• Anaesthesia
• intensive care

The fourth edition of this pocket-sized handbook is a useful addition to any healthcare professional operating within a critical care setting. The authors state that their main purpose is to provide a ‘practical guide that explains how to use drugs safely and effectively in a critical care setting’ and that it should complement, rather than replace, more in-depth texts. They have achieved this rather nicely in a succinct, well-arranged and manageable text.

The book is laid out in two sections: the first, and most significant half comprises an A–Z of drugs likely to be encountered in the critical care setting; the second details short notes on relevant critical care topics. These notes are not exhaustive, and are intended as a quick reference guide …