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

EMDocs

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024

Here’s another case from Medical Malpractice Insights – Learning from Lawsuits , a monthly email newsletter for ED physicians. Patient not informed of enlarged heart, dies 3 weeks post ED visit Miscommunicated radiology findings are a hot topic. Someone should have – either the first ED doc, the second ED doc, or my PCP.

Emergency Department 74

Emergency Department ED Coronary ALS 74

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 30, 2022

Upon arrival to the emergency department, a senior emergency physician looked at the ECG and said "Nothing too exciting." Hospital Course The patient was taken emergently to the cath lab which did not reveal any significant coronary artery disease, but she was noted to have reduced EF consistent with Takotsubo cardiomyopathy.

Emergency Department 52

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

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

EM Didactic

OCTOBER 7, 2018

It is commonly used in Emergency Departments, especially in febrile and possibly infectious patients. Take Home In the ED, CRP should not be used to make a diagnosis but to assist evaluation and support your clinical suspicion. In clinically unwell patients, a normal CRP level should never delay antibiotic coverage in ED.

Emergency Department 40

Emergency Department ACS Critical Care Coronary 40

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

APRIL 10, 2021

He is a GP by training but works in Emergency Department, Anaesthesia, Internal Medicine and Paediatrics. He has a wonderful #FOAMed blog and podcast called Broomedocs and also work […] The post SGEM#326: The SALSA Study: Hypertonic Saline to Treat Hyponatremia first appeared on The Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine.

Emergency Department 130

Emergency Department Coronary ED OR 130

The Skeptics' Guide to EM

JANUARY 18, 2020

Date: January 16th, 2020 Reference: Troponin Testing and Coronary Syndrome in Geriatric Patients With Nonspecific Complaints: Are We Overtesting? Andrew Huang: Andy is […] The post SGEM#280: This Old Heart of Mine and Troponin Testing first appeared on The Skeptics Guide to Emergency Medicine. Reference: Wang et al.

ACS 130

ACS Coronary Emergency Department OR 130

EMS 12-Lead

MAY 20, 2022

Additional architectural changes include systolic anterior motion of the mitral valve, endothelial dysfunction at the level of the coronary arterial bed, and ventricular diastolic dysfunction. This worried the crew of potential acute coronary syndrome and STEMI was activated pre-hospital. Below is the initial ED ECG.

Coronary 130

Coronary STEMI Firefighter ED 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. Pain improved to 1/10 after EMS administers 324 mg aspirin and the following EKG is obtained at triage. What do you think?

E-9-1-1 137

E-9-1-1 ACS Emergency Department Coronary 137

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. They too have dense white masses consistent with coronary atherosclerosis. Annals of Emergency Medicine 2011; Suppl 58(4): S211.

CAD 123

CAD STEMI Coronary ACS 123

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

AUGUST 9, 2019

Post by Smith and Meyers Sam Ghali ( [link] ) just asked me (Smith): "Steve, do left main coronary artery *occlusions* (actual ones with transmural ischemia) have ST Depression or ST Elevation in aVR?" Smith and Meyers answer: First , LM occlusion is uncommon in the ED because most of these die before they can get a 12-lead recorded.

Coronary 52

Coronary STEMI ACS ALS 52

EMDocs

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

On ED arrival GCS is 3, there are rapid eye movements to the right but no other apparent seizure activity. Official diagnosis requires EEG, which is not something we can typically obtain in the ED. STEMI vs. NSTEMI dichotomy is not sensitive for true occlusion MI or acute coronary occlusion. J Am Coll Cardiol.

STEMI 72

STEMI Coronary Emergency Department ICU 72

ACEP Now

JULY 7, 2023

emergency departments (EDs), with statistics reporting more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per year. emergency departments (EDs), with statistics reporting more than 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests per year. Adult cardiac arrest in the emergency department – A Swedish cohort study.

Defibrillator 98

Defibrillator OR ALS Epinephrine 98

ACEP Now

APRIL 4, 2024

A 59-year-old male with a past medical history of a repaired ventricular septal defect (VSD), dextrocardia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and current smoker presented to the emergency department (ED). The patient initially presented to an outside ED and was subsequently transferred to our facility for continuity of care.

Coronary 40

Coronary STEMI CAD Emergency Department 40

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

EMS 12-Lead

AUGUST 14, 2022

The specific ST/T pattern was not fully appreciated by the attending EMS personnel, yet alarming enough to convince the patient to be seen in the Emergency Department despite his intentions of seeking evaluation on his own accord through his respective family physician. But the lesion is still active! MICU transport was unremarkable.

MICU 130

MICU STEMI CAD Coronary 130

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 21, 2023

Below is the version standardized by PM Cardio app Meyers interpretation: Findings are specific for posterior (and also likely inferior) wall transmural acute infarction, most likely due to acute coronary occlusion (OMI). link] ] Outcome The patient emerged neurologically intact. Clinical Cardiology 2019.

STEMI 97

STEMI Coronary Defibrillator EMS 97

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

OCTOBER 18, 2023

If you were working in a busy emergency department, would you like to be interrupted to interpret these ECGs or can these patients safely wait to be seen because of the normal computer interpretation? Emergent cardiac outcomes in patients with normal electrocardiograms in the emergency department. Am J Emerg Med.

STEMI 118

STEMI Emergency Department Coronary OR 118

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 21, 2022

There is appreciable STE aVR with near-global STD that appropriately maximizes in Leads II and V5, and thus suggesting a circumstance of generic, diffusely populated, circumferential subendocardial ischemia versus occlusive coronary thrombus. [1] It’s judicious, then, to arrange for coronary angiogram. link] [1] Mirand, D.

