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!
Embracing Over-Preparedness during COVID-19
Fear, while on a mission (see below for a French translation). It was not that long ago, my husband was strapped on a missile (on purpose) at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. I sat in the dirt at 17:21, on the bare Kazak Steppes, eyes focused on the Soyuz...
Conservative versus Interventional Treatment for Spontaneous Pneumothorax
Methodology: 2/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Brown SGA, et al. N Engl J Med. 2020 Jan 30;382(5):405-415. Question and Methods: Is conservative/observational treatment of moderate-large spontaneous pneumothorax non-inferior to chest tube insertion? Multicentre RCT at 39 hospitals...
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...