Acute mastoiditis is a common complication of acute otitis media. Diagnosis includes clinical evidence of mastoid inflammation and may necessitate further imaging to exclude other complications. IV antibiotics and a surgical consult are required.
Acute Mastoiditis: Pearls and Pitfalls Read More »
Your shift starts and all of your patients are bleeding! There is an MVC victim with a tense abdomen and traumatic brain injury, a patient with an upper GI bleed, a woman whose spontaneous vaginal delivery has turned into a post-partum hemorrhage, and a brisk epistaxis in the back hallway. You thank the triage nurse and begin resuscitative measures. What role does tranexamic acid (TXA) play in the treatment of these patients?
ED CRASH Course: TXA MATTERS! Read More »
Naturally, we have all been taught to think “outside the box” and know to consider conditions outside the abdominal cavity.. When we are thinking outside of the box, make sure we keep Ovarian Torsion on our DDx list for the young girls.
We’ve all heard the horror stories of the crashing aortic stenosis patient. These patients present significant challenges in the ED. How can you best manage these patients?
Management of the Crashing Aortic Stenosis Patient Read More »
Thoughts on mistakes in renal colic from one of the father’s of Emergency Medicine
EM Decision Making: Thoughts on Mistakes in Renal Colic Read More »
Weakness is a challenging chief complaint. Always consider the common etiologies such as urinary tract infections. However, debilitating spinal cord pathology and other rare causes of weakness should be ruled out in otherwise negative work ups.
Undifferentiated Weakness: ED-Focused Approach and Management Read More »
Lactate clearance has been a major focus in care of the septic patient. Why does lactate elevate in these patients, and what do you need to know for managing these patients?
Lactate in Sepsis: Pearls & Pitfalls Read More »
Intranasal medications, if understood and employed properly, are a great choice to avoid an IV or as a bridge until IV access is obtained.
Learn the strengths and limits of intranasal fentanyl, midazolam, ketamine, and dexmedetomidine.
PEM Playbook – Intranasal Medications and You Read More »
It is essential for Emergency Physicians to know the standard of care for sexually transmitted infection (STI) treatments, as patients often present to Emergency Departments for evaluation and treatment shortly after exposure to these diseases. The Emergency Department provides patients with rapid screening, diagnosis, treatment regimens, and access to outpatient follow up.
The role of palliative medicine in emergency care has received increasing attention since ACEP’s decision in February of 2013 to join the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation’s Choosing Wisely ® initiative. In an effort to maintain (and potentially improve) quality of care while reducing costs, ACEP identified discussions regarding hospice and palliative medicine (HPM) as one of ten opportunities for ED providers and their patients to eliminate low-yield and possibly harmful testing and treatments. The explicit directive is “Don’t delay engaging available palliative and hospice care services in the emergency department for patients likely to benefit.” Of note, EM residency trained physicians are eligible to complete many HPM fellowships and may subsequently obtain HPM board certification. However, gaining such a high-level of expertise is not necessary. The following discussion addresses how simple, fundamental skills in HPM can significantly enhance your practice in emergency medicine.
Palliative Care in the Emergency Department: A Practical Overview of Why and How Read More »
