Cardiovascular
Rapid Reviews Video – Asymptomatic Hypertension
While asymptomatic hypertension is rarely an emergency, many patients are referred to the ED for very high blood pressure readings. We need to know which of these patients have end organ damage and how to treat them without causing harm. In this Rapid Reviews Video Dr. Nick Clarridge discusses how to categorize hypertension in the ED, the key history and physical data points to look for, appropriate investigations as well as rational treatment options and controversies....
CritCases 11 LVAD Management in the GI Bleed Patient
In this CritCases blog Mike Misch presents a case of a patient with a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) with a postoperative acute lower GI bleed and answers practical questions such as: How do you measure blood pressure in a patient with an LVAD? What are the common complications of LVADs that we must be aware of? What information can the LVAD controller provide? Why are LVAD patients at high risk for bleeding? and many more...
Ep 112 Tachydysrhythmias with Amal Mattu and Paul Dorian
In this EM Cases main Episode 112 Tachydysrhythmias with Amal Mattu and Paul Dorion we discuss a potpurri of clinical goodies for the recognition and management of both wide and narrow complex tachydysrhythmias and answer questions such as: Which patients with stable Ventricular Tachycardia (VT) require immediate electrical cardioversion, chemical cardioversion or no cardioversion at all? Are there any algorithms that can reliably distinguish VT from SVT with aberrancy? What is the "verapamil death test"? While procainamide may be the first line medication for stable VT based on the PROCAMIO study, what are the indications for IV amiodarone for VT? How should we best manage patients with VT who have an ICD? How can the Bix Rule help distinguish Atrial Flutter from SVT? What is the preferred medication for conversion of SVT to sinus rhythm, Adenosine or Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs)? Why is amiodarone contraindicated in patients with WPW associated with atrial fibrillation? What are the important differences in the approach and treatment of atrial fibrillation vs. atrial flutter? How can we safely curb the high bounce-back rate of patients with atrial fibrillation who present to the ED? and many more...
BCE 73 Esmolol in Refractory Ventricular Fibrillation
In anticipation of EM Cases Episode 112 on Tachydysrhthmias with Amal Mattu and Paul Dorion, Melanie Baimel tells her Best Case Ever of a previously healthy young man who presents in refractory ventricular fibrillation after receiving multiple single shocks, ongoing chest compressions, several rounds of epinephrine, amiodarone and dual sequence defibrillation without ROSC...
JJ 12 BNP for Diagnosis of Acute CHF
BNP is currently in use in many EDs across North America and Europe. In this Journal Jam podcast we discuss the clinical utility of BNP and pro-NT-BNP in the work-up of the dyspneic ED patient. We ask the questions: does BNP add much beyond physician gestalt? Which patients might BNP be useful for? Should we abandon BNP as a dichotomous rule-in/rule-out variable and instead use it as a continuous variable? Does using BNP effect patient oriented outcomes? Is lung POCUS a better test? Are prediction models that include BNP useful? and many more....
BCE 66 CHD with Bronchiolitis: A Delicate Balance
When patients with known congenital heart disease present to the ED with common illnesses we need to consider how their physiology might alter our approach to those common illnesses. Max Ben-Yakov guides us through his Best Case Ever of a CHD patient who presents with bronchiolitis and gives us some tips on how best to approach these fragile patients in a crisis situation...
