Until recently, endocrinology and critical care medicine were two specialties in medicine that were rather uncomfortable with each other and hence quite i- lated. Fortunately, these two 'alien' disciplines have joined forces in successful attempts to perform high quality research in order to clarify the unknown. By integrating endocrinology in critical care medicine, or vice-versa depending on the specialty of the observer, new experimental and clinical data on the complex endocrine and metabolic derangements accompanying non-endocrine severe i- nesses came available which generated important novel insights with relevant clinical implications. In addition, the state of the art diagnosis and management of primary endocrine diseases that represent life-threatening situations leading to ICU admission has been updated. This issue of Contemporary Endocrinology aims at compiling the new ?ndings. The book indeed covers both areas of 'Acute Endocrinology' that are often taking care of atvery distant sites within hospitals. The ?rst part deals with the classical life-threatening illnesses caused by primary endocrine diseases such as thyrotoxicosis, hypothyroidism, acute adrenal crisis, acute calcium disorders, pheochromocytoma, severe hyper- and hypoglycemia . The second part looks at endocrinology from the ICU side, starting with a g- eral overview of the dynamic neuroendocrine and metabolic stress responses in the condition of intensive care-dependent, non-endocrine critical illness.
From the reviews:
"This book offers an overview of life-threatening endocrine disorders as well as alterations in the endocrine axes seen in nonendocrine critical illness. ... targeted at those actively practicing or in-training in the endocrinology and critical care subspecialties. ... This book does fill a gap in the field by focusing exclusively on endocrinology and acute illness. ... I would recommend this book most highly to practicing endocrinologists and those in endocrine training, although critical care specialists would likely find it very informative as well." (Rene Simon Aronsohn, Doody's Review Service, January, 2009)
"This book offers an overview of life-threatening endocrine disorders as well as alterations in the endocrine axes seen in nonendocrine critical illness. ... targeted at those actively practicing or in-training in the endocrinology and critical care subspecialties. ... This book does fill a gap in the field by focusing exclusively on endocrinology and acute illness. ... I would recommend this book most highly to practicing endocrinologists and those in endocrine training, although critical care specialists would likely find it very informative as well." (Rene Simon Aronsohn, Doody's Review Service, January, 2009)