Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: High flow nasal cannula (HFNC) has become more utilized with COVID pandemic Multiple studies have shown this method improves both oxygenation and ventilation Newer studies have shown the respiratory benefit of HFNC vs normal oxygen in patients suffering from CHF and those with do not intubate orders who are experiencing respiratory distress. Heated high flow is another option to provide ventilator and oxygen support to patients who either do not ...
Jan 04, 2021•3 min
Contributor: Ruben Marrero-Vasquez, PharmD Educational Pearls: ACEP and FDA have both issued warnings about the viral Tik Tok Benadryl (diphenhydramine) challenge where individuals voluntarily overdose on diphenhydramine which can cause fatal toxicity Diphenhydramine is typically dosed at 0.5-1 mg/kg in pediatric patients Q4-6 PRN and carries a fatal dose of 20-40 mg/kg but anywhere from 3-5x recommended dose does can cause toxicity Diphenhydramine toxicity causes both central and peripheral ant...
Jan 01, 2021•7 min
EMM is excited to welcome back the hosts of Millennial Mental Health Channel podcast to explain the key points of a robust suicide assessment in the ED. Dr. Justin Romano is a third year psychiatry resident in Omaha, Nebraska and Eddie Carrillo is a licensed mental health therapist currently working at partial hospitalization and IOP eating disorder program in Portland, Oregon. Their podcast Millennial Mental Health Channel seeks to explore the world of mental health from their two professional ...
Dec 30, 2020•17 min
Educational Pearls: The CDC has made new formal recommendations for treating Gonorrhea due to increasing resistance to Rocephin and Azithromycin. New recommendations: Confirmed gonorrhea: Ceftriaxone 500 mg once Empiric treatment: Ceftriaxone 500 mg once followed by 7 days Doxycycline 100 mg BID No longer using Azithromycin due to high resistance Second line: Gentamycin IM Cefixime 800 mg oral Pharyngeal involvement has high resistance rates to second line agents and ceftriaxone is strongly pref...
Dec 29, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Tom Seibert, MD Educational Pearls: High altitude cerebral edema (HACE) is the end stage of acute mountain sickness and is diagnosed when patients develop neurologic dysfunction, ataxia, and altered mental status. The pathophysiology of HACE is thought to be due to increased cerebral blood flow and increased capillary permeability causing vasogenic edema and brain swelling HACE is linked to extreme altitude Rapid descent should be done as soon as possible for this potentially fatal ...
Dec 28, 2020•2 min
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Time can be an important factor in outcomes regarding sepsis including mortality Emphasis has grown on early administration of antibiotics and IV fluids in sepsis However, early initiation of vasopressors for hypotensive patients may have significant mortality benefit as well References Hayden GE, Tuuri RE, Scott R, et al. Triage sepsis alert and sepsis protocol lower times to fluids and antibiotics in the ED. Am J Emerg Med . 2016;34(1):1-9. doi:1...
Dec 22, 2020•3 min
Contributor: Tom Seibert, MD Educational Pearls: Acute Mountain sickness (AMS) can cause headache along with fatigue, nausea, vomiting, insomnia Typically occurs above 6500 feet ( not 65,000 ) in elevation Acclimation to altitude can help prevent symptoms if not treated, AMS can advance to severe illness involving cerebral or pulmonary edema. Mild symptoms can be managed with rest but more severe symptoms will require descent, oxygen, acetazolamide and steroids Acetazolamide can be used as both ...
Dec 21, 2020•5 min
Contributor: Thomas Seibert, MD Educational Pearls: High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) typically occurs 2-4 days after arriving at elevation Symptoms include: Fatigue Dyspnea Cough Treatment includes: Descent to lower elevation Oxygen supplementation Nifedipine Caused by sympathetic stimulation from hypobaric hypoxic exposure, causing uneven pulmonary vasculature constriction and when paired with a leaky endothelium, pulmonary edema. #science References Swenson ER, Bärtsch P. High-altitude pul...
Dec 15, 2020•5 min
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Schizophrenia typically doesn’t present until age 13 and has a prodrome Prodrome includes months of gradual changes in behavior, starting with negative symptoms and progressing to positive symptoms Negative symptoms include losing concentration, poor memory, poor school performance, and personality changes Positive symptoms include hallucinations, which tend to be more visual in children Sudden changes mimicking psychiatric illness should raise c...
