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!
Cardiac Arrest Centres: providing regionalized care
Many aspects of cardiac arrest care are likely to change in the not-so-distant future. Let’s take a system-level view of cardiac arrest care and see what we can do to conservatively start to move in the direction of more regionalized care. We'll also take a further...
Emergency Department use of Apneic Oxygenation versus usual care during rapid sequence intubation: A randomized controlled trial (The ENDAO Trial)
Journal Club Summary Reference: Caputo N, et al. Acad Emerg Med. 2017 Aug 9. doi: 10.1111/acem.13274. Methodology Score: 3.5/5 Usefulness Score: 3/5 Question and Methods: This single centre, un-blinded RCT compared oxygen saturation levels for apneic oxygenation...
Does “H” Stand for Hospital or Hotel? Patient Experience in the ED
Patient experience and patient satisfaction during Emergency Department (ED) encounters has come to the forefront of ED quality improvement initiatives. To highlight the importance and evolution of patient experience during ED care, we seek to: Discuss the buzz around...
Effect of Abdominal Ultrasound on Clinical Care, Outcomes, and Resource Use Among Children With Blunt Torso Trauma: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal Club Summary Reference: Holmes JF, et al. JAMA. 2017 Jun 13;317(22):2290-2296 Editorial: Abdominal Ultrasound for Pediatric Blunt Trauma: FAST Is Not Always Better. Reference: Kessler DO. JAMA. 2017 Jun 13;317(22):2283-2285. Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness...
Vitamins in the ED: Is it all just expensive pee?
The global vitamin and supplement industry is expected to be worth $278 billion by 2024. “Wellness” as a concept and industry, which often includes vitamin and supplement use, is heavily promoted by celebrities, athletes, and social media stars. IV therapy lounges are...
Simplified diagnostic management of suspected pulmonary embolism (the YEARS study): a prospective, multicentre, cohort study
Journal Club Summary Reference: Van der Hulle T, et al. Lancet. 2017 Jul 15;390(10091):289-297. Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 3.5/5 Questions and Methods: This multicenter trial implemented the YEARS simplified algorithm for suspected PE...
Oh Me Nerves! A Neurology Medley
Here we seek to review relatively common neurology presentations and some controversies surrounding their management. See our other ED-Neurology Reviews here including migraine therapies and stroke evidence. To include Myasthenia Gravis, Guillian Barre Syndrome, and...
Ibuprofen versus fosfomycin for uncomplicated urinary tract infection in women: randomised controlled trial
Journal Club Summary Reference: Gágyor I, et al. BMJ. 2015 Dec 23;351:h6544 Methodology Score: 4/5 Usefulness Score: 2.5/5 This multicenter, double blinded, randomized controlled trial assessed the use of ibuprofen versus fosfomycin in uncomplicated UTIs in women aged...
Responsible Antibiotic Use in the Emergency Department
Part 1: Concerns with Antibiotic Overuse Three of the most common antibiotic-related unwanted effects seen the ED include: Their toxic effects Selection of pathogenic bacteria Increasing antibiotic resistance The Magnitude of Antibiotic-Related Toxic Effects A...
Video versus Direct Laryngoscopy: Calling for Truce in the Arms Race
Airway management in the Emergency Department (ED) is challenging. Given the critically ill and physiologically unstable patients, complicated by c-spine collars, distorted anatomy, and airway contamination – the stakes are high. Recent evidence draws...