Critical Care Guidelines

See evidence-based guidance for caring for critically ill patients during pandemics, as well as methods for liberating patients from mechanical ventilation.

Guideline in Focus

Red Blood Cell Transfusion in the ICU

SEPTEMBER 2024

This guideline provides evidence-based recommendations for RBC transfusion among critically ill patients overall and specific subgroups, including patients with gastrointestinal bleeding, acute coronary syndrome, cardiac surgery, isolated troponin elevation, and septic shock.

More critical care guidelines

Liberation From Mechanical Ventilation in Critically Ill Adults (January 2017)

CHEST and the American Thoracic Society have collaborated to provide guidance to clinicians concerning liberation from mechanical ventilation, including recommendations for inspiratory pressure augmentation during an initial spontaneous breathing trial, protocols minimizing sedation, and preventative noninvasive ventilation.

Care of the Critically Ill and Injured During Pandemics and Disasters (October 2014)

Natural disasters, industrial accidents, terrorist attacks, and pandemics all have the capacity to result in large numbers of critically ill or injured patients. This CHEST consensus statement series provides suggestions for all of those involved in a disaster or pandemic with multiple critically ill patients, including frontline clinicians, hospital administrators, professional societies, and public health or government officials.