emergency medicine cardiology

ECG Cases 38 – ECG Interpretation in Cocaine Chest Pain

Dr. Jesse McLaren discusses some key aspects of cocaine chest pain ECG interpretation in this month's blog including: Patients with cocaine-associated chest pain require benzodiazepines +/- nitroglycerine for symptom relief, aspirin and ECG to look for signs of occlusion and reperfusion. In patients with chest pain + ST elevation, consider false positive STEMI including early repolarization, LVH and Brugada-pattern. In patients with cocaine chest pain who are STEMI negative, beware STEMI(-)OMI including subtle ST elevation, hyperacute T waves, reciprocal change, and refractory ischemia. For cocaine chest pain patients who's chest pain has resolved, look for reperfusion T wave inversion, as this may put them at risk for reocclusion.

By Jesse McLaren|2022-12-20T10:59:50-05:00December 20th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine|Tags: chest pain, cocaine, ECG, ECG interpretation, occlusion MI, STEMI|0 Comments

EM Quick Hits 44 Fluids in Pancreatitis, Nasal Fractures, Delirium, DOSE VF, Intimate Partner Violence

In this EM Quick Hits podcast: Justin Morgenstern on fluids in pancreatitis, Leeor Sommer on nasal fractures, Christina Shenvi on delirium, Sheldon Cheskes and Rohit Mohindra on Dose VF, and Noor Khatib and Kari Sampsel on intimate partner violence...

By Raymond Cho|2024-10-10T12:49:45-04:00November 22nd, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, Ears Nose & Throat, EM Cases, EM Quick Hits, Gastroenterology, Medical Specialty, Resuscitation, Special Populations, Trauma|Tags: delirium, double defibrillation, dual defibrillation, fluid resuscitation, intimate partner violence, nasal fracture, pancreatitis|1 Comment

ECG Cases 37 ECG interpretation in electrolyte emergencies

While most of us have a clear algorithm in our minds for the management of life-threatening hyperkalemia, the same may not be said about the other life-threatening electrolyte abnormalities. In this ECG Cases blog Dr. Jesse MacLaren gives us an approach to potassium, calcium and magnesium abnormalities including risk factor assessment, ECG interpretation and management pearls...

By Jesse McLaren|2022-11-08T11:53:30-05:00November 8th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine, Medical Specialty|Tags: ECG, ECG interpretation, electrolyte, Hypercalcemia, hyperkalemia, hypocalcemia, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, QT interval|1 Comment

EM Quick Hits 43 Pediatric Cannabis Poisoning, Esophageal Perforation, Brugada, Career Transitions in EM

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Best of University of Toronto EM with Yaron Finkelstein on pediatric cannabis poisoning pitfalls, Brit Long on recognition and management of esophageal perforation, Jesse McLaren on 3 questions to diagnose Brugada Syndrome, Tahara Bhate on QI Corner, Constance Leblanc on maintaining wellness in career transitions from CAEP 2022...

By Anton Helman|2022-10-11T11:01:51-04:00October 11th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, EM Cases, EM Quick Hits, Emergency Medicine, Gastroenterology, Medical Specialty, Pediatrics|Tags: Brugada, cannabis poisoning, esophageal perforation, QI Corner, wellness|2 Comments

ECG Cases 36 – PACER Mnemonic for Approach to Pacemaker Patients

In this month's ECG Cases blog Dr. McLaren explains the PACER mnemonic approach to patients with pacemakers: Pacemaker spike: is it appropriately presence/absent, is there pacemaker-mediated tachycardia (apply magnet) or is there failure to pace (apply magnet to stop sensing, cardio consult)? Aware (sensing): is it normal, is there oversensing (underpacing: apply magnet) or undersensing (treat reversible causes, cardio consult). Capture: if there are pacemaker spikes is there capture, or failure to capture (treat reversible causes, cardio consult). ECG 12 lead: are there signs of hyperkalemia (extra wide QRS, peaked T) or Occlusion MI (Modified Sgarbossa Criteria) that need immediate treatment. Rest of patient: is there a complication of pacemaker insertion related to the pocket (hematoma, infection), lead (pneumothorax, DVT), or heart (pericardial perforation), or is there an emergency unrelated to the pacemaker (eg dehydration, sepsis, GI bleed)...

