Critical Care of the Obese Patient

INTRODUCTION Obesity results in pathophysiologic changes in most organ systems. Infl ammation, hypercoagulability and insulin resistance characterize obesity as a process that mimics critical illness. Increased BMI requires increased cardiovascular, respiratory, and metabolic demand resulting in a markedly diminished physiologic reserve (1) . Care of the critically ill obese patient requires knowledge of these changes and specifi c intensive care unit-related issues ( Table 1 ) in order to anticipate common complications and provide timely and effective treatment.