Although headache is a common symptom in children and adolescents, only a very small percentage of patients present to the emergency department for evaluation of this complaint. The majority of these headaches are benign and are either primary, such as migraine or tension-type headaches, or secondary to a viral etiology. Parents and children themselves are most concerned about the possibility of a brain tumor, whereas ED physicians are also on the alert for carbon monoxide toxicity, subarachnoid hemorrhage, meningitis, and increased intracranial pressure. The authors review the causes, diagnostic testing, and treatment of the common headache, as well as some unusual causes of non-traumatic headache.
There currently exists much evidence to direct the application of Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NPPV). NPPV for the treatment of patients with acute respiratory failure has generated several meta-analyses and systematic reviews,1-4 including a recent one by Dean R. Hess PhD, RRT.
In patients with acute lung injury or ARDS, the addition of higher PEEP levels to the strategy of a low tidal volume does not improve clinical outcomes.
Hypothyroidism and Pregnancy; Anti-Depressants and the Risk of Suicide; FDA Actions; Brief Notes.
This second and final part of a series covers the topics of differential diagnosis that must be considered when a patient presents with symptoms consistent with PE, treatment, and considerations for prevention of this disease state.
