About

A reference for neurocritical care written to be read at the bedside — clear about what is established, and equally clear about what is not.

Neurocritical care is complex and nuanced. There is a great deal that is known, and rather more that is not. This site aims to be a solid foundation for anyone new to the specialty, and to give those a little longer in the tooth something to argue with.

What is here

Anatomy & Physiology covers the mechanisms underneath the monitoring — what is physically happening, and what it means for a decision at the bedside.

Guidelines summarises widely used recommendations in plain language, with the strength of the underlying evidence stated for each one, and says where the evidence is thinner than the confident phrasing of a protocol suggests.

The blog takes recurring bedside questions and works through the reasoning that sits underneath the usual answers.

Podcasts collects recorded conversations and talks, with show notes for each episode.

How to read it

This is written for education and revision. It is not medical advice. It will not be as current as the source documents it summarises, and it never overrides your own unit’s protocols or your clinical judgement.

Guideline summaries in particular are condensed for revision — they are not the guidelines themselves. Recommendations are revised, and the pages here will lag behind them. Always work from the current published version.

Get in touch

Questions, corrections and contributions are all welcome — particularly corrections. Write to r.carden@doctors.org.uk.