Recently published papers: A number of treatment controversies

In the present commentary I review some current therapeutic debates. Is noninvasive ventilation going to become the gold standard for acute hypercapnic respiratory failure, and if we have to intubate and ventilate then what is the gold standard for sedation? Old therapies are challenged (e.g. diuretics may worsen outcome) and new ones suggested (e.g. some critically ill patients may benefit from regular erythropoietin). In addition, we must of course mention steroids and sepsis.