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Since the introduction of the vaccine against H. influenzae, there has been a significant decrease in the number of children presenting with epiglottitis. Although there is little evidence that the disease has increased in adults, clearly the percentage of cases in adults compared to children has increased. Further, there is greater recognition of milder cases with direct visualization and imaging.
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A 42-year-old female presented to the emergency department (ED) with a complaint of a constant headache that began the day before arrival. The patient was seven days postpartum, having undergone an epidural block and cesarean section.
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When a patient arrived at an emergency department (ED) and reported chest pain, he failed to notify the emergency physician (EP) that he was addicted to opiates. The case involved a patient who suffered a cardiac event while visiting relatives.
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Over-ordering of diagnostic tests is a key focus of policymakers and insurers, but is unlikely to come up during malpractice litigation, according to health care attorneys and risk management experts interviewed by ED Legal Letter.
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The day after a man came to the ED at Edward Hospital in Naperville, IL, reporting low back pain and was discharged with analgesics, he received a phone call asking how he was feeling. He reported weakness and difficulty emptying his bladder.
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In the April 2013 case of Missouri v. McNeely, the Supreme Court ruled that police must generally obtain a warrant before subjecting a drunk-driving suspect to a blood test.
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“I can’t afford that test,” “Don’t bother giving me an appointment for a specialist because my insurance won’t cover it,” “I can’t pay for that medication.” When an emergency department (ED) patient makes statements such as this, the emergency physician (EP) is often faced with few or no financial assistance options for the patient to achieve the recommended course of care.
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Most patients who develop cryoglobulinemia associated with hepatitis C infection will develop symptoms and signs of a symmetric, distal sensory neuropathy.
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Trochlear headaches should be considered in patients with new onset, constant, unilateral eye pain, especially when the pain is aggravated by eye movement.
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A new case-control study finds that increased levels of dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), which is the metabolite of the pesticide dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), are associated with an increased risk for Alzheimer's disease.