Lead aVR is a commonly ignored lead and I have even heard of it referred to as the Rodney Dangerfield of ECG leads as it gets no respect. I have anecdotally heard many EM physicians activate the cath lab for STE in lead aVR and many cardiologists say that these are not STEMI patients. So is lead aVR...
TIA is a brief neurologic deficit due to cerebral ischemia, with no permanent infarction. It affects over 200,000 U.S. patients per year and may precede 14% to 23% of strokes. Many have sought risk stratification tools to determine who may be appropriate for discharge with follow-up. This post evaluates the new ACEP guidelines for TIA and the controversies in the ED evaluation of TIA.
Allergic reactions are commonly seen in the emergency department and anaphylaxis is the most severe type. While most patients present with a rash, the diagnosis can be difficult to make when a rash is not present. This is a brief overview of the diagnosis and management of anaphylaxis in the emergency department.
Altered mental status in children can be subtle. Look for age-specific behaviors that range from irritability to anger to sleepiness to decreased interaction. In the altered child, anchoring bias is your biggest enemy. Keep your mind open to the possibilities, and be ready to change it, when new ...
IBD consists of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis. These two diseases and their complications can have significant morbidity. This post provides pearls and pitfalls in the emergency medicine evaluation and management of these patients.
Foreign bodies of the ear, nose and throat are commonly seen complaints in emergency department, namely the pediatric emergency department. This is a brief review of some commonly seen foreign bodies and how to remove them safely.
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) allows for gamete manipulation outside the body and includes in vitro fertilization (IVF). ART is gaining in popularity. These patients are monitored closely by a gynecologist, however certain dangerous illnesses may bring these patients to the emergency department. This post will review the basics of ART and its complications.
Rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive systemic polyarticular inflammatory arthritis of unclear etiology. While the disease itself is not fatal, complications of the disease make it the most common rheumatic disease requiring ICU admission. This article covers the management of this disease and its complications in the ED.
