Emergency
RSSArticles
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Systolic and Diastolic Heart Failure
Acute decompensated heart failure is a serious condition that presents in the emergency department and the intensive care unit. The causes of heart failure are multifactorial, making it, at times, difficult to diagnose and treat.
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Assessing Serial Ventilator Settings May Help Reduce Duration of Antibiotic Courses for Suspected Ventilator-associated Pneumonia
In mechanically ventilated patients with stable ventilator settings for at least three days, very short courses of antibiotics (< 3 days) for suspected ventilator-associated pneumonia were associated with similar outcomes when compared to longer courses (> 3 days).
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Prophylactic Steroids Prevent Reintubation in Patients at Risk for Post-extubation Stridor
This meta-analysis demonstrated the administration of steroids between one to 24 hours prior to extubation reduced the risk of reintubation for patients at risk for post-extubation stridor.
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Early Lung Recruitment Reduces Pulmonary Complications
In postoperative cardiac surgery patients with hypoxemia at admission to the ICU, the brief application of an intensive recruitment maneuver followed by lung-protective ventilation was associated with reduced occurrence and severity of pulmonary complications.
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Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Treatment Guidelines
This article provides a collaborative, evidence-based guideline for mechanical ventilation in acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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Sexually Transmitted Infections in Adolescents
Unfortunately, adolescents are at increased risk for sexually transmitted infections secondary to high-risk sexual behavior, victims of commercial sexual exploitation, or sexual experimentation. The consequences can be devastating in the long term. Clinicians must maintain a high degree of suspicion and sensitivity (since most teenagers are reluctant to seek medical care and may not share all the information the clinician needs) to make this diagnosis, minimize complications, and optimize outcome for this vulnerable population.
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Excessive Wait Times Common Issue in ED Malpractice Litigation
Attorneys allege patient should have been seen immediately.
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Unexpected Legal Risks of ED Patients With ‘Do Not Resuscitate’ Orders
Patients or families could sue for unwanted interventions or for withholding resuscitative efforts.
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Psych Patients Awaiting Transfer From ED Are High Legal Risks
Legal risks include security, deterioration of the patient’s condition, and unsafe handoffs.
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Recent Cases Spotlight Pressure to Admit ED Patients
Anything not in patient’s best interest ‘unacceptable.’