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!
Mass Gathering Medicine: The New Frontier
Mass gathering medicine (MGM) is an exciting niche field of emergency medicine focused on providing emergency medical care at large events. Mass gatherings, as the name implies, are events in which “large numbers of people assemble in public or private spaces to...
Prehospital Plasma during Air Medical Transport in Trauma Patients at Risk for Hemorrhagic Shock
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 2.5 /5 Sperry JL, et al. N Engl J Med. 2018 Jul 26;379(4):315-326. Question and Methods: Determine the efficacy of prehospital plasma compared with standard-care resuscitation in injured patients at risk...
Sodium Bicarbonate: Supply Shortages and Medical Shortcomings
We’re familiar with sodium bicarbonate as a simple buffer solution, which has been utilized for a myriad of medical indications backed up by physiologic rationale and occasional moderate-quality evidence. It comes in two forms; vials (typically for infusions) and...
Effect of a Strategy of Initial Laryngeal Tube Insertion vs Endotracheal Intubation on 72-Hour Survival in Adults With Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Journal Club Summary Methodology: 4/5 Usefulness: 3.5/5 Wang HE, et al. JAMA. 2018 Aug 28;320(8):769-778. Editorial: Pragmatic Airway Management in Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Question and Methods: This multicenter pragmatic cluster-crossover randomized trial...
Identifying stroke mimics in the ED
In this post, we will aim to review the literature looking at identifying clinical and historical features that can help differentiate stroke mimics from strokes. We will also discuss the safety of the administration of IV tPA to misdiagnosed stroke mimics. This post...
Effect of Bag-Mask Ventilation vs Endotracheal Intubation During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation on Neurological Outcome After Out-of-Hospital Cardiorespiratory Arrest: A Randomized Clinical Trial
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 2.5/5 Jabre P, et al. JAMA. 2018 Feb 27;319(8):779-787. Question and Methods: This was a multicenter randomized trial comparing bag valve mask ventilation with endotracheal intubation performed by...
Factors associated with treatment failure in non-purulent skin and soft tissue infections
Non-purulent skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs; i.e. cellulitis or erysipelas) account for up to 3% of all emergency department (ED) visits. Once the diagnosis of a non-purulent SSTI is made, the emergency physician must select the appropriate antibiotic agent,...
Canadian Syncope Risk Score – Duration of Cardiac Monitoring
Syncope constitutes 1% of Emergency Department (ED) visits, and approximately 10% of these patients will have serious underlying conditions causing syncope (arrhythmia, MI, serious structural heart disease, pulmonary embolism, subarachnoid or severe hemorrhage)....
A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Ketamine as an Alternative to Opioids for Acute Pain in the Emergency Department
Journal Club Summary Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2/5 Karlow N, et al. Acad Emerg Med. 2018 Oct;25(10):1086-1097. Question and Methods: This was a systematic review and meta-analysis of low dose ketamine (LDK 0.3 – 0.5mg/kg) vs opioids for acute pain...
Wellness Week – closing thoughts
In 2018, CAEP endorsed the creation of a Wellness Committee, led by Drs. Roderick Lim (chair), Sara Gray (vice-chair), Louise Rang (communications), Lisa Fischer (secretary), Jada Fitzpatrick (resident representative). To conclude the Canadian EM Wellness Week, the...