Podcast · Tech & Science

Critical Matters

by Sound Physicians · English · Tech & Science

Podcast by Sound Physicians

New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 59 min
Latest: 24 Sep 2026
Language: English

Latest episode

24 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

Noninvasive Respiratory Support in Acute Respiratory Failure Patients

Acute respiratory failure is one of the most common reasons adults require intensive care, and choosing the right respiratory support strategy can have a significant impact on patient outcomes. In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores the evidence behind noninvasive respiratory support for adults with acute respiratory failure. The discussion examines current clinical guidelines, the role of high-flow nasal cannula and noninvasive ventilation, and key considerations for selecting the most appropriate support strategy in critical care settings. He is joined by Neha…

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Earlier episodes 29 most recent

10 Sep 2026 · 1 hr 6 min
Revisiting Hospital Sepsis Programs
Sepsis remains one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide, making early recognition and coordinated care essential to improving patient outcomes. In honor of Sepsis Awareness Month, observed every September, we are revisiting an episode of Critical Matters featuring a conversation about hospital sepsis programs and the CDC Hospital Sepsis Program Core Elements. Originally debuting in 2023, Dr. Sergio Zanotti's discussion with guest Hallie Prescott, MD, MSc, Associate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan, hits on evidence-based…
27 Aug 2026 · 58 min
Communication with mechanically ventilated patients
For patients receiving mechanical ventilation, losing the ability to speak can be one of the most frightening and frustrating aspects of critical illness. In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the experience of being "voiceless" in the ICU and examines evidence-based strategies to improve communication between patients, families, and care teams. He is joined by Mary Beth Happ, PhD, RN, Nursing Distinguished Professor of Critical Care Research at The Ohio State University College of Nursing and a nationally recognized researcher whose work has transformed our…
13 Aug 2026 · 1 hr 4 min
Communicating to Patients and Families about PICS
Recovering after a stay in the intensive care unit (ICU) is a long and difficult process, and for some survivors, healing the body may only be a fraction of the journey. In recent years, attention has increasingly turned to the cognitive impact post-intensive care syndrome, or PICS, has on ICU patients. In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores how to communicate with patients and families about post-intensive care syndrome. He is joined by Dr. Carla M. Sevin, an Associate Professor of Medicine in the Division of Allergy, Pulmonary, and Critical Care Medicine at…
30 Jul 2026 · 1 hr 8 min
Nutrition Therapy in the ICU
When it comes to critical illness, nutrition isn't just supportive care—it can be a key part of the treatment plan. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti sits down with Dr. Jayshil Patel to discuss nutrition therapy for critically ill adults and the growing evidence behind enteral nutrition's role in improving outcomes. Dr. Patel is a pulmonary and critical care physician in the Division of Pulmonary at the Medical College of Wisconsin whose research focuses on how enteral nutrition influences outcomes in critical care settings. Additional resources: * Nutrition Therapy in Critically Ill…
9 Jul 2026 · 54 min
Sepsis - Beyond the guidelines
In a recent episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discussed the 2026 iteration of the Surviving Sepsis Guidelines. In this episode, the discussion continues, focusing on important aspects beyond clinical guidelines. He is joined by Dr. Andre Kalil, a physician specializing in critical care and infectious diseases. Dr. Kalil is a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Dr. Kalil is a prolific author and has participated in several IDSA/SCCM Clinical Guidelines and has written extensively on…
25 Jun 2026 · 51 min
The Fearless ICU, revisited
This episode was originally posted Feb. 24, 2022. The last 24 months have pushed ICU teams around the world to their limits. As we move forward, we need to heal and rebuild our critical care teams. Healthcare more than ever will require ICU teams to perform at the highest levels and to continuously innovate to deliver high-value care to the sickest of the sick. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the elements of The Fearless ICU. He is joined by Amy Edmondson (@AmyCEdmondson), the Novartis Professor of Leadership and Management at the Harvard Business School. For the last two…
11 Jun 2026 · 53 min
Caring for older adults in the ICU
