The Skeptics' Guide to EM

MAY 28, 2022

Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE) 2: Low-Risk, Recurrent Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department. Guidelines for Reasonable and Appropriate Care in the Emergency Department (GRACE) 2: Low-Risk, Recurrent Abdominal Pain in the Emergency Department.

Emergency Department 100

Emergency Department ACS ALS Coronary 100

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Kaushal Khambhati is also a fourth-year resident training with the Jacobi and Montefiore Emergency Medicine Residency Training Program. She arrives in the emergency department (ED) with decreased level of consciousness and shock. She has a history of hypertension and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus.

EMR 130

EMR Coronary Defibrillator Life Support 130

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 14, 2022

It should be emphasized here that this is a presentation of high-pretest probability for Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS). ACS and hyperkalemia both have lethal downstream consequences, so it is imperative for the clinician to acclimate to the presentation, or developing, features of each. ECG's are difficult. link] [1] Zachary et al.

ACS 130

ACS Paramedic Coronary ALS 130

EM Didactic

OCTOBER 7, 2018

It is commonly used in Emergency Departments, especially in febrile and possibly infectious patients. ACS and Aortic Dissection - For ACS and Dissection, the higher CRP levels, the worse prognosis. It is not used to diagnose ACS/Dissection. Utility of CRP 1. Like other biomarkers, it does not stand alone.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department ACS Critical Care Coronary 40

REBEL EM

FEBRUARY 2, 2023

Background Information: Atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular rate (RVR) is one of the many tachydysrhythmias we encounter in the Emergency Department (ED). Amiodarone versus digoxin for acute rate control of atrial fibrillation in the emergency department. Am J Emerg Med. Paper: Mason JM, et al.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department ALS Critical Care ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 20, 2024

This was sent by an undergraduate (not yet in medical school, but applying now) who works as an ED technician (records all EKGs, helps with procedures, takes vital signs) and who reads this blog regularly. Smith comment : Is the ACS (rupture plaque) with occlusion that is now reperfusing? The ST depressions in I and aVL have resolved.

CAD 124

CAD STEMI Coronary ACS 124

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 27, 2024

, tells us that we physicians do not need to even look at this ECG until the patient is placed in a room because the computer says it is normal: Validity of Computer-interpreted “Normal” and “Otherwise Normal” ECG in Emergency Department Triage Patients I reviewed this article for a different journal and recommended rejection and it was rejected.

STEMI 116

STEMI Coronary ACS ED 116

Broome Docs

DECEMBER 22, 2024

PECARN looks at probiotics for toddlers diarrhea… Schnadower D, Tarr PI, Casper TC, Gorelick MH, Dean JM, O’Connell KJ, Mahajan P, Levine AC, Bhatt SR, Roskind CG, Powell EC, Rogers AJ, Vance C, Sapien RE, Olsen CS, Metheney M, Dickey VP, Hall-Moore C, Freedman SB. Acad Emerg Med. 2024 Aug 19. doi: 10.1111/acem.14996.

E-9-1-1 52

E-9-1-1 ACS Paramedic Emergency Department 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

The fire department, who operate at an EMT level in this municipality, arrived before us and administered 324 mg of baby aspirin to the patient due to concern for ACS. Upon arrival to the emergency department, a senior emergency physician looked at the ECG and said "Nothing too exciting." References: 1.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department E-9-1-1 Coronary STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 27, 2023

Written by Willy Frick A man in his 50s with a history of hypertension, dyslipidemia, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and prior inferior OMI status post DES to his proximal RCA 3 years prior presented to the emergency department at around 3 AM complaining of chest pain onset around 9 PM the evening prior.

E-9-1-1 129

E-9-1-1 OR Coronary ACS 129

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 12, 2024

A man in his 90s with a history of HTN, CKD, COPD, and OSA presented to the emergency department after being found unresponsive at home. Vital signs were within normal limits on arrival to the Emergency Department. EKG on arrival to the ED is shown below: What do you think? Blood glucose was not low at 162 mg/dL.

STEMI 114

STEMI Coronary Emergency Department ACS 114

ACEP Now

AUGUST 12, 2024

A 35-year-old male presented to the emergency department complaining of chest pain that started 1.5 FIGURE 1: First ED EKG. FIGURE 2: Baseline ED from 2 months prior. FIGURE 3: Second ED EKG. Dr. Young is an emergency physician at Saint Francis Hospital and Medical Center, Hartford, Conn. Click to enlarge.)

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department STEMI ACS ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2024

She presented to the emergency department after a couple of days of chest discomfort. Ischemia from ACS causing the chest discomfort, with VT another consequence (or coincidence)? This patient presented to the ED “after a couple of days of chest discomfort”. The last echocardiography 12 months ago showed HFmrEF.

