-
Children who present with a history of foreign body ingestion frequently offer both a diagnostic and management challenge to the emergency medicine physician. Esophageal foreign bodies can result in significant injury to or the death of a child. What follows is a review of the literature on the subject of esophageal foreign bodies in children.
-
The daily practice of emergency medicine involves life and death decisions. While training in emergency medicine focuses on life-saving procedures and medications, dying patients often seek care in the ED for symptom relief, psychosocial support, or a variety of other reasons. Education, experience, communication, and compassion can improve the emergency physicians ability to deliver medical care near the end of life that will serve to relieve suffering, improve communication of the patients preferences and goals of medical treatment, and improve overall care of the patient and family.
-
Previous research failed to show that the angiotensin II antagonist losartan at 50 mg per day was as effective as captopril in reducing mortality in patients with heart failure after myocardial infarction. This raised the question of whether this new class of drugs may be substituted for ACE inhibitors in treating these high-risk patients.
-
The rhythm strip shown in the Figure was obtained from a middle-aged man in severe pain from a musculoskeletal disorder. He was not having chest pain, and had no known history of cardiovascular disease. He had an episode of vomiting shortly before this tracing was recorded. Is there evidence of heart block? If so, what type?
-
A topical estradiol emulsion has been approved for treating symptoms of menopause. Currently available estrogen products include pills, patches, and vaginal rings. The new estrogen emulsion provides another option for estrogen therapy. Novavax Inc markets this topical formulation as Estrasorb.
-
Oral rofecoxib (Vioxx) may have a role in controlling postoperative pain patients undergoing knee surgery.
-
A standardized withdrawal-of-life-support order form was viewed as helpful by physicians and nurses and changed medication delivery in a positive manner.
-
In a randomized, clinical trial involving patients with ALI/ARDS from non-sepsis etiologies, inhaled nitric oxide at 5 ppm failed to improve any of the clinically meaningful outcomes.
-
Government launches gene therapy web site and New legislation proposed to increase grant access.
-
Risk management issues that result in lawsuits often involve misunderstandings among subjects and clinical trials staff and investigators. By improving the informed consent process, these risks could be reduced, and heres how, according to experts.