Coronary 130

Coronary ALS OR ACS 130

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 102

STEMI Coronary ACS ED 102

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 25, 2024

A 56 year old male with a history of diabetes, dyslipidemia, hypertension, and coronary artery disease presented to the emergency department with sudden onset weakness, fatigue, lethargy, and confusion. The undergraduate is now willing to identify himself: Hans Helseth. No ECG was ordered on Day #1.

Coronary 108

Coronary STEMI Emergency Department OR 108

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

NOVEMBER 10, 2024

EMS gave aspirin and nitroglycerin, and the patient noted significant improvement on arrival to the Emergency Department. Here is her ECG on arrival to the ED: Improved, but still some signal of posterior OMI. Figure-1: Comparison between the initial EMS ECG and the repeat ECG in the ED. Very frustrating.

STEMI 81

STEMI OR ED EMS 81

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 98

STEMI Coronary Emergency Department OR 98

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). Utility of the history and physical examination in the detection of Acute Coronary Syndromes in emergency department patients. Western Journal of Emergency Medicine, 18 (4), 752-760. [2]

ACS 130

ACS Paramedic Coronary ALS 130

EMDocs

OCTOBER 30, 2023

Belcher, MD (EM Attending Physician, University of Kentucky, Department of Emergency Medicine) // Reviewed by: Jessica Pelletier, DO (EM Education Fellow, Washington University School of Medicine); Alex Koyfman, MD (@EMHighAK); Brit Long, MD (@long_brit) “What do you call an IV contrast shortage? Alternative contrast agents.

E-9-1-1 73

E-9-1-1 Emergency Department ALS ED 73

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

SEPTEMBER 3, 2023

This was sent by anonymous The patient is a 55-year-old male who presented to the emergency department after approximately 3 to 4 days of intermittent central boring chest pain initially responsive to nitroglycerin, but is now more constant and not responsive to nitroglycerin. It is unknown when this pain recurred and became constant.

Defibrillator 131

Defibrillator Coronary STEMI CPR 131

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. Guagliumi, G., Iwaoka, R.

E-9-1-1 117

E-9-1-1 OR Coronary ACS 117

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 9, 2024

She presented to the emergency department after a couple of days of chest discomfort. The patient is an older woman with known coronary disease and an ICD-Pacemaker implanted because of a history of VT ( V entricular T achycardia ). This patient presented to the ED “after a couple of days of chest discomfort”.

Coronary 99

Coronary ACS ED OR 99

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JANUARY 1, 2024

AslangerE A 65-year-old gentleman presented to the emergency department after experiencing two recent ICD shocks in the preceding hours. A recent angiogram report indicated a totally occluded left anterior descending artery (LAD) and right coronary artery (RCA), with 30-40% narrowings in the left circumflex artery (LCx).

Coronary 97

Coronary EMR STEMI Emergency Department 97

ACEP Now

MARCH 14, 2024

A 44 year-old male with unknown past medical history came by emergency medical services (EMS) to the emergency department (ED) for an electrical injury and fall from a high voltage electrical pole. Tintinalli’s Emergency Medicine: A Comprehensive Study Guide, 8e. Emerg Med Pract. Electrical Injuries.

Operating Room 52

Operating Room ACS Critical Care Coronary 52

EMS 12-Lead

APRIL 28, 2022

Upon arrival at the receiving emergency department, however, she precipitously degenerated into VF and could not be resuscitated. In most cases, rather, the culprit is gross ischemia due to myocardial infarction, cardiomyopathy, or advanced coronary artery disease. Chou’s Electrocardiography in Clinical Practice (6th ed).

E-9-1-1 130

E-9-1-1 ALS Coronary EMS 130

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). This finding does not alter the need to pursue emergent reperfusion, although it might suggest a poorer prognosis.”[3] Incidence of an acute coronary occlusion.

ACS 52

ACS Coronary STEMI ALS 52

REBEL EM

FEBRUARY 22, 2023

difficult to see due to corneal edema) Emergency Department Management All patients should get emergency ophthalmologic consultation Start with eye drops (see table below) and add systemic medications if severe or refractory symptoms/IOP. et al, Emergency Medicine Clinical Essentials ed 2. Cup to disc ratio >0.6

Emergency Department 52

Emergency Department ALS ED Coronary 52

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

MAY 23, 2023

But the paramedic and the ED physician in this case did not subscribe to this idea. Am J Emerg Med. I have here 38 cases of "Computer Normal" ECGs which were critically abnormal and the vast majority are missed acute coronary occlusions (Missed Acute OMI) and most were recognized by the physician. 2022 Jan;51:384-387.

STEMI 90

STEMI Coronary Paramedic OR 90

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. In the ED, his troponin, ECG, and chest X-ray (CXR) are normal. He survives.

ACS 85

ACS ALS ED OR 85

Dr. Smith's ECG Blog

JUNE 11, 2024

Many systems now refrain from showing computer "normal" ECGs to the busy emergency physicians at triage because of very poorly conceived articles that say that if the computer algorithm says "normal," the emergency physician should not be bothered. It is clearly missed by the conventional algorithm.

STEMI 111

STEMI Coronary Emergency Department OR 111

EMDocs

MARCH 25, 2024

2, 3 Biliary POCUS can help decrease patient length of stay in the Emergency Department. 2, 3 Biliary POCUS can help decrease patient length of stay in the Emergency Department. Utility of common bile duct measurement in ED point of care ultrasound: A prospective study. Am J Emerg Med. 2022;7:188-189.

ALS 87

ALS Coronary Emergency Department ED 87