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!
Snooze Control: Procedural Sedation 101
Procedural sedation (PS) is a cornerstone of Emergency Medicine, frequently employed in the Emergency Department (ED) to facilitate painful or anxiety-provoking procedures while ensuring patient comfort. The goal is to achieve optimal sedation while allowing for rapid...
Implementation of Electronic Health Record Integration and Clinical Decision Support to Improve Emergency Department Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Use
Methodology 3/5 Usefulness 2/5 Hoppe JA, et al. Ann Emerg Med. 2024 Jan;83(1):3-13. Question and Methods: The study evaluated whether integrating prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) tools with clinical decision support in EHR workflows improved PDMP usage and...
There IS Beauty in Medicine
Medicine often carries an aura of mystique—a profession elevated by society as a noble calling, a higher pursuit. But for those of us in the trenches, the reality is far simpler (: medicine is a job. A demanding, high-stakes, and sometimes unforgiving job, but a job...
Andexanet for Factor Xa Inhibitor-Associated Acute Intracerebral Hemorrhage
Methodology 3/5 Usefulness 3/5 Connolly SJ, et al. N Engl J Med. 2024 May 16;390(19):1745-1755. Editorial: Reversing Oral Anticoagulation in Intracerebral Hemorrhage. Question and Methods: This unblinded, multicentre randomized controlled trial studied whether...
Gallbladders Gone WILD
Have you thought about your New Year’s resolutions yet? Will 2025 finally be the year you commit to the gym? Did you splurge on that expensive new gym membership? The truth about resolutions is that most of them fail. In fact, one study from the University of Bristol...
PECARN prediction rules for CT imaging of children presenting to the emergency department with blunt abdominal or minor head trauma: a multicentre prospective validation study
Methodology: 3/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Holmes JF, et al. Lancet Child Adolesc Health. 2024 May;8(5):339-347. Question and Methods: This prospective multicenter cohort study sought to validate the PECARN intra-abdominal injury and traumatic brain injury rules in order to...
Nailed it! A guide to Fingertip Injuries
A stable and functional fingertip is essential for sensation, fine motor skills, grip strength, and the overall durability and cosmetic appearance of the hand. Fingertips, often the first point of contact during daily activities, are particularly susceptible to...
Intraosseous or Intravenous Vascular Access for Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 4/5 Vallentin MF, et al. N Engl J Med. 2024 Oct 31. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2407616. Editorial: The Way to a Patient's Heart - Vascular Access in Cardiac Arrest Question and Methods: This RCT compared IO vs. IV vascular access in adults with...
These are the ‘Roids you are looking for – Steroids in the ED
In the acute care setting, steroids have various usages and indications, but their usage can often be nuanced. From adrenal crises to septic shock, severe community-acquired pneumonia, and even acute pharyngitis, steroids play a pivotal role in managing a variety of...
A Randomized Trial of Drug Route in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest
Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 3/5 Couper K, et al. N Engl J Med. 2024 Oct 31:10.1056/NEJMoa2407780. Question and Methods: This multi-center, open label randomized control trial aimed to assess 30-day survival in patients with out of hospital cardiac arrest (OOHCA) who...