Dec 14, 2020•3 min
Contributors: Rachael Duncan, PharmD and Sean McCullough, PharmD Educational Pearls: A 2019 Report by the National Women’s Law Center: Most common occupations for pregnant workers are elementary and middle school teachers, registered nurses, and nursing/psychiatric/home health care aides. This raises the question: Should pregnant women, specifically front-line workers, get the Covid-19 vaccine? According to the FDA, there is currently not enough data to make a conclusion about the safety of the ...
Dec 11, 2020•20 min
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Serum prolactin levels can be used to help differentiate epileptic seizures from non-epileptic seizures It is also released and elevated after epileptic seizures but not non-epileptic seizures A level must be checked 10-20 minutes after the episode and if possible a next day level should be checked to establish a baseline Levels can also be raised after a syncopal event Not the most useful ED also due to the long turn around time EEG will remain ...
Dec 08, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Zyprexa (olanzapine) is a second generation antipsychotic with multiple other uses Excellent for treating nausea in patients undergoing chemotherapy or with THC hyperemesis syndrome Helps with the psychological and emotional aspect of pain Effective in treatment of headaches Can be given under the tongue Fewer incidences of dystonic reactions compared with first generation antipsychotics Patients using anti-dopaminergic should not receive antipsych...
Dec 07, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Majority of patients experience side effects while taking opioids Most common include nausea/vomiting, puriitis, constipation; more severe and less common include respiratory depression, addiction and overdose Opiates can cause nausea, but ondansetron (Zofran) is the wrong treatment because it’s not antidopaminergic. Instead consider using metoclopramide (Reglan), olanzapine (Zyprexa), or haloperidol (Haldol) Itching from opiates isn’t histamine me...
Dec 01, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD Educational Pearls: Recent study looked at if mask wearing protects the mask wearer from infection This group found 1.8% of mask wearers got COVID while 2.1% of non-mask wearers became infected, which was not statistically significant This was not statistically significant and has been used to justify not wearing masks by some groups While the numbers look small, it's close to a 20% reduction in infections for the mask wearers The results reported had concerns for be...
Nov 30, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Rachael Duncan, PharmD Educational Pearls: ED visits nationwide declined by 42% in April 2020 compared to the same time in 2019 largely due to the fear of the COVID-19 pandemic. The biggest decline was seen in pediatrics less than 14, women and emerging COVID hotspots like the Northeast. In recent weeks, this trend has reversed, showing a record-breaking number of COVID cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. As hospitals reach capacity, critically ill COVID patients are being held in ...
Nov 27, 2020•17 min
For this episode of Mental Health Monthly, EMM is honored to collaborate with the hosts of Millennial Mental Health Channel podcast to explain Borderline Personality Disorder and tips to manage patients with this diagnosis in the Emergency Department. Dr. Justin Romano is a third year psychiatry resident in Omaha, Nebraska and Eddie Carrillo is a licensed mental health therapist currently working at partial hospitalization and IOP eating disorder program in Portland, Oregon. Their podcast Millen...
Nov 25, 2020•18 min
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Contrary to many assumptions, meter-dose inhalers (MDIs) are as effective as nebulizers in pediatric and adult patients Nebulizers are associated with higher rates of tremor, tachycardia; they cost more and are associated with longer ED stays Though it may take some convincing, in a patient that is physically able, using an MDI with spacer appears to be the better option - and that was even before COVID. References Snider MA, Wan JY, Jacobs J, Ki...
Nov 24, 2020•3 min
Contributor: Ryan Circh, MD Educational Pearls: Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) can be the initial presenting condition of undiagnosed diabetes type I in pediatric patients Unlike adults, children typically need less fluid (i.e. 10 mL/kg bolus for those in shock followed by maintenance) Cerebral edema is a concern from rapid administration of fluids An insulin drip at 0.1 units/Kg/hr should be started but a bolus isn’t required Editor’s note: While conceptually similar, treatment for pediatric DKA i...
Nov 23, 2020•5 min
Contributor: Nick Tsipis, MD Educational Pearls: Perichondritis involves infection of not only the connective tissue of the ear but typically the cartilage as well Symptoms include erythema, ear pain, and fevers The most common bacterial cause is Pseudomonas. Perichondritis often occurs after a wound or piercing, but trauma is not necessary for the infection to occur Anti-pseudomonal coverage is essential with typically oral agents for milder disease and IV antibiotics for severe infections Can ...
Nov 17, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Sam Killian, MD Educational Pearls: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is an infection of peritoneal fluid that typically occurs in cirrhotic patients Symptoms may include abdominal pain, fever, and/or altered mental status Paracentesis is diagnostic test of choice. Diagnostic criteria includes > 250 polymorphonuclear cells (PMNs) or a positive gram stain/culture Treatment is typically a 3 rd generation cephalosporin · 30-40% of SBP patients will go into renal failure and SBP a...
