We are excited to introduce the Fifth edition of The Ottawa Handbook of Emergency Medicine. Your bedside guide for approaches to various Emergency Medicine presentations.
Highlights of the Fifth edition include the addition of: general surgery emergencies, pediatric orthopedic presentations, and updates in pediatric fever + more!
Intravenous alteplase for stroke with unknown time of onset guided by advanced imaging: systematic review and meta-analysis of individual patient data
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 3.5/5 Thomalla G, et al. Lancet. 2020 Nov 14;396(10262):1574-1584 Question and Methods: The authors evaluated the role of perfusion-imaging facilitated thrombolysis in strokes of unknown duration by way of a systematic review and...
An Update for the Adrenaline Junky: Refine Your Anaphylaxis Management
What chief complaint will you manage on both an adult and pediatric emergency shift? When you’re running through differentials for hypotension or shock, what life threatening conditions are on the list? When you think of airways that keep you up at night, scenarios...
Tick. Tock. It’s Time For a TXA Update
Tick. Tock. It's time for a TXA update. This blog post aims to arm you with the most up-to-date knowledge for the use of tranexamic acid (TXA) in the ED. We will review TXA in the context of gastrointestinal bleeding, traumatic brain injuries, hemoptysis, intracranial...
EMOttawa Podcast: CaRMS Gone Wild!
So what if we've only had one 'real episode', it's time for a bonus one! Dr. Rajiv Thavanathan sits down with FRCPC Program Director Dr. Lisa Thurgur, and Assistant PD Dr. Michael Ho to talk about the CaRMS process, and what they're looking for in applicants. ...
Intravenous Haloperidol Versus Ondansetron for Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome (HaVOC): A Randomized, Controlled Trial
Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Ruberto AJ, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2020 Nov 5:S0196-0644(20)30666-1 Question and Methods: Randomized control trial in which cannabis users with active emesis received either haloperidol (0.05mg/kg or 0.1 mg/kg IV) or ondansetron 8mg...
Anti-Racism and Patient Care in the Emergency Department
Anti-racism is not easy topic to think about. In fact, it’s pretty uncomfortable. As you read this, it’s important to lean into that discomfort and reflect on why you’re feeling that way. Sometimes thinking about equity can leave us feeling unsure of how it applies to...
Gender Based Violence Towards Women of Colour
The Sexual Assault and Partner Abuse Care Program (SAPACP) that works out of the Civic Campus Emergency Department at the Ottawa Hospital represents an intersection between emergency medicine, forensics and the justice system. Our patients present to us in the...
Disparity in the Treatment of Sickle Cell Disease
It was during the quiet hours of a night shift that a colleague and I got to talking about the sickle cell patients we see frequently in the Emergency Department. We exchanged stories of the common struggle of getting IV access and how to follow the lead of the...
Advanced reperfusion strategies for patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest and refractory ventricular fibrillation (ARREST): a phase 2, single centre, open-label, randomised controlled trial
Methodology: 3.5/5 Usefulness: 3.5/5 Yannopoulos D, et al. Lancet. 2020 Dec 5;396(10265):1807-1816. Question and Methods: The ARREST trial was a phase 2, single centre, open-label, RCT comparing early ECMO facilitated resuscitation to ED-based standard ACLS care for...
EDI Corner and Black History Month
The Equity, Diversion and Inclusion committee in the Department of Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa recognizes that bias and discrimination are barriers to patients receiving appropriate and compassionate care. We seek to disseminate knowledge,...