We are excited to introduce the Sixth edition of The Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine. Your bedside guide for approaches to various Emergency Medicine presentations.
Highlights of the Sixth edition include the addition of: Oncologic emergencies, approach to the pregnant patient, geriatrics and more!
Randomized Trial Comparing Low- vs High-Dose IV Dexamethasone for Patients With Moderate to Severe Migraine
Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Friedman BW, et al. Neurology. 2023 Oct 3;101(14):e1448-e1454. Question and Methods: This double-blinded RCT of 209 patients presenting to the ED with moderate to severe migraines compared high- to low- dose dexamethasone (16 mg vs...
Liver Let Die? Approach to Splanchnic Vein Thrombosis & Shock Liver
When working up your patient, how often do you think of problems related to the hepatic venous system? Have you suppressed those memories of time spent over your cadaver in medical school learning the anatomy? By the end of this, you will all be newly discovered...
Factors Affecting the EPA Experience
What exactly is an EPA, really? EPAs, or Entrustable Professional Activities, are the basic building blocks of assessment within many models of Competency-Based Medical Education, such as Competency By Design. In theory, EPA assessments are supposed to serve as...
Early versus delayed antihypertensive treatment in patients with acute ischaemic stroke: multicentre, open label, randomised, controlled trial
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 2/5 Liu L, et al. BMJ. 2023 Oct 9;383:e076448. Question: Do early vs delayed blood pressure management in patients with mild-moderate acute ischemic strokes decrease death or dependency at 90 days? Methods: Randomization to early (24 hrs)...
Pediatric Traumatic Cardiac Arrest
Trauma is the leading cause of child and youth mortality globally (1). Pediatric trauma is a high acuity but low frequency event (2). Trauma is children is 7 times less frequent in comparison to the adult population (2). There is a well-documented correlation amongst...
Ottawa POCUS Symposium
Take your POCUS Game to the Next Level Who should attend: Staff and resident physicians and other practitioners who take care of acutely unwell patients. Plenary Talks: Working up the “nerve” to “block” pain in the ED: is it time to change our approach? - Dr Alice...
BHP Corner: Acute Behavioural Disturbances
Introduction Emergency health care places paramedics and healthcare providers are at the intersection of complex ethical considerations and legal obligations when addressing acute behavioural disturbances. The need for immediate treatment or physical/chemical...
Modification of the GRACE Risk Score for Risk Prediction in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes
Methodology: 3/5 Usefulness: 1/5 Georgiopoulos G, et al. JAMA Cardiol. 2023 Oct 1;8(10):946-956 Question: Does the modified GRACE score incorporating continuous troponin improve ACS risk prediction? Methods: Retrospective longitudinal cohort study examining 3...
PTM Journal Club Recap: Hypoglycemia and NSTEMI Care
At this month’s PTM Journal Club, two topics were covered; the use of intranasal (IN) glucagon for hypoglycemia and preshospital triage of chest pain patients. Haamid et al. (2023) conducted a retrospective chart review to determine if the use of intranasal glucagon...
The Way is Shut: Aortic Stenosis Part 2
In part 1 of this series, we focused on the physiologic and hemodynamic consequences of aortic stenosis, as well as management in atrial fibrillation and procedural sedation. In this part, we will focus on the management of decompensated aortic stenosis with heart...