Book excerpt: Respiratory disease is the most common reason for admission to intensive care and advanced respiratory support is one of the most frequently used interventions in critically ill patients. An intimate understanding of respiratory disease, its diagnosis, and its treatment, is the cornerstone of high quality intensive care. This book includes detailed sections on invasive ventilation, including the principles of each ventilatory mode and its applications in clinical practice. Each disease is discussed at length, with advice on management. The book is aimed primarily at trainees in intensive care and specialist nurses, but will also appeal to both trainees and more senior staff in anaesthesia and respiratory medicine.