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the care of older adults in the ICU. He is joined by Dr. Lauren Ferrante, a pulmonary critical care physician in the medical intensive care unit at Yale New Haven Hospital. She is an Associate Professor of Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine and serves as Director, Operations Core, at the Yale Claude D. Pepper Older Americans Independence Center. Dr. Ferrante is the lead author of the recently published "Society of Critical Care Medicine Guidelines on Caring for Older Adults in the ICU." Additional resources: Society of Critical Care Medicine…
28 May 2026 · 41 min
Rethinking arterial lines
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses arterial catheters in shock through the lens of the recently published EVERDAC trial. He is joined by Dr. Gregoire Muller, a critical care physician in the Department of Intensive Care Medicine and Resuscitation at the University Hospital Center of Orléans, Orléans, France. Dr. Muller is an accomplished clinician and researcher. He is the principal investigator/lead author of the EVERDAC clinical trial published in the New England Journal of Medicine. Additional resources: Deferring Arterial Catheterization in Critically Ill Patients with Shock.…
14 May 2026 · 57 min
Invasive Candidiasis
In this, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the management of invasive candidiasis in critically ill patients. Invasive candidiasis is frequent in critically ill patients and is associated with high mortality and morbidity. He is joined by Dr. Max Adelman, a practicing critical care and infectious disease physician at Houston Methodist Hospital. Dr. Adelman is an Assistant Professor of Medicine at Weill Cornell Medical College. Dr. Adelman's clinical interests include bacteremia, hospital-acquired infections, immunocompromised hosts, multidrug-resistant organisms, and septic shock. Additional…
23 Apr 2026 · 1 hr 12 min
Surviving sepsis campaign 2026 guidelines
In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Sepsis and Septic Shock 2026. He is joined by Dr. Hallie Prescot and Dr. Bram Rochwerg. Dr. Hallie Prescott is an Associate Professor in Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine at the University of Michigan and a staff physician at the Ann Arbor Veterans Affairs Healthcare System. She serves as co-chair of the international Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines. Dr. Bram Rochwerg is an associate professor and critical care physician at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.…
9 Apr 2026 · 55 min
Management of Impella Emergencies
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses emergency management and resuscitation of patients with left-sided Impella support. We will base our discussion on a recently published United Kingdom multisociety consensus statement. Our guests for this episode are two of the authors of this consensus statement. Dr. Zanotti is joined by Dr. Waqas Akhtar, a consultant at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust in the United Kingdom. Dr. Akhtar completed full postgraduate certification in Cardiology, Intensive Care & General Internal Medicine with a particular interest in cardiogenic shock, heart…
19 Mar 2026 · 1 hr 9 min
Acute Pulmonary Embolism: Clinical Guideline Update
In this episode Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the recently released Clinical Practice Guideline for the Evaluation and Management of Acute Pulmonary Embolism in Adults. This guideline is a report of the American College of Cardiology / American Heart Association Joint Committee on Clinical Practice Guidelines. He is joined by Dr. Mark Creager, the lead author and chair of the writing committee for these guidelines. Dr. Creager is Professor of Medicine and Professor of Surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. A past president of the American Heart Association, he is an…
12 Feb 2026 · 46 min
ECMO Emergencies
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses a structured approach to ECMO emergencies, focusing on recognizing cardiac arrest, organizing the team response, and early ECMO troubleshooting to support key life-saving interventions. He is joined by Dr. Waqas Akhtar, a consultant at Guy's & St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trustin the United Kingdom. Dr. Akhtar completed full postgraduate certification in Cardiology, Intensive Care & General Internal Medicine, with a particular interest in cardiogenic shock, heart transplantation, and mechanical circulatory support Additional resources: British…
25 Dec 2025 · 1 hr 7 min
Acute Type B Aortic Dissection
In this episode of Critical Matters, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the management of acute type B aortic dissection. He is joined by Dr. Firas Mussa, a vascular surgeon and professor at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston. Dr. Mussa also holds a joint appointment with Imperial College in London. Additional resources: Management of Acute Type B Aortic Dissection. FF Mussa and P Kougias. N Engl J of Med 2025: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40902163/ 2022 ACC/AHA Guideline for the Diagnosis and Management of Aortic Disease: A Report of the American Heart Association/American College of…
11 Dec 2025 · 43 min
PCT Reassessed
