Emergency physicians pride themselves on recognizing and treating life-threatening illness under pressure. Yet one of the most lethal, common, and treatable conditions presenting to our EDs still often receives fragmented, stigmatized care: substance use disorder. The opioid crisis has evolved into an era of increasingly toxic and unpredictable drug supplies, including ultra-potent synthetic opioids such as nitazenes. Between 2016 and 2021, more than 27,000 Canadians died from opioid toxicity, w...
May 19, 2026•1 hr 1 min
Pediatric agitation in the Emergency Department is one of those presentations that can escalate quickly and leave even experienced clinicians feeling on edge. It is high-risk, resource-intensive, and often unfolds in an already overstimulating environment where small missteps can make things worse. At the same time, agitation is not a diagnosis, it is a clinical presentation that may reflect anything from psychiatric illness to delirium, intoxication, trauma, or simply a child overwhelmed by the...
Apr 28, 2026•1 hr 22 min
In this Part 2 or our 2-part EM Cases podcast series on Cardiac Arrest Update, Dr. Sheldon Cheskes and Dr. Rob Simard take us beyond the algorithms and into the real-world decision-making of cardiac arrest care. We answer questions like: Do vasopressin and steroids improve survival or just ROSC? Should we be giving amiodarone earlier—and is lidocaine just as good? When should we use calcium, bicarbonate, or magnesium, and when should we avoid them? What role does ketamine play in CPR-induced con...
Apr 07, 2026•1 hr 42 min
In this EM Cases update on cardiac arrest management, Dr. Sheldon Cheskes and Dr. Rob Simard join Anton to walk us through the evolving science and bedside practicalities of cardiac arrest management in the wake of the 2025 ACLS Guidelines. They answer questions such as: What are the most common failures in CPR quality, and how can we recognize and correct them in real time? Should we employ head up CPR, and if so how? How should we interpret ETCO₂ during cardiac arrest, and why shouldn’t we cha...
Mar 25, 2026•1 hr 53 min
In this month's EM Quick Hits Podcast we introduce not one, but two new series! First, "EMC²" - EM Cases Cases (we know, horrible name ;) where Anton or Katie discuss a knowledge building case with a special guest. And second, "Coaching the EM Mind" with Dr. Sara Gray a professional coach for EM providers, where Katie discusses with her the science and best expert advice on how to perform your best in the ED. Plus, a withdrawal syndrome that is new EDs, life-threatening and requires specific tre...
Mar 10, 2026•1 hr 39 min
We walk you through what Emergency Physicians need to know to recognize, risk stratify, and manage endometriosis safely and pragmatically. We answer question such as: When should endometriosis rise to the top of the differential for pelvic pain? How do we distinguish an endometriosis flare from a dangerous endometriosis complication? from Pelvic Inflammatory Disease? Why hemorrhagic cyst the most common misdiagnosis for endometriosis and how can we tell the difference between hemorrhagic cyst an...
Feb 25, 2026•56 min
Convulsive status epilepticus is one of the most morbid neurologic emergencies we manage in the ED, and outcomes depend far more on speed than drug selection. Like ventricular fibrillation, each minute of ongoing convulsions worsens hypoxia, acidosis, cardiovascular instability, and neuronal injury, while making seizures progressively harder to terminate. Modern definitions are intentionally time-compressed to force early, parallel, clock-anchored action. Any patient still convulsing when you re...
Feb 10, 2026•59 min
If you’ve been practicing EM for more than a decade, your approach to the febrile young infant has (appropriately) evolved. For years, the default was LP + empiric antibiotics + admission for almost everyone. That approach prevented missing meningitis, but at the cost of a lot of harm: invasive testing, unnecessary antibiotics, and hospitalization-related complications. The modern approach is a paradigm shift toward risk stratification, biomarkers, and shared decision-making, while still respect...
Jan 27, 2026•48 min
In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Mike Weinstock discusses with Anton a case of upper back pain in this month's Medmal Cases, Andrew Petrosoniak on traumatic pneumothorax and hemothorax decision making: risk stratification, imaging cutoffs and chest tube choices, Justin Morgenstern on brain injury guidelines risk stratification for neurosurgical consult, repeat imaging and admission, Andrew Tagg on management of post-circumcision bleeding and when to escalate care, Hans Rosenberg & Arie...
Jan 13, 2026•1 hr 6 min
In this Part 2 of our 2-part podcast series on thyroid emergencies Anton, Dr. George Willis and Dr. Alyssa Louis answer questions such as: When a patient presents with “sepsis without a source,” what bedside features should trigger you to prioritize thyrotoxicosis? How can PoCUS help you decide whether tachycardia is dangerous — or lifesaving — before starting β-blockade? Why can TSH and free T4 be falsely reassuring in a crashing patient, and what labs actually matter early? In which patients d...