Coronary 118

Coronary ACS ED OR 118

Don't Forget the Bubbles

MAY 17, 2023

Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. Arch Dis Child Fetal Neonatal Ed. Invasive bacterial infection in children with fever and petechial rash in the emergency department: a national prospective observational study. De Alwis AC, et al. Eur J Pediatr. 2023 Apr 21. Kuypers KLAM, et al. Hegeman EM, et al. 2023 Apr 18.

ALS 72

ALS ACS Emergency Department EMS 72

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JULY 3, 2018

Submitted and written by Alex Bracey with edits by Pendell Meyers and Steve Smith Case A 50ish year old man with a history of CAD w/ prior LAD MI s/p LAD stenting presented to the ED with chest pain similar to his prior MI, but worse. Around 19 hours later, he experienced the same pain, which prompted his presentation to the ED.

ACS 52

ACS STEMI Coronary CAD 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 4, 2022

Smith: If this is ACS (a big if), t his is just the time when one should NOT use "upstream" dual anti-platelet therapy ("upstream" means in the ED before angiography). History sounds concerning for ACS (could be critical stenosis, triple vessel), but differential also includes dissection, GI bleed, etc. Anything more on history?

Coronary 52

Coronary ACS STEMI ALS 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

DECEMBER 26, 2020

An ECG was recorded quickly on return to the ED: (sorry for poor quality, cannot get originals) What do you think? On arrival to the PCI center's Emergency Department, the receiving team recorded an ECG on arrival: Persistent atrial flutter, however this time the QRS occurs on a slightly different portion of the flutter wave.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS Coronary Emergency Department 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MARCH 20, 2023

I finished my residency of Emergency Medicine and I’m working at a great Emergency Department here in Brazil. Case "Male, 43yo, come to ED with Epigastric Pain started 3 hours ago. Since then, I started looking for OMI EKG findings and not just STEMI. Risk Factors: High Cholesterol.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS CAD ED 52

EMDocs

OCTOBER 21, 2023

The NIHSS cutoff that predicts outcomes is 4 points higher in AC compared with PC infarctions. Median time from ED arrival to diagnosis was 8 hours 24 min in one study, with only 19% being diagnosed within the 4.5-hour Post TW, ed. NIHSS does have limitations when applied to posterior circulation (PC) strokes. Neurohospitalist.

EMS 97

EMS ALS OR ACS 97

ACEP Now

NOVEMBER 7, 2023

A 67-year-old man presents to the emergency department (ED) in cardiac arrest. On ED presentation, he is unresponsive and the monitor shows ventricular fibrillation. Canadian Journal of Emergency Medicine. Emmerson AC, Whitbread M, Fothergill RT. 20(S1):S67. Resuscitation. 2017;117:97-101.

Defibrillator 52

Defibrillator E-9-1-1 ALS Epinephrine 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

APRIL 17, 2023

One case sent by Dr. Sean Rees MD, written by Pendell Meyers, other case by Sam Ghali and Steve Smith Take a look at these two ECGs below from two patients in the ED, first without any clinical context. He had no symptoms of ACS. The remainder of his Emergency Department stay was uneventful. QOH: "OMI High confidence".

OR 52

OR STEMI ACS Emergency Department 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 23, 2023

Submitted and written by Megan Lieb, DO with edits by Bracey, Smith, Meyers, and Grauer A 50-ish year old man with ICD presented to the emergency department with substernal chest pain for 3 hours prior to arrival. The screening physician ordered an EKG and noted his ashen appearance and moderate distress. Triage EKG: What do you think?

ACS 52

ACS Coronary Defibrillator STEMI 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 26, 2015

52-year-old lady presents to the Emergency Department with 2 hours of chest pain, palpitations & SOB. Most, but not all, ECG “aneurysm morphology” is associated with an actual aneurysm on Echo ( see this case with ED bedside echo ). Beware of ACS presenting with atypical symptoms, including absence of chest pain.

STEMI 52

STEMI ACS Emergency Department OR 52

ALiEM

FEBRUARY 9, 2024

Encourage your ED to set up an algorithm that you can follow based on your laboratory’s assay. Low-risk patients do not routinely require stress testing in the ED. You (or someone in your department) needs to know which assay your ED has, and use the appropriate values for that assay.