In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the role of Procalcitonin in the ICU. He is joined by Dr. Simran Gupta, an infectious disease specialist at Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston. Dr. Gupta has additional training in Clinical Research, Transplant, and Infectious Disease. She recently published an article on reassessing the role of Procalcitonin in critically ill patients with sepsis. Additional resources: Reassessing Procalcitonin-Guided Antibiotic Therapy in Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis: Lessons from the ADAPT-Sepsis Trial. S. Gupta, et al. Clinical Infectious Disease 2025:…
19 Nov 2025 · 57 min
Capillary Refill Time (CRT)
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the assessment of peripheral perfusion as a tool to guide treatment in septic shock. Specifically, he dives into Capillary Refill Time. He is joined by Dr. Eduardo Kattan, a critical care and anesthesia physician. Dr. Kattan is an Assistant Professor at the Pontificia Catholic University of Chile, where he also serves as Adult Critical Care Program Director and Director of Research and Academics in the Department of Critical Care Medicine. A prolific investigator, he focuses his research on septic shock and medical education. Dr. Rattan is the…
23 Oct 2025 · 54 min
Peripheral vasopressors
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the administration of vasopressor agents through peripheral intravenous lines (or what we refer to as "peripheral vasopressors"). He is joined by Dr. Elizabeth Munroe, a practicing pulmonary/critical care physician and an Assistant Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care at Intermountain Health in Salt Lake City, Utah. Her research interests include evidence-based resuscitation practices in early sepsis and septic shock, vasopressor administration practices, peripheral vasopressor use, and clinical trials, particularly novel, pragmatic clinical…
9 Oct 2025 · 1 hr 13 min
Fluid Overload in the ICU
Fluid overload is a common problem in critically ill patients. In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discuss recognizing and managing fluid overload in the ICU with guest Dr. Michael J. Connor, Jr., a practicing intensivist and nephrologist. Dr. Connor is a Professor and Senior Physician of Critical Care Medicine & Nephrology at the Divisions of Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine and Renal Medicine at Emory University School of Medicine. Additionally, he serves as the director of critical care nephrology at the Emory Critical Care Center at Grady Memorial Hospital.…
25 Sep 2025 · 1 hr 6 min
Outcomes after critical illness
Originally posted in April of 2023, we are sharing this episode of Critical Matters again as Dr. Sergio Zanotti's discussion about the long journey to healing and recovery for those who've survived critical illness in the ICU remains pertinent and important. This conversation features Dr. Margaret Herridge, Professor of Medicine, Senior Scientist in Critical Care and Respiratory Medicine at the University of Toronto. Dr. Herridge is also Director of Critical Care Research. Director of the RECOVER Program, and Clinical Director of the Grace RECOVER Program for Chronic Critical Illness, in the…
14 Aug 2025 · 56 min
ECPR
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses ECPR–Extracorporeal Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation. ECPR is still be considered a niche therapy, but its relevance and availability are increasing. He is joined by Dr. Adam Green, a practicing intensivist at Cooper University Health Care and an Associate Professor of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU). Dr. Green is the director of research for the division of Critical Care and has authored over 50 peer-reviewed publications. He has been part of the ECMO team at Cooper since its inception. Additional resources:…
9 Jul 2025 · 1 hr 2 min
Transfusion of platelets and FFP in the ICU
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses clinical guidelines for the transfusion of platelets and fresh frozen plasma (FFP) in critically ill patients. He is joined by Dr. Angel Coz Yataco, a practicing pulmonary critical care physician. Dr Coz Yataco is on the faculty of the Cleaveland Clinic Main Campus. He is also the lead author of the recently published American College of Chest Physicians Clinical Practice Guidelines on "Transfusion of Fresh Frozen Plasma and Platelets in Critically Ill Adults." Additional resources: American College of Chest Physicians Clinical Practice…
26 Jun 2025 · 1 hr 25 min
Management of pneumonia in the ICU
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti discusses the different aspects of managing pneumonia in critically ill patients. He covers the initial management of severe pneumonia, management of ventilator-associated pneumonia, and highlights the clinical approach to non-resolving pneumonia in the intensive care unit (ICU). He is joined by Dr. Andre Kalil, a physician specializing in critical care and infectious diseases. Dr. Kalil is a Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases and Director of Transplant Infectious Diseases at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). Additional…
12 Jun 2025 · 53 min
Enteral Nutrition in the ICU
