title: Intra-abdominal hypertension and abdominal compartment syndrome in the medical patient.
abstract: Critically ill medical patients are at significant risk for developing intra-abdominal hypertension (IAH) and abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS). Although surgical IAH/ACS is commonly acute and dramatic in onset, medical IAH/ACS is more slow and insidious in its development but no  less deadly. The presence of pre-existing comorbid illnesses among medical patients imparts morbidity and mortality rates that are significantly greater than those of their surgical counterparts. A variety of effective medical management strategies for reducing elevated intra-abdominal pressure  (IAP), coupled with early abdominal decompression when necessary, has been demonstrated to significantly improve patient survival from IAH/ACS. Serial IAP measurements, increased collaboration between surgeon and nonsurgeon, institution of medical management strategies, and early abdominal  decompression for refractory IAH/ACS will lead to decreased rates of organ failure and improved survival for medical patients who develop IAH/ACS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Education, Orlando Regional Medical Center, 86 West Underwood Street, Orlando, FL 32806, USA.
authors.forename: Chadwick
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Michael L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Cheatham
mesh_terms: D016638:Critical Illness; D006801:Humans; D059325:Intra-Abdominal Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012307:Risk Factors