Neutropenia

This multiauthored book has four main sections ("General Concepts," "Clinical Syndromes," "Special Problem Areas," and "Therapeutic Considerations") and 43 chapters. It is a useful compilation of information about diverse problems concerning infectious diseases in the intensive care unit. Certain reviews, such as those on infections after neurosurgery, nosocomial pneumonia, infective endocarditis, febrile neutropenia, and resistance to antibiotics, are well written and designed to promote evidence-based practice. The chapter on the mechanisms of antibiotic-induced release of endotoxins is articulate and provocative. The four chapters on noninfectious mimics of infectious syndromes in the intensive care unit are helpful reminders that there may be alternative diagnoses. Many pearls, derived from the editor's extensive experience in infectious-disease consultation and presented in the first overview chapter, will benefit the reader. The judicious use of tables to summarize concepts will be particularly helpful on teaching rounds.

Edited by one of the world's leading interventional cardiologists and educators, this new book is created with an eye on giving the reader a solid, practical and clinically-focused understanding of this important class of drugs, from basic science to a clear-headed discussion of complex topics such as combination therapies, drug-drug interactions, and platelet resistance.