This is an essential pocket guide for nurses caring for patients with acute medical conditions. It focuses on events within the first critical twenty-four hours of admission and provides an up-to-date, evidence-based guide to the management of these patients. The most common emergency medical conditions are described and explained in terms of the underlying disease mechanisms. The book also describes the assessment, observations and management in relation to disease processes. The text has been completely updated in line with the latest guidelines and protocols including the UK Resuscitation Council Guidelines 2005. Acute Medical Emergencies bridges the gap between a pure nursing text and a medical guide to emergency admissions. Practical advice is laid out in a clear, accessible style with extensive use of lists, tables and boxes to highlight critical nursing tasks and enable quick location of vital information. Case studies help link theory to practice. The second edition has been fully updated throughout and now contains information concerning SARS, avian influenza and bio-terrorism. It provides the knowledge base for a multidisciplinary approach to emergency medicine and will be invaluable to Emergency Care Practitioners and 'Hospital at Night' teams.