Apr 30, 2019
Author: Erik Verzemnieks, MD
Educational Pearls:
- Buproprion is used as an antidepressant and for smoking cessation
- Severe buproprion overdoses can cause seizures and lead to cardiac dysrhythmias
- Benzodiazepines are treatment of choice for seizures
- Bicarbonate and Interlipid are also possible treatment options with less...
Apr 27, 2019
Author: Don Stader, MD
Educational Pearls:
- 10% of patients seen in the emergency department for opioid overdose patients will die within a year
- Half of these overdoses will occur in the next month
- This mortality rate is higher than patients with STEMI, of which 7% will die within one year
- Take-home naloxone, as well as...
Apr 24, 2019
Author: Gretchen Hinson, MD
Educational Pearls:
- Breath stacking occurs when a patient is unable to expire fully before another inspiration
- In intubated/ventilated patients, this is because adequate time has not passed before exhalation
- Asthmatics are susceptible due to the prolonged expiratory phase
- Complications can...
Apr 22, 2019
Author: Michael Hunt, MD
Educational Pearls:
- Most causes of syncope are benign
- Pulmonary embolism can result in syncope and is life threatening
- A recent study of Canadian and US ED patients with syncope showed that 0.4% of patients had a PE at 30 day follow-up
- PE should always be considered in cases of syncope but...
Apr 20, 2019
Author: Julian Orenstein, MD
Educational Pearls:
- Severe clonidine ingestion can present as a fluctuating mental status between typically accompanied by changes in vital signs (hypotension/bradycardia)
- Respiratory depression requiring intubation is not uncommon
References
Isbister GK, Heppell SP, Page CB, Ryan NM....