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Emergency Medical Minute

 

Oct 31, 2018

Author: Michael Hunt, MD

Educational Pearls:

  • Alcohol and gallstones are most common causes of pancreatitis
  • Diagnosis is not simply based on lipase alone - must have at least two the the three criteria:
    • Elevated lipase (greater than 3x upper limit of reference range)
    • Typical pain (epigastric pain, radiating to back,...


Oct 29, 2018

Author: Erik Verzemnieks, MD

Educational Pearls:

  • Recent study provides at least some evidence to help predict antibiotic failure for cellulitis, which is not necessarily straight forward
  • Intuitive risk factors such as recent cellulitis, chronic ulcers, history of MRSA are associated with antibiotic...


Oct 27, 2018

Author: Aaron Lessen, MD

Educational Pearls:

 

  • Injuries from penetrating pharyngeal trauma  are often subtle on examination in children
  • Potentially serious complications including carotid artery injury, mediastinitis from spreading infection, or airway compromise from hematoma formation
  • Imaging choice is typically CTA...


Oct 24, 2018

Author: Rachel Brady, MD

Educational Pearls:

Hypercalcemia of malignancy:

  • Hypercalcemia of malignancy can present with lethargy, muscle weakness, hyperreflexia, altered mental status, cardiac dysrhythmias, and even cardiac arrest.
  • Treatment is based both on calcium level and symptoms
  • Intravenous rehydration is first...


Oct 22, 2018

Author: Aaron Lessen, MD

Educational Pearls:

 

  • In patients without indications for aspirin, three recent studies looked at prevention of several end points in the elderly
  • These showed no benefit in preventing cardiovascular events (stroke, MI, hear failure), disability, or death in elderly
  • These studies also...