Dec 30, 2025•1 hr 13 min
In the ED, we regularly care for sick patients presenting acutely with abnormal vital signs, altered mental status, and end organ dysfunction. Oftentimes, the culprit ends up being sepsis, or overdose, or organ failure. But it is important that we consider rarer endocrine presentations like decompensated hypothyroidism. In this Part 1 of this two-part podcast with Dr George Willis and Dr Alyssa Louis, we answer questions like: Why is the term myxedema coma a misnomer and should be abandoned? How...
Dec 16, 2025•1 hr 12 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Deborah Schonfeld on the differential diagnosis and work up of pediatric urinary retention & acute transverse myelitis, Jesse McLaren on his Tryptic Approach to Occlusion MI Diagnosis, Matthew McArthur on recognition and management of post-dural puncture headache, Joseph Yasmeh on Med Mal Cases: Clenched fist injury, Brit Long on IV thrombolysis for minor strokes and Victoria Myers & Lauren Westafer on mentorship and what it means to be a physician ...
Dec 02, 2025•1 hr 32 min
In this Part 2 or our 2-part podcast update on ED stroke management with Dr. Katie Lin and Dr. Walter Himmel we explore non-disabling strokes, where symptoms are mild enough that patients can continue daily activities if deficits persist. Yet, non-disabling does not mean benign. Non-disabling strokes occupy the same ischemic continuum as TIAs and carry a substantial risk of early recurrence with disabling stroke. In this EM Cases podcast we answer questions such as: Which patients with non-disab...
Nov 11, 2025•1 hr 20 min
We are amidst a paradigm shift in the emergency management of acute ischemic stroke. The traditional way of categorizing ischemic strokes as 'minor' vs 'major' is no longer relevant to what we do in the ED. It's now about 'disabling' vs 'non-disabling' strokes. And this is no small change. This categorization dictates urgency of ED work-up and treatments, imaging choices, treatment decisions and goals of care. In this Part 1 or our 2-part main episodes EM Cases podcast series on management of is...
Oct 28, 2025•1 hr 36 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Dr. Isaac Bogoch on recognition and management of osteomyelitis in the ED, Dr. Anand Swaminathan on tourniquet tips and tricks. Dr. Andrew Tagg on managing pediatric distal radius buckle fractures & the FORCE trial. Dr. Justin Morgenstern on Delayed Sequence Intubation (DSI): RCT Takeaways. Dr. Brit Long on ESRD & Dialysis in the ED: altered mental status. Dr. Lisa Thurgur & Victoria Myers on leadership and medical education. Please consider a d...
Oct 07, 2025•1 hr 25 min
Discover evidence-based sleep strategies for shift workers. Optimize performance, recovery, and health with tips from sleep expert Dr. Michael Mak... If you find this beneficial please consider a donation to support EM Cases: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/
Sep 16, 2025•1 hr 21 min
On this EM Quick Hits podcast: Tick Borne Illness Update with Dr. Issac Bogoch, Pediatric ECG Interpretation with Dr. Kathleen Stephanos, Nailbed Repair with Dr. Matthew McArther, Closed Loop Communication with Dr. Shawn Segeren, ESRD with Dr. Brit Long, Leaders in EM Dr. Catherine Varner... Please consider donating to EM Cases here: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/
Aug 26, 2025•1 hr
In this update to the 7 T’s of Massive Hemorrhage Protocols with Dr. Jeannie Callum and Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak, we explore the most current, evidence-informed strategies for bleeding patients, from polytrauma to obstetrical, drawing on the latest clinical trial data and real-world experience. We answer the questions: What is the evidence based alternative to FFP in EDs where FFP is not readily available? How accurate are decision scores in helping decide the trigger for MHP activation? Why is te...
Aug 04, 2025•1 hr 27 min
On this EM Quick Hits podcast: Pediatric Torticollis with Dr. Deb Shconfeld, Approach to Stable Wide Complex Tachydysrhythmias with Dr. Anand Swaminathan, Post-intubation Neurocritical Care 5 best practices with Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak, Hyponatremia Correction Rates with Dr. Justin Morgenstern, Paronychia Management with Dr. Andrew Tagg, and Women in EM Leader Series with Judith Tintinalli and Dr. Victoria Myers...Donate to EM Cases to help ensure continued Free Open Access Medical Education in t...
Jul 15, 2025•1 hr 31 min
In this podcast, with Dr. Thom Mayer, Dr. Carolyn Snider and Dr. Howard Ovens, on leading from the inside out, we cover foundational principles, practical habits, and transformative insights that can make any member of an ED team a more effective, compassionate, and adaptive leader. Here, you’ll find tools, philosophy, and stories that just might transform how you think about your role in the ED to make your work more satisfying, make your teams work together better and improve patient outcomes....