Nov 16, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Rachael Waterson, PharmD Educational Pearls: Drug shortages have been an ongoing issue since the 2000’s. Improvement was being made; however, several factors have exacerbated the drug supply more recently. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Report there are 163 drugs currently on the drug shortage list. Of the 40 drugs critical to treating COVID-19, 18 are on this list. In comparison, according to the American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacists (ASHP), the cur...
Nov 13, 2020•16 min
Dr. Tsipis sits down with colleague Dr. Ricky Dhaliwal for some insightful conversation regarding the differences between academic and community settings as well as the various roles of advocacy in medicine. Time Stamps 00:23 Banter and introductions 2:41 upbringing in 1st generation immigrant Indian household 14:30 losing culture as 2nd gen immigrant 7:32 Balancing family and work with a two doc family 8:32 President of EMRA 10:42 Working in academia vs community 13:29 New job advice 15:55 Nick...
Nov 11, 2020•40 min
Contributor: Dave Rosenberg, MD Educational Pearls: The potential of vaccinations was first observed in the late 1600s when Jenner observed people who had cowpox never contracted smallpox, so he inoculated people with cowpox to see if it prevented smallpox, and… Years later, Louis Pasteur inoculated chickens with cholera after his assistant accidently created the first live attenuated vaccine by creating a weakened bacteria when he left the bacteria out while he went on vacation Pasteur observed...
Nov 10, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: During a typical flu season positive rates of flu tests run around ~20% Surveillance data from Australia, South Africa, and Chile showed remarkably low rates of flu during their typical high season - only 51 total cases were reported This overlapped with COVID, meaning extensive social distancing and other measures likely have benefit with flu Editor’s note: at 35 cases, we are over half way there! References https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/69/w...
Nov 09, 2020•3 min
Contributor: John Winkler, MD Educational Pearls: Swimmers itch is due to a flatworm parasitic infection that causes an itchy rash after the worm burrows into the skin The flatworm is passed between bird and snail hosts The itch is due to the death of the parasite under the skin which leads to an extremely itchy reaction. The rash can be difficult to identify, often erythematous and macular but can develop papules and vesicles eventually scaling The treatment is diphenhydramine for milder cases ...
Nov 03, 2020•3 min
Contributor: Nick Hatch, MD Educational Pearls: Kratom is derived from the evergreen tree sharing the same name, found in Southeast Asia Kratom is legal is most regions Adverse effects of this substance are increasing in prevalence as its use becomes more widespread At lower doses kratom has a stimulatory effect Higher doses of kratom can cause opioid-like and psychotropic effects Documented instances of more severe acute liver toxicity do exists References LiverTox: Clinical and Research Inform...
Nov 02, 2020•4 min
Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Lactate is a byproduct of anaerobic metabolism or tissue hypoperfusion Though typically associated with severe sepsis, hyperlactatemia can be caused by vigorous exercise, seizures, liver failure, asthma exacerbations, albuterol, metformin, antiretroviral drugs, and propofol Liver failure can lead to an inability to clear lactate, or convert it back to glucose byproducts, instead of an overproduction of lactate Always remember the other causes of e...
Oct 27, 2020•5 min
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Pain is ubiquitous in the emergency department but it is not the enemy - suffering is Nociception is the ability to feel noxious stimuli which usually causes a reaction, like pulling a limb away when you feel something painful. Nociception is really a brainstem reflex. Pain is nociception plus cognition, meaning we process the noxious stimuli in our frontal cortex but it is not necessarily suffering. Pain can be associated with euphoria, such as wi...
Oct 26, 2020•6 min
Emergency Medical Minute collaborated with CarePoint Health in early March for a night of education on Pediatric Emergencies geared towards mid-level providers at a local Denver brewery for our latest Brewcast. Pediatric patients require special considerations compared to adults when receiving medical care, and that remains true when dealing with respiratory illnesses across different age ranges. Dr. Parisa Jamshidi, Pediatric Emergency Physician, reviews common respiratory illnesses including b...
Oct 21, 2020•20 min
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: The use of oxygen is controversial when treating patients with certain conditions, like MI’s, stokes, or ARDS because adverse outcomes have been demonstrated with using high oxygen concentrations. The Oxygen ICU trial looked at using higher and lower oxygen levels in treating intubated ARDS patients and found that mortality was improved when less oxygen was given allowing oxygen saturations to sit around 95% versus using high oxygen levels to obt...
Oct 20, 2020•4 min
