Table of Contents

The Acute Neurology Survival Guide: A Guide to Inpatient and ICU Neurology

Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

 

Part One:  A Comprehensive “How-To” Guide

Pre-Rounding On and Presenting Floor Patients – Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Pre-Rounding and Presenting NeuroICU Patients - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

The Coma Exam - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Tips for Common Cranial Nerve Exam Findings - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Stroke and Vascular Anatomy - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Basics of Computed Tomography (CT) - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Basics of MRI Ordering and Assessment - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Understanding Transcranial Dopplers (TCDs) - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Tips and Tricks for EEG Interpretation - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

 

Part Two: Vascular Neurology

Acute Ischemic Stroke – First Encounter Assessment and Management - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Perfusion Imaging - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Ischemic Stroke: Admission Checklist - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Stroke Workup Beyond the Basics - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Ischemic Stroke – Dissection - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Ischemic Stroke - Symptomatic Carotid Stenosis (“Hot Carotid”) - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Ischemic Stroke – Post Stroke Management of Anticoagulation - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Selected Anti-Platelets and Anticoagulation in Stroke Prevention – Catherine SW Albin, MD & Megan Barra, PharmD

Acute Management Strategies – TPA and Mechanical Thrombectomy Trials - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Venous Sinus Thrombosis - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Posterior Reversible Vasoconstriction Syndrome (PRES) and Reversible Cerebral Vasoconstriction Syndrome (RCVS) - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Part Three: Non-Vascular Inpatient Neurology 

Altered Mental Status - Priya Srikanth, MD PhD

Framework for Workup of Unknown Brain “Lesion” - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Approach to First-Time Seizure - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Pharmacology Tips for Commonly Used AEDs Tips – Megan Barra, PharmD

Approach to Infectious Encephalitis and Meningitis – Catherine SW Albin, MD & Megan Barra, PharmD

Aseptic Meningitis - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Inflammatory and Autoimmune Encephalitis - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Differential Diagnosis and Ordering Guide: Neuroanatomical Syndromes - James Hillis, MD & Catherine SW Albin, MD

Autoimmune Encephalitis Testing – Juan Carlos Martinez Guiterrez, MD & James Hillis, MD

Approach to New Onset Weakness - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Workup of New Demyelinating Lesions – Kathryn Holroyd, MD and Kristin Galetta, MD

Approach to the “Dizzy” Patient – Eric Lawson, MD

 

Part Four: NeuroICU

Intracranial Pressure: Theory and Management Strategies – Melissa Bentley, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Management of External Ventricular Catheters - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Malignant Middle Cerebral Artery Infarction - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Intracerebral Hemorrhage – Management - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Intracranial Hemorrhage – LandmarkTrials - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Reversal of Selected Anti-Thrombotics – Catherine SW Albin, MD & Megan Barra, PharmD

An In-Depth Review of Reversing Direct Factor XA-Inhibitor-Related Hemorrhages - Megan Barra, PharmD

Intracranial Hemorrhage - Management of Anticoagulation – Juan Carlos Martinez Gutierrez, MD

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage – Differential - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Aneurysmal SAH – Admission and Early Management – Christopher Reeves, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage – Scoring Systems - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Aneurysmal SAH – Daily Management Principles – Christopher Reeves, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Subarachnoid Hemorrhage – Notable Trials - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Traumatic Brain Injury - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Trials in TBI - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Induced Hypothermia after Cardiac Arrest – Priya Srikanth, MD, PhD and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Status Epilepticus - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Continuous EEG Monitoring, Electrographic Seizures and The Ictal-Interictal Continuum - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Neuromuscular Crises: ICU Management of Guillan Barr & Myasthenia Gravis - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Evaluation of C-Spine Trauma - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

ICU Management of Spinal Cord Injuries - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Management of Post-Operative Craniotomy Patients – Alison Paolino, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Post-Operative Management of Cerebrovascular Patients– Alison Paolino, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Preparation for Brain Death Testing - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Nutrition in the NeuroICU – Carmen Lo, MS, RD, LDN, CNSC

Hypernatremia in the NeuroICU – Melissa Bentley, NP and Catherine SW Albin, MD

Hyponatremia in the NeuroICU - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD

Pressors and Inotropes Commonly Used in the NeuroICU – Catherine SW Albin, MD & Megan Barra, PharmD

Seizure Prophylaxis in the NeuroICU – Amanda Rivera, PharmD, Stephanie Seto, PharmD, Megan Barra, PharmD

Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis in the NeuroICU – Stephanie Seto PharmD & Megan Barra PharmD

 

Part Five: Important References

Brainstem Anatomy - Catherine SW Albin, MD & Sahar F. Zafar, MD      

NeuroICU Intravenous Fluid Compositions – Megan Barra, PharmD

Anti-Epileptic Drug Chart, For Use in Adults – Megan Barra, PharmD & David Fischer, MD

Drug-Drug Interactions Common in Neuro Patients – Stephanie Seto, PharmD, Amanda Rivera, PharmD, Megan Barra, PharmD

Myasthenia Gravis: Medications to Avoid – Megan Barra, PharmD & John Y. Rhee, MD MPH

Parkinson’s Disease: Medications to Avoid – Amanda Rivera, PharmD & Megan Barra, PharmD

About the Author

Sahar F. Zafar, MD, MBBSDepartment of NeurologyMassachusetts General HospitalHarvard Medical SchoolBoston, MA
Catherine SW Albin, MD Department of NeurologyDivision of Neurocritical CareEmory University School of Medicine Atlanta, GA