Journal Club Summary Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Mathieson S, et al. N Engl J Med. 2017 Mar 23;376(12):1111-1120. Question and Methods: Double blind, randomized control trial comparing pregabalin against placebo for reducing leg pain symptoms at 8 weeks in 209 patients with acute and chronic sciatica. Findings: The authors found a betweenRead More →
Head injuries are commonly seen in the emergency department and a large group of these patients will subsequently be diagnosed with a concussion. In this three-part series, we will summarize the most up to date definition of a concussion (Part 1), review how to make the diagnosis and provide concussionRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Pluymaekers NAHA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Mar 18. Editorial: The RACE to Treat Atrial Fibrillation in the Emergency Department. Question and Methods: This multicenter, randomized, open-label, non-inferiority trial compared delayed vs early cardioversion for emergency department patients withRead More →
Even without an interest in military or high treat medicine, the science from military conflicts can have a significant influence on the medicine you practice. In fact, a lot can be learned in times of stress and conflict, and every Emergency Physician should have at least an awareness as to whatRead More →
Ischemic stroke is one of Canada’s leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Over the last 30 years, we have observed rapid advances concerning how we identify, respond to, and treat patients with acute ischemic stroke. Because this topic is so vast, the focus of this blog post will be: ToRead More →
A Code Orange is a hospital-scale response to any event or group of events that results in a patient influx that outstrips available hospital resources. It realigns the way the hospital functions to support the emergency department and rapidly increases the number of staff available to care for patients. ItRead More →
Securing definitive control of a threatened airway is a fundamental skill in the care of critically ill patients and remains an ever-popular topic of discussion in Emergency Medicine. As Emergency Medicine providers, we find few procedures as satisfying or potentially difficult as airway management; we continually seek to hone ourRead More →
Sudden cardiac arrest represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Over 356,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests (OHCA) occur annually in the United States, with resuscitative efforts extending into the Emergency Department (ED) for many of these patients. Prognosis remains dismal, with death occurring in 92%. Background WhileRead More →
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 2.5/5 Usefulness: 2/5 Connolly SJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Feb 7. Question and Methods: This was the first trial looking at clinical outcomes for reversal of factor Xa inhibitor anticoagulation in major bleeding episodes using the specific reversal agent, Andexanet alfa. It wasRead More →
This article discusses the patient perspective of early pregnancy loss in the ED. We will define the quality gap as it pertains to ED care for patients with early pregnancy loss. We will then look at patient-centered communication strategies for counseling and discharge of patients with early pregnancy loss inRead More →