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:
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- 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...