Jun 24, 2025•1 hr 38 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Dr. Mathew MacArther on Occipital Nerve Block, Dr. Ian Chernoff on PoCUS in Pulmonary Embolism, Dr. Hans Rosenberg on Myelopathy, Dr. Shawn Segeren on Team Resuscitation, Dr. Brit Long on Incidental Neutropenia and Dr. Kylie Booth on Peer Programs. Please help ensure continued Free Open Access of the entire EM Cases Learning System by donating here: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/
Jun 03, 2025•1 hr 8 min
There are many nuances in the management of patients with pulmonary embolism in cardiac arrest, peri-arrest or simply in shock: We need to optimize oxygenation and airway management, hemodynamic support, acid/base management, thrombolysis and/or catheter-directed therapies that Anton dives into with guest experts Dr. Lauren Westafer, Dr. Bourke Tillmann and Dr. Justin Morgenstern... EM Cases is proudly FOAMEd - Please consider a donation: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/
May 13, 2025•1 hr 24 min
In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Zafar Qasim & Andrew Petrosoniak on whole blood transfusion in trauma, Justin Morgenstern on calcium pre-treatment to prevent diltiazem-induced hypotension, Kiran Rikhraj on dynamic LV outflow tract obstruction, Anand Swaminathan on resuscitative thoracotomy, Andrew Tagg on uterine casts, and Jesse McLaren on scale & proportionality in occlusion MI ECG interpretation. **Please support EM Cases to continue to be free open access by making a donation:...
Apr 21, 2025•1 hr 1 min
How do you predict which intermediate-risk patients will suddenly deteriorate? What role do risk scores, biomarkers, imaging, and hemodynamics play in decision-making? Should these patients receive anticoagulation alone, or is thrombolysis warranted? When should you consider catheter-directed or surgical interventions? This podcast focuses us to think critically about risk stratification, early interventions and escalation in care in PE. We include an algorithm in the show notes. Not all patient...
Apr 01, 2025•1 hr 36 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Stephen Freedman on pediatric bloody diarrhea, S-TEC and hemolytic uremic syndrome, Justin Morgenstern on the evidence for IM epinephrine in out of hospital cardiac arrest, Matthew McArther on recognition and ED management of dengue fever, Andrew Petrosoniak on imaging decision making in trauma in older patients, Brit Long & Michael Gotlieb on recognition and management of TTP...Please consider a donation to EM Cases to help ensure continued Free Open A...
Mar 11, 2025•1 hr 7 min
Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any psychiatric illness, yet they are frequently missed in the Emergency Department as they can be elusive. Only one in 246 patients who screen positive for an eating disorder at triage have a chief complaint suggesting it. These patients don’t always fit the stereotype—many appear “healthy,” have normal BMI, or present with vague GI, cardiac, or neurological symptoms. Missing the diagnosis has important consequences. The earlier an eating diso...
Feb 18, 2025•1 hr 28 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Anand Swaminathan on optimizing RSI medication timing, Brittany Ellis on ED boarding challenges in older patients and solutions to ED crowding and flow, Dave Jerome on managing prolonged tourniquet application, Nour Khatib and Phil Gillick on a rural peer support case, Jesse McLaren on ECG reciprocal changes in acute coronary occlusion, and Melody Ng on practical nutrition tips for shift workers...
Jan 28, 2025•1 hr 26 min
In this Part 2 of our 2-part podcast series on How EM Experts Think with Dr. Reuben Strayer, Dr. Mike Betzner and Dr. Scott Weingart we dive deep into the nuances of practicing smarter, faster, and better in the ED. We answer questions like: How should we employ hypothetico-deductive reasoning in our daily practice of Emergency Medicine? How can we best streamline thorough data gathering for each case so that we don't miss key data points? How do the master EM clinicians perform an efficient and...
Jan 07, 2025•1 hr 23 min
Which elements of your current pre-shift preparation contribute most to your mental clarity and performance, and what new practices might further optimize your readiness? With interruptions shown to increase task errors and decision fatigue, how can you strike a balance between being approachable to colleagues and safeguarding your focus for patient care? When confronted with a particularly challenging or emotionally charged case, what strategies have you found most effective for maintaining pro...
Dec 23, 2024•1 hr 22 min
On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Ross Prager on TEE in cardiac arrest, Justin Morgenstern on nebulized ketamine for analgesia in the ED, Hans Rosenberg & Krishin Yadav on standardizing cellulitis management, Mathew McArther on latest studies on subcutaneous insulin protocols in DKA, Jennifer C. Tang on documenting differential diagnoses medicolegal tips...
Dec 03, 2024•1 hr
