What are the standard critical care textbooks out there? What's considered the best? Which is most user-friendly for medical students? Any great handbooks out there?

For medical students, people seem to prefer Marino's text. The only downside is that it's pretty old. I don't think any new editions are in the works.

I hear a lot of great things about Fink's Textbook of Critical Care, but that text is way too much for a medical student to read. It's probably too much for a resident to read and is more appropriate for a fellow text or for reference purposes only for residents.

The third edition of the ICU book by Marino (and now with Kenneth M Sutin as well) is set to be released (http://www.lww.com/newresults/0,0,10,00.html?0-7817-9763-2) in September 2006. Yay!

Great! Marino's text is a good resource for students and residents.

Yeah, I was thinking that the 3rd edition was overdue. Too bad I just finished reading the second edition. I knew that as soon as I finished it, I'd find that the 3rd edition would come out soon.

Marino's a great text, but I sometimes find myself thinking that he'd rather debunk current practice standards than suggest what to actually do. Still, it's my go-to book first line. I have to put in a plug for my alma mater, however. A couple old-school surgical critical care guys from Minnesota (abrams and cerra) put out a 2nd edition to their text. It's available on Amazon and has a couple useful companions.

Search: abrams critical care

And you'll find them all. Particularly useful is the Clinical Cases and Practical Solutions. I've worked with Abrams and the guy is a genius and a fantastic teacher.

Speaking of texts out of Minnesota...has anybody seen Critical Care Medicine: The Essentials (3rd ed, just came out) by Marini (of Regions Hospital, in St. Paul) and Wheeler? Looks (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0781739160/sr=8-5/qid=1148238929/ref=sr_1_5/104-0786898-3990328?%5Fencoding=UTF8) like it might be a nice text for 4th year students and residents.

Speaking of texts out of Minnesota...has anybody seen Critical Care Medicine: The Essentials (3rd ed, just came out) by Marini (of Regions Hospital, in St. Paul) and Wheeler? Looks (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0781739160/sr=8-5/qid=1148238929/ref=sr_1_5/104-0786898-3990328?%5Fencoding=UTF8) like it might be a nice text for 4th year students and residents.

My last CCM attending recommended this book. I didn't buy it...you know ms4 senioritis and all.

My last CCM attending recommended this book. I didn't buy it...you know ms4 senioritis and all.


The new edition of Marini and Wheeler's book is very nice and inclusive. The ICU book by Marino is dreadfully outdated (and frankly incorrect in many sections). Irwin and Rippe is a good inclusive text, but excessive for those just doing residency required rotations or clerkships in critical care. Also, beware that given the explosion in critical care EBM and literature...some things are bound to be out of date quickly.

Hi there,
As a medical student, I used Surgical Intensive Care by Clary & Milano. This book is consise and well illustrated. It is a quick read and hits every aspect of critical care despite that is was written primarily with the surgical resident in mind.

Another excellent book is House Officer Guide to ICU Care by Elefteriades. This book though out of print, will make you instantly very sophisticated. It is easy to read and contains practical user-friendly guides to everything that you will encouter in the ICU. The hemodynamic monitoring section is golden.

njbmd :)

Another excellent book is House Officer Guide to ICU Care by Elefteriades. This book though out of print, will make you instantly very sophisticated. It is easy to read and contains practical user-friendly guides to everything that you will encouter in the ICU. The hemodynamic monitoring section is golden.

Is this by the infamous Elefteriades, the cardiothoracic surgeon at Yale?

Is this by the infamous Elefteriades, the cardiothoracic surgeon at Yale?

Hi there,
One in the same. I asked him when he was going to put out another edition of this great book. My copy is full of notes and marks. It is by far, the most used book in my collection. My new edition of Sabiston is getting pretty worn out too.
njbmd :D

Hi there,
One in the same. I asked him when he was going to put out another edition of this great book. My copy is full of notes and marks. It is by far, the most used book in my collection. My new edition of Sabiston is getting pretty worn out too.
njbmd :D
Are you a resident/fellow at Y-NHH?

Are you a resident/fellow at Y-NHH?

Hi there,
No, I am not. Dr. E and I have overlapping research and often speak with each other. My Ph.D dissertation involved cell-cell communication in vascular smooth muscle.

njbmd :)

Dr. E and I have overlapping research and often speak with each other. My Ph.D dissertation involved cell-cell communication in vascular smooth muscle.

I really have to say that I have a lot of respect for that man.

This is an awsome text book. It is thick but in the beginning of each chapter has a summary of important points. One way would be to read the important points in the beginning of the chapter and then just read those parts that you think you may need more info. Anyway, it is definitely the best textbook to me.

The third edition of the ICU book by Marino (and now with Kenneth M Sutin as well) is set to be released (http://www.lww.com/newresults/0,0,10,00.html?0-7817-9763-2) in September 2006. Yay!


Sutin is the man. I almost overcame my aversion to big cities and ranked NYU #1 to be around his intensity in the OR. Alas, country living prevailed...