In the United States, heart failure affects 5.7 million people. Acute heart failure exacerbation is a common ED presentation and 1 in 9 deaths in the US included heart failure as a contributing cause. Each year it contributes to more than 1 million hospitalizations, and while in the past almost all patients with acute heart failure exacerbations were admitted,
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Journal Review
Performance of the Ottawa Heart Failure Risk Score
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Abdominal Cutaneous Nerve Entrapment Syndrome (ACNES)
This post explores an unusual and likely under-diagnosed condition.
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Journal Review
Angiotensin II for the Treatment of Vasodilatory Shock
ICU patients with vasodilatory shock continue to have a high mortality despite advancements in treatment. Maintaining blood pressure, and thus organ perfusion, is one key in management. Decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) can have serious complications including damage to the kidneys, heart, and brain. The human body has 3 sources of natural vasopressors –
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Journal Review
Effect of US on CPR Pauses in Cardiac Arrest
The provision of high-quality compressions with minimal interruptions is central to the management of cardiac arrest. Along with defibrillation, high-quality compressions are the only interventions proven to improve patient-oriented outcomes. Recently, point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) has gained greater use in cardiac arrest care for determination the cause of arrest as well as guiding the resuscitation and interventions.
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Medial Collateral Ligament (MCL) Injuries
This post explores the presentation, diagnosis and management of MCL injuries.
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Button Battery Ingestion
Button battery ingestions can have disastrous complications. This post is a guide to management.
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Journal Review
Shock Index vs. ABC Score in Predicting Need for Massive Transfusion
Massive hemorrhage is a major cause of early death in trauma patients. A vast majority of US trauma centers haves established Massive Transfusion Protocols (MTP) in order to facilitate early and aggressive balanced resuscitation. Though some institutions have created initiation policies to activate MTP, others rely on subjective clinical judgment based on initial vital signs for activation.
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