A major accomplishment of the 20th century, the development of intensive care units (ICUs) has made possible multidisciplinary management of critically ill patients. Patients in critical condition hugely benefit from ICUs because they allow for the specialized management of various contributing factors and complications.

Neurocritical care is the medical subspecialty within intensive care that is dedicated, in an integral and multisystemic way, to the care of the critically ill, neurological patient. The foundational concept of the subspecialty is that an already injured brain (primary lesion) can be significantly affected by systemic alterations (secondary injury).

There are several diseases that put the patient in a serious and life-threatening neurological condition: craniocerebral trauma, stroke (ischemic or hemorrhagic), epileptic disease, brain tumors, and respiratory failure of neuromuscular origin. Through better understanding the pathophysiological processes and by utilizing technological advances, neurological intensive care and new therapeutic modalities can now benefit neurocritical patients as never before.

Key issues facing neurocritical care include: neuromonitoring, the impact of neurointensive care units, new therapeutic modalities, human resources training, and other related costs.

In response to these issues, the general objective of this course is to provide an overview of different critical pathologies that affect the central nervous system (CNS). General, intensivist, and emergency physicians frequently encounter these issues and will benefit from the concise and clear lessons.