Book excerpt: Are you working in an acute or emergency unit? This is an indispensable pocket guide to caring for patients with acute medical conditions. This book will help you to: Care for patients within the critical first 24 hours of admission Manage patients using the most up-to-date, evidence-based approach Understand the most-common emergency medical conditions and their underlying disease mechanisms Handle the patient’s assessment, understand the observations and manage their disease Easily obtain practical advice in a clear style Explains ‘what to tell the patient and relatives’ in jargon-free language Access information on SARS, avian influenza and bio-terrorism Improved sections on Acute Coronary Syndromes, non-invasive ventilation, acute stroke care, acute kidney injury and emergency oxygen treatment.