full postgraduate certification in...

In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the management of acute type B aortic dissection. He is joined by Dr. Firas Mussa, a vascular surgeon and professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Dr. Mussa also holds a joint appointment with Imperial College in London. Additional resources: Management of Acute Type B Aortic Dissection. FF Mussa and P Kougias. N En...

In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the role of Procalcitonin in the ICU. He is joined by Dr. Simran Gupta, an infectious disease specialist at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Gupta has additional training in Clinical Research, Transplant, and Infectious Disease. She recently published an article on reassessing the role of Procalcitonin in critically ill patients with sepsis. Addition...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the assessment of peripheral perfusion as a tool to guide treatment in septic shock. Specifically, he dives into Capillary Refill Time. He is joined by Dr. Eduardo Kattan, a critical care and anesthesia physician. Dr. Kattan is an Assistant Professor at the Pontificia Catholic University of Chile, where he also serves as Adult Critical Care Program Dir...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the administration of vasopressor agents through peripheral intravenous lines (or what we refer to as “peripheral vasopressors”). He is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Munroe, a practicing pulmonary/critical care physician and an Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her research interests include e...

Fluid overload is a common problem in critically ill patients. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discuss recognizing and managing fluid overload in the ICU with guest Dr. Michael J. Connor, Jr., a practicing intensivist and nephrologist. Dr. Connor is a Professor and Senior Physician of Critical Care Medicine & Nephrology at the Divisions of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine...

Originally posted in April of 2023, we are sharing this episode of Critical Matters again as Dr. Sergio Zanotti's discussion about the long journey to healing and recovery for those who've survived critical illness in the ICU remains pertinent and important. This conversation features Dr. Margaret Herridge, Professor of Medicine, Senior Scientist in Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine at the Un...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses ECPR–Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. ECPR is still be considered a niche therapy, but its relevance and availability are increasing. He is joined by Dr. Adam Green, a practicing intensivist at Cooper University Health Care and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). Dr. Green is the directo...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses clinical guidelines for the transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in critically ill patients. He is joined by Dr. Angel Coz Yataco, a practicing pulmonary critical care physician. Dr Coz Yataco is on the faculty of the Cleaveland Clinic Main Campus. He is also the lead author of the recently published American College of Chest Physicia...

In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the different aspects of managing pneumonia in critically ill patients. He covers the initial management of severe pneumonia, management of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and highlights the clinical approach to non-resolving pneumonia in the intensive care unit (ICU). He is joined by Dr. Andre Kalil, a physician specializing in critical care and infe...

In this episode of, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores the vital role of enteral nutrition in the ICU—a foundational element in the prevention and treatment of disease-related malnutrition among critically ill patients. He is joined by Dr. Leah Gramlich, a distinguished gastroenterologist and physician nutrition specialist from the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Gramlich is a Professor...

In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the science of hope. He's joined by Dr. Stephen Trzeciak, a physician-scientist, the Edward D. Viner Endowed Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Health Care, and Professor and Chair of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. Dr. Trzeciak is a practicing intensivist and a clinical researcher with more than 100 publicatio...