E-9-1-1 276

E-9-1-1 ED Coronary ALS 276

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 26, 2019

She was brought to the Emergency Department and this ECG was recorded while she was still feeling nauseous but denied chest pain, shortness of breath, or other symptoms: What do you think? I wouldn't activate the lab for this EKG alone, but if the patient is clinically compatible with ACS you could call a heart alert.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary OR ED 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 3, 2017

This is the initial ED ECG of a 46 year old male with chest pain: The QTc was 420 ST Elevation at 60 ms after the J-point in lead V3 = 2.5 consistent with LAD occlusion) This prompted serial ECGs: These dynamic changes confirmed ACS There was a large obtuse marginal 100% occlusion (surprisingly not LAD! 100% LAD occlusion.

STEMI 52

STEMI Coronary OR ALS 52

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

SEPTEMBER 28, 2024

Case: You are working a busy shift in a rural emergency department (ED) and your excellent Family Medicine trainee presents a case of a 63-year-old woman with chest pain and some intermittent radiation into the inter-scapular region. The patient has no specific risk factors for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) or dissection.

Emergency Department 236

Emergency Department ACS Coronary ALS 236

EMDocs

SEPTEMBER 25, 2023

However, RSI has never been shown to reduce the risk of aspiration in the ED (13) or during emergent OR cases (14). While RSI should remain the gold standard in the vast majority of patients in the ED, FI presents an additional technique to mitigate anatomic or physiologic risk. We don’t want to go backwards!

ED 93

ED Emergency Department ALS Paramedic 93

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 20, 2024

The ST segment changes are compatible with severe subendocardial ischemia which can be caused by type I MI from ACS or potentially from type II MI (non-obstructive coronary artery disease with supply/demand mismatch). The patient was rushed to the nearest emergency department (non-PCI facility) for stabilization.

Coronary 127

Coronary ACS Emergency Department Epinephrine 127

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

MAY 29, 2021

The patient is an adult male with a gunshot wound to the chest, and they’re combative with emergency medical services (EMS). According to a recent study in the Journal of Surgical Research [3] , 44% of all penetrating thoracic trauma patients presented to a non-trauma center (not a level 1 or level 2 ACS defined trauma center).

Emergency Medical Services 130

Emergency Medical Services ACS ALS Emergency Department 130

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 17, 2024

Written by Bobby Nicholson, MD 67 year old male with history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia presented to the Emergency Department via ambulance with midsternal nonradiating chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. looked at consecutive patients with PE, ACS, or neither. What do you think? ng/mL, BNP 2790, and lactate 3.7.

E-9-1-1 138

E-9-1-1 ACS Emergency Department Coronary 138

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 10, 2023

Case submitted and written by Dr. Mazen El-Baba and Dr. Emily Austin, with edits from Jesse McLaren A 50 year-old patient presented to the Emergency Department with sudden onset chest pain that began 14-hours ago. The pain improved (6/10) but is persisting, which prompted him to visit the Emergency Department. Shroff, G.

STEMI 98

STEMI ACS Emergency Department ED 98

Don't Forget the Bubbles

JULY 22, 2024

Pre-school wheezers remain a poorly understood cohort of children despite seeing them every day in paediatric EDs. However, there was no difference in LOS (83 minutes for placebo vs 79 minutes for prednisolone) in participants who were discharged straight from the ED ( 32% ). Reattendance to GP/ED was more important.

E-9-1-1 105

E-9-1-1 ALS ACS ED 105

AAEM RSA

DECEMBER 3, 2020

The sensitivity of these scores range, but they cannot exclude FG diagnosis and may have lower sensitivity when used for prediction in ED patient populations. Wysoki MG, Santora TA, Shah RM, Friedman AC. West J Emerg Med. West J Emerg Med. fold increased odds of mortality, respectively. Fournier gangrene.

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department E-9-1-1 ALS EMT 52

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 21, 2022

The ECG’s were sent to the PCI center, and the providers in the respective ED identified the T wave characteristics mentioned above. Such aggressive investigation was particularly warranted in this case because of symptoms compatible with ACS, as well as an equally frightening revelation of family history. link] [1] Mirand, D.

Coronary 130

Coronary ALS OR ACS 130

ACEP Now

JUNE 6, 2023

Notoriously elusive, with a high misdiagnosis rate, thoracic aortic dissection (AD) can mimic many conditions, including acute coronary syndrome (ACS, the most common), gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), stroke, and spinal-cord compression. The patient is admitted for ACS to a cardiologist who says he will see the patient in the morning.

ACS 85

ACS ALS ED OR 85

EMDocs

OCTOBER 8, 2024

Episode 108: Unexplained Sinus Tachycardia Mental Model Background: When a patient in the ED has sinus tachycardia our job as emergency physicians is to identify and treat of the underlying pathology. Lactate Troponin Could this be ACS or myocarditis? In the ED, our job is to identify and treat underlying causes.

E-9-1-1 106

E-9-1-1 Emergency Department ED ALS 106