Practical Summaries in Acute Care Archives – November 1, 2005
November 1, 2005
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Trauma Reports Supplement
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Clinical Briefs in Primary Care supplement
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For Best Outcomes: Have Your MI During Normal Business Hours
No one can debate that reperfusion therapy with either percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or fibrinolysis reduces mortality for patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). Additionally, it has been clearly proven that the shorter the time interval from symptom onset to treatment, the greater the benefit, regardless of which therapy is chosen. -
Shock Teams Bring Favorable Effects to Patient Outcomes
Cardiogenic shock mortality ranges from 50-80% and septic shock 40-60%. The hallmark of shock is inadequate tissue perfusion, a condition that should be addressed immediately and reversed promptly to prevent organ failure and death. The team approach with a mobilization of resources has been well described in specific disease processes such as cardiac arrest and trauma; the authors of this manuscript proposed that all forms of shock deserve the same level of attention. -
Esophageal Coins in Asymptomatic Children: Watchful Waiting or Early Retrieval?
Ingestion of foreign bodies is a frequent reason for seeking emergency care in the pediatric population. Coins, in particular, are commonly encountered, and often are lodged in the esophagus. The management in symptomatic children is immediate removal of the coin, usually by endoscopy. -
Management of the Difficult Airway
Effective and timely management of the airway is our paramount responsibility. Once the decision to intubate has been made, the emergency physician faces a number of daunting questions often with little information, no time, and zero tolerance for failure. -
ECG Review: Torsades Fabriquées?
The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) and accompanying rhythm strip shown in the Figure were obtained from an older man who presented with acute dyspnea from pneumonia. He was on multiple medications, and was in moderate-to-severe respiratory distress at the time this ECG was recorded.