In this episode of, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores the vital role of enteral nutrition in the ICU—a foundational element in the prevention and treatment of disease-related malnutrition among critically ill patients. He is joined by Dr. Leah Gramlich, a distinguished gastroenterologist and physician nutrition specialist from the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Alberta, Canada. Dr. Gramlich is a Professor of Medicine at the University of Alberta and the founding president of the Canadian Nutrition Society. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the American Society for Parenteral and…
29 May 2025 · 59 min
The science of hope
In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discusses the science of hope. He's joined by Dr. Stephen Trzeciak, a physician-scientist, the Edward D. Viner Endowed Chief of Medicine at Cooper University Health Care, and Professor and Chair of Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University in Camden, New Jersey. Dr. Trzeciak is a practicing intensivist and a clinical researcher with more than 100 publications in the scientific literature. In addition, he is co-author of two excellent books: Wonder Drug: 7 Scientifically Proven Ways That Serving Others Is the Best Medicine for Yourself (2022) and…
8 May 2025 · 1 hr 15 min
Mechanical Ventilation for Severe Asthma
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti focuses on the nuances of mechanical ventilation in patients with severe asthma. Previously, he explored the medical management of acute asthma exacerbations. Today, he takes a deeper dive into ventilatory strategies tailored to this high-risk population. He's joined by Dr. Emily Damuth, a dual-trained emergency medicine and critical care physician. Dr. Damuth is an Assistant Professor of Medicine and Emergency Medicine at Cooper Medical School of Rowan University and practices clinically in both the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit at Cooper…
24 Apr 2025 · 46 min
PADIS Guidelines Update
In this episode, Dr. Zanotti discussed the Society of Critical Care Medicine "Focused Update on the Clinical Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Pain, Anxiety. Agitation/Sedation. Delirium, Immobility, and Sleep Disruption in Adult Patients in the ICU." This is also known as the PADIS Guidelines. He is joined by Joanna L. Stollings, PharmD, a Board-Certified Pharmacotherapy Specialist and a Board-Certified Critical Care Pharmacotherapy Specialist. Joanna is the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) Clinical Pharmacy Specialist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. She also…
10 Apr 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
TEE in Cardiac Arrest
In this episode, Dr. Sergion Zanotti discusses TEE in cardiac arrest and shock. Critical care clinicians commonly utilize transthoracic echocardiography in the ICU as part of their point-of-care-ultrasonography (POCUS) toolkit. However, there is a growing push to train intensivists in using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) for cardiac arrest and peri-arrest situations in the ICU. Our guest is Dr. Sara Nikravan, a cardiothoracic anesthesia critical care physician with training in advanced perioperative echocardiography. Dr. Nikravan is an Associate Professor of Cardiothoracic…
27 Mar 2025 · 1 hr 1 min
AI in Critical Care
In this episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explores one of medicine's fastest-evolving frontiers: artificial intelligence (AI). From predictive analytics to decision-support tools, AI is beginning to influence how we deliver critical care — but what does that actually mean for frontline clinicians? Dr. Zanotti is joined by Dr. Sharad Patel, a critical care physician with additional board certification in nephrology and Echocardiography. He is a Critical Care Intensivist at Cooper University Health Care, the assistant program Director for the Internal Medicine Residency Program, and an Assistant…
13 Mar 2025 · 54 min
Challenging dogma in the ICU (Part II)
In a previous episode, Dr. Sergio Zanotti explored the importance of challenging dogma, particularly when the supporting evidence is weak or absent. Today, he continues that discussion by examining critical care practices that persist despite a lack of strong scientific validation. He's joined by Dr. Mervyn Singer, an internationally recognized leader in critical care medicine. Dr. Singer is a professor of intensive care medicine at University College London and a distinguished clinician, researcher, and educator. Through his research, publications, and dynamic presentations, he has inspired…

About Critical Matters

Podcast by Sound Physicians

Critical Matters is a English tech & science podcast from Sound Physicians. Melo plays each episode straight from the publisher's own feed — no ads added, no account needed — and remembers where you stopped, in this browser only.

Publisher: Sound Physicians
Language: English
Category: Tech & Science
New episodes: Every two weeks
Typical length: 59 min
Latest episode: 24 Sep 2026
Feed: RSS — paste into any podcast app
Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/podcast/id1335759655

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