Book excerpt: Acute resuscitation and care of unstable and critically ill patients can be a daunting experience for all trainees in the emergency department or the intensive care unit. The practical, easy-to-read and evidence-based information in Practical Emergency Resuscitation and Critical Care will help all physicians understand and begin management of these patients. This book offers the collaborative expertise of dozens of critical care physicians from different specialities, including but not limited to: emergency medicine, surgery, medicine and anaesthesia. Divided into sections by medical entities, it covers essential topics that are likely to be encountered in the emergency department where critical care often begins. The portable format and bullet point style content allows all practitioners instant access to the principle information that is necessary for the diagnosis and management of critical care patients.