ABA Critical Care study guide
ABA Critical Care · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Critical Care Medicine Exam is one of the subspecialty examinations offered by the American Board of Anesthesiology (ABA). The ABA lists it among its subspecialty exams, alongside adult cardiac anesthesiology, health care administration, leadership and management, hospice and palliative medicine, neurocritical care, pain medicine, pediatric anesthesiology, and sleep medicine, and it describes subspecialty certification as a way for diplomates to go further into multidisciplinary fields after initial certification. The ABA Critical Care study guide has 10 sections and about 2,970 words.
01Respiratory Disorders and Mechanical Ventilation
ARDS is an acute (≤1 week) syndrome of bilateral opacities not explained by effusion, collapse, or nodules, with respiratory failure not fully attributable to cardiac failure or volume overload, and PaO2/FiO2 ≤300 on PEEP ≥5 cmH2O. Severity bands: mild 201–300, moderate 101–200, severe ≤100.
362 words, about 2 min02Cardiovascular Disorders and Hemodynamic Monitoring
Classify shock as distributive, hypovolemic, cardiogenic, or obstructive, then confirm with bedside echocardiography: LV and RV size and function, pericardial effusion, IVC caliber, and lung B-lines. Norepinephrine is first-line for vasodilatory shock; target MAP ≥65 mmHg, individualizing upward in chronic hypertension or known cerebrovascular disease.
330 words, about 2 min03Neurologic Critical Care
Monro-Kellie doctrine: brain, blood, and CSF share a fixed volume; adding mass first displaces CSF and venous blood, then raises ICP steeply. A patient with ICP 22 and MAP 62 has CPP 40 - inadequate - and the correct response is to raise MAP, not merely to bolus osmotherapy.
303 words, about 2 min04Renal, Fluid, Electrolyte, and Acid-Base Disorders
KDIGO stages by creatinine rise (≥0.3 mg/dL or 1.5–1.9× = stage 1; 2.0–2.9× = stage 2; ≥3× or ≥4.0 mg/dL or dialysis = stage 3) and urine output. Prerenal indices (FeNa <1%, FeUrea <35%) lose accuracy with diuretics, CKD, and contrast.
258 words, about 1 min05Sepsis, Infection, and Immunocompromise
Sepsis is life-threatening organ dysfunction from dysregulated host response to infection, operationalized as a SOFA rise ≥2. Septic shock is vasopressor-requiring hypotension with lactate 2 mmol/L despite fluids.
313 words, about 2 min06Hematologic and Coagulation Disorders
Restrictive thresholds are supported for most critically ill patients (hemoglobin 7 g/dL), with a higher trigger (8 g/dL) for active ischemia or ongoing bleeding. Platelet prophylaxis at 10 × 10^9/L, 20 before procedures, and 50 before major surgery or neuraxial instrumentation.
294 words, about 1 min07Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
DKA: hyperglycemia, ketosis, high-anion-gap acidosis. Total-body potassium is depleted even when serum potassium appears normal or high; if potassium is <3.3 mmol/L, hold insulin and replete first.
275 words, about 1 min08Trauma, Surgical, and Transplant Critical Care
ATLS sequencing still applies, but damage-control resuscitation dominates bleeding patients: permissive hypotension (systolic 80–90 mmHg) in penetrating trauma without traumatic brain injury, early blood products, tranexamic acid within 3 hours, prevention of the lethal triad (hypothermia, acidosis, coagulopathy), and rapid hemorrhage control. In traumatic brain injury, permissive hypotension is contraindicated - maintain cerebral perfusion pressure.
267 words, about 1 min09Gastrointestinal, Nutritional, and Toxicologic Disorders
Upper GI bleeding: resuscitate, start a proton pump inhibitor, and endoscope early; restrictive transfusion (7 g/dL) improves outcomes. Acute pancreatitis: goal-directed fluids, early enteral nutrition, and treat infected necrosis with drainage rather than early open surgery.
271 words, about 1 min10Ethics, Palliative Care, Patient Safety, and ICU Administration
Assess capacity for each specific decision. Patients with capacity may refuse any treatment, including life-sustaining therapy.
297 words, about 1 min