By Jesse McLaren|2022-10-11T11:25:43-04:00October 11th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine, Medical Specialty|Tags: Dr. Jesse McLaren, ECG interpretation, pacemaker, pacer mnemonic|0 Comments

ECG Cases 35 – ECG Approach to Takotsubo Syndrome

Takotsubo Syndrome is usually triggered by an emotional or physical stress leading to acute catecholaminergic myocardial stunning. The initial ST elevation phase of Takotsubo Syndrome mimics Occlusion MI, can not be distinguished by patient factors or POCUS findings, and requires immediate angiogram. The subsequent phase of Takotsubo Syndrome has T wave inversion in an apical distribution, which can mimic reperfusion, but often has very deep T wave inversions and a very long QT interval. Takotsubo Syndrome is a retrospective diagnosis of exclusion—with an angiogram ruling out occlusion, a ventriculogram showing apical ballooning, and a follow up echo showing recovery of LV function. Complications of Takotsubo Syndrome include LV failure, apical thrombus, and polymorphic VT from long QT. Jesse McLaren guides us through 10 ECGs to elucidate these important take home points...

By Jesse McLaren|2022-09-13T10:51:58-04:00September 13th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine|Tags: ECG, occlusion MI, prolonged QT, STEMI, T-wave inversion, Takotsubo, Wellens|0 Comments

ECG Cases 34 – ECG Interpretation in Aortic Dissection

Which patients with ECG evidence of coronary occlusion require a CT scan to rule out aortic dissection? What are the range of ECG findings in acute aortic dissection and how do they change management? Dr. Jesse McLaren guides us through 9 cases to answer these and other questions on ECG interpretation in aortic dissection...

By Jesse McLaren|2022-08-16T09:14:54-04:00August 16th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine, Medical Specialty|Tags: aortic dissection, ECG, occlusion MI, STEMI|0 Comments

Ep 172 Syncope Simplified with David Carr

In this main episode podcast, Dr. David Carr joins Anton to give us his simplified approach to syncope based solely on history, physical and ECG to help guide disposition decisions. We answer questions such as: What features have the best likelihood ratios to help distinguish syncope from seizure? What key clinical features on history and physical exam can help us distinguish orthostatic and reflex syncope from the more sinister cardiac syncope? What is the best approach to ECG interpretation for the patient who has presents with syncope? Are syncope clinical decision tools any better than physician gestalt? and many more.... Please support EM Cases by giving a donation: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/

By Anton Helman|2024-04-02T22:32:06-04:00August 2nd, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine, Episodes, Medical Specialty, Uncategorized|Tags: ARVC, Brugada, canadian syncope risk score, cardiac syncope, Dr. David Carr, Eagle's Syndrome, HCM, vasovagal syncope, WPW|4 Comments

EM Quick Hits 40 – GI Balloon Tamponade, SVT and Troponin, Falls in Older Patients, Vertical Vertigo, VAFEI Airway

In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Anand Swaminathan on GI balloon tamponade preparation and indications, Jesse McLaren on why troponin is rarely useful in SVT, Christina Shenvi on why we should not use the term "mechanical fall" in older patients, Nour Khatib & Jonathan Wallace on rural vertical vertigo case and Reuben Strayer on VAFEI - Video-Assisted Flexible Endoscopic Intubation for the anatomically challenging airway...

By Anton Helman|2022-07-19T12:55:32-04:00July 19th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, EM Cases, EM Quick Hits, Emergency Medicine, Gastroenterology, Medical Specialty, Neurology, Resuscitation, Special Populations|Tags: airway, balloon tamponade, falls, geriatric, SVT, troponin, VAFEI, vertigo|1 Comment

ECG Cases 33 Brugada Syndrome: 3-Step Approach to Diagnosis and Management

Jesse McLaren guides us through 7 cases and explains his 3-step approach to diagnosing and managing Brugada syndrome in this month's ECG Cases blog...

By Jesse McLaren|2022-07-19T12:07:33-04:00July 19th, 2022|Categories: Cardiology, ECG Cases, EM Cases, Emergency Medicine|Tags: Brugada, ECG, ECG interpretation, sudden cardiac death, syncope|1 Comment