RESUMO
This manuscript is merely meant to be a broad guideline to the overall management of acute and or chronic cardiac and respiratory emergencies. It was first concerned with the drawn up as a short guideline 12 years ago to assist junior staff in the management of patients in critical care situations. Its scope has been progressively widened to encompass many of the problems that commonly confront the clinician and are still controversial today. It is by no means a substitute for textbook material but summarises the experience of the compiler which it is hoped will be a value to his colleagues - medical; nursing and paramedical. Not all agents discussed are currently available in this country but a total profile of the therapeutic agents in each section is overviewed. Other physicians may have their own ideas about managment of therapeutic regimes and the presented data is; therefore published as a guideline and reflects basically my own experience. [abstract terminated]