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!
Solid Organ Donation from the Emergency Department – Missed Donor Opportunities
In this post, we aim to highlight the perspectives of family, physicians, the emergency department and pre-hospital medicine in regards to organ donation. Types of Organ Tissue Donation There are 2 main types of deceased organ donation including neurologic...
C-Reactive Protein Testing to Guide Antibiotic Prescribing for COPD Exacerbations.
Methodology: 3/5 Usefulness: 2.5/5 Butler CC, et al. N Engl J Med. 2019 Jul 11;381(2):111-120 Editorial: COPD Exacerbations – A Target for Antibiotic Stewardship. Question and Methods: This was a multicenter RCT to determine if POCT CRP testing vs usual care may help...
An open letter to Canadians from the frontlines
Your friendly neighborhood Emergency doctor here with a message for Canadians. Hey Canada, sitting here on the frontlines - we see you. Staying home, helping to gather PPE, supporting us, and feeding us, you're helping us to do our jobs. When we see you helping to...
End-of-life care in the ED related to COVID-19
Hot off the press from CJEM; End-of-life care in the Emergency Department for the patient imminently dying of a highly transmissible acute respiratory infection (such as COVID-19).
Guidelines for Emergency Airway Management of COVID-19
Guiding Principles Suspected SARS-COV-2 patients showing signs of hypoxemic respiratory failure should be intubated proactively, as early as possible. Signs may include FiO2 requirement > 50%, clinical signs of respiratory fatigue despite supplemental oxygen, or...
Ticagrelor or Prasugrel in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndromes
Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 4/5 Schüpke S, et al N Engl J Med. 2019 Oct 17;381(16):1524-1534. Editorial: Ticagrelor or Prasugrel in Acute Coronary Syndromes - The Winner Takes It All? Question and Methods: This open-label multicenter trial was the first...
#StayHome (…but stay sane)
Some helpful tips on how to #StayHome but maintaining your sanity while practicing social distancing!
Bupropion – Picking our Poisons
What is Bupropion? Bupropion is an anti-depressant commonly prescribed for seasonal affective disorder, as a smoking cessation aid, and off-label in the management of major depressive disorder. You may know it by the trade names Wellbutrin, Zyban or Champix. While...
Effect of Vitamin C, Hydrocortisone, and Thiamine vs Hydrocortisone Alone on Time Alive and Free of Vasopressor Support Among Patients With Septic Shock: The VITAMINS Randomized Clinical Trial
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Fujii T, et al. JAMA. 2020 Jan 17. doi: 10.1001/jama.2019.22176. [Epub ahead of print] Editorial: Lack of Benefit of High-Dose Vitamin C, Thiamine, and Hydrocortisone Combination for Patients With Sepsis. Question and Methods:...
Managing Stress and Anxiety related to COVID-19
As Bob Dylan once said; “Times, they are a-changin'”. With respect to the novel coronavirus-19 (COVID-19), the situation in Canada and around the globe is changing rapidly and aggressively. As part of the first responder network, Emergency Departments (ED) and it’s...