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This open access book, published by Springer under the Open Access CC BY 4.0 Licence in collaboration with the International Fluid Academy (IFA, www.fluidacademy.org), explores rationalized intravenous fluid therapy for critically ill patients. Despite being commonly prescribed in inpatient settings, intravenous fluids are often administered without evidence-based guidelines, neglecting essential considerations such as the fact they are drugs, that need proper dosing, duration, indications, contraindications, side effects, and de-escalation. This book fills this knowledge gap. Each chapter starts with a clinical vignette and a related question, followed by a concise summary abstract, key learning points, main text, and a conclusion that addresses the clinical question and provides relevant take-home messages. Additionally, every chapter includes an IFA commentary referencing the latest literature and evidence. The book begins with an introductory chapter that provides definitions and terminology, followed by four sections. The first section covers the fundamentals of intravenous fluid therapy, including fluid compartments in sick patients, fluid bolus dynamics, heart-lung interactions, fluid challenge, fluid responsiveness, arterial blood gas analysis based on traditional and Stewart concepts, and electrolyte physiology relevant to clinical issues. The second section discusses commercially available intravenous fluids, while the third section focuses on fluid therapy in specific clinical situations. The final section introduces the concepts of fluid stewardship and appropriate fluid prescription. Aligned with the International Fluid Academy's mission to enhance education and promote research on fluid management and monitoring, ultimately improving patient survival rates, this book contributes significantly to establishing fluid stewardship at the bedside. It provides valuable support for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and other healthcare professionals across various clinical disciplines working in emergency rooms, operating rooms, or intensive care units, aiding their everyday clinical practice.

Nine years have passed since the first edition of Care of the Critically III Patient was published. As its editors Maurice Rapin and I were fortified by the many positive and helpful comments of reviewers and readers: the work appeared to have fulfilled our original aims and objectives. Intensive care medicine has, of course, advanced and changed in many ways since 1982 and it therefore seemed appropriate to consider the preparation of a second edition. Encouraged by the reception of the first and the timely prompting of the publishers we began, in 1986, to prepare for a new edition. Caring for critically ill patients is of universal concern and we were therefore delighted when Warren Zapol joined us as C'n editor widening our international base. The three of us subsequently spent many happy and productive times together planning the content, priorities, scale and contributions for the new edition. A great tragedy then overcame us: Maurice Rapin died suddenly. His death deprived us of a true friend and colleague who had been an international pioneer during the development of intensive care medicine. I will always remember, with affection and professional pride, the many hours he and I worked together in preparing the first edition of this book and also as founding editors of the now firmly established journal Intensive Care Medicine. An obituary, written by Warren Zapol, that appeared in the journal follows the Preface.