All articles tagged with #emergency medicine
Emergency departments regularly treat sex-related injuries—from penile fractures and foreign objects to vaginal tears and testicular torsion—often aggravated by embarrassment and delays in seeking care. Doctors say prompt evaluation is crucial for time-sensitive conditions, advise safer devices and lubrication, and remind patients that these issues are common and doctors aren’t judging.
Colorado is in the midst of a record-breaking flu season, with emergency departments seeing high visit volumes and hospitalizations as doctors warn of a highly contagious, severe flu that can cause vomiting and diarrhea in addition to respiratory symptoms. The CDC ranks Colorado among the states with the most flu activity; nationwide pediatric ED visits are high and several children have died. Two groups drive ER demand: healthy individuals with severe symptoms and patients with underlying conditions whose illnesses worsen. Wastewater surveillance shows very high flu levels in Colorado, guiding testing and resource use. Vaccination remains recommended to reduce severity, while most cases are managed at home unless symptoms are severe enough to require urgent care.
A Pittsburgh-based medical professional praises the TV show 'The Pitt' for its realistic portrayal of hospital life, including medical procedures and the emotional challenges faced by healthcare workers, highlighting the importance of support and debriefing in high-stress environments.
The article shares 27 astonishing stories of people surviving extreme medical incidents, from gunshot wounds and falls to miraculous recoveries from life-threatening conditions, highlighting the resilience of the human body and the skill of medical professionals.
Researchers highlight the rising costs of e-scooter injuries, with Irish hospitals spending over $150,000 annually on such cases, mainly involving musculoskeletal injuries and head traumas, emphasizing the need for stricter safety regulations and helmet laws to reduce injuries and healthcare burden.
Emergency Physicians P.A. is expanding its urgent care model in the Twin Cities by opening a new clinic in Golden Valley, offering advanced diagnostics and ER-level staffing to treat complex cases outside of hospitals, aiming to reduce ER crowding and improve patient care.
Emergency physicians highlight five critical types of pain—sudden, persistent pain; chest pain; calf pain with redness; tearing upper back pain; and certain lower abdominal pains—that should prompt immediate medical evaluation due to their potential severity. While all pain warrants attention, these specific symptoms are especially concerning and may indicate serious conditions like heart attacks, blood clots, or vascular issues. Seeking prompt medical care is crucial for proper diagnosis and treatment, even if the pain turns out to be benign.
Improving access to blood for emergency medical services (EMS) in the field could potentially save up to 10,000 lives annually, according to surgeons at an American College of Surgeons conference. They highlighted the importance of rapid blood availability in enhancing survival rates during emergencies.
A recent study highlights that taking 325mg of aspirin within four hours of severe chest pain can significantly reduce heart attack deaths. Doctors recommend immediate aspirin intake for symptoms like intense chest pain, sweating, and dizziness, but caution against its use for those with allergies or certain medical conditions. While aspirin can thin blood and prevent clot formation, it should not be taken long-term without medical advice due to bleeding risks.
Dr. Charles Hamori, a San Diego primary care physician, shares his personal experience of suffering a stroke during a tennis match and emphasizes the importance of recognizing stroke symptoms. He highlights the role of stroke carts, which enable remote consultation and immediate intervention, in saving lives. Hamori advocates for greater awareness of stroke symptoms such as slurred speech, facial drooping, arm weakness, or dizziness.
A prospective multi-institutional trial validated the Brain Injury Guidelines (BIG) for traumatic brain injury patients, finding that low-risk patients classified by BIG did not require neurosurgical intervention, potentially reducing resource utilization. However, the study's data has limitations, including missing information and loss to follow-up, and lacks statistical analysis, suggesting caution in complete guideline implementation. The study highlights the need for further research and consideration of selection bias and generalizability in applying the guidelines to diverse clinical settings.
A 14-year-old boy in California accidentally swallowed a quarter, which ended up getting lodged in his airway, causing hoarseness and difficulty swallowing. Doctors had to use long, optical forceps guided by a camera to remove the coin from its dangerous resting place in the subglottis. The boy's symptoms improved after the retrieval, and he was discharged home with ulcerations on his airway from the coin's ribbed edge.
A new life-saving approach called ECPR, which involves connecting patients in cardiac arrest to an ECMO machine to take over the work of their heart and lungs, has shown a nearly 100 percent chance of revival with intact brain function if administered within 30 minutes of collapse. Even after 40 minutes, there is still a 50 percent chance of revival. This high-tech treatment allows the body to rest while doctors address the underlying problem, if fixable, and timing is crucial for its success.
The article discusses the emergence of a high-tech approach called ECPR, which has the potential to restart more hearts and save more lives during cardiac arrests. It follows the story of a man who suffered a sudden cardiac arrest and the efforts of emergency responders to save him using CPR. Despite initial skepticism about the chances of survival, the article highlights the potential of ECPR and raises questions about why more hospitals are not embracing this innovative approach.
A recent randomized controlled trial compared high dose intravenous nitroglycerin to low dose for treating sympathetic crashing acute pulmonary edema (SCAPE) and found that high dose nitroglycerin resulted in significantly improved outcomes, with 65% of patients experiencing symptom resolution at 6 hours compared to 12% in the low dose group. The study, although small and single-center, suggests that higher doses of nitroglycerin may be more effective in managing SCAPE, potentially prompting a change in practice while awaiting larger studies.