The Gastrointestinal Tract in Critical Illness: a hypothesis dating back 3 millennia

A review of the evidence

The lecture duration is 43min.

0.75 CPD Points, 0.75 CEUs, 0.75 CME credits approval pending.
Accredited by CPDUK, CBRN and Provider Pending.

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John Marshall
Professor of Surgery & Intensive Care, University of Toronto, Canada
Lecture Summary

Events occurring within the gastrointestinal tract are largely hidden from the clinician, yet they play an important role in the pathogenesis of critical illness. This talk will trace the origins of the concept of the gut as the motor of critical illness from the time of the ancient Egyptians to the 21st century.

Target Audience

Critical Care Doctors
Experienced or advanced Critical Care Nurses

Learning Objectives:

Upon completion of this activity, you should be able to:

  • Describe the normal bacterial flora of the gut in health and critical illness
  • Trace changing views of the role of the gut in disease
  • Describe the role of the gut as a reservoir of endotoxin
  • Discuss gut-directed strategies to reduce the burden of critical illness