“Combined Corticosteroid and Antiviral Treatment for Bell Palsy A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis” Background/Study Question This article aimed to answer the question: Do steroids PLUS antivirals offer reduced risk of unsatisfactory facial recovery in patients with Bells Palsy? A little background about Bell’s Palsy; it is a cranial nerve 7 palsy thought to be viral…
So the adrenal gland is the little cap on top of the kidney. It is broken up into two parts- the medulla and the cortex. For now, lets ignore the medulla and focus on the three parts of the cortex. Since we aren’t studying for step II I don’t really care what hormones come from…
Author: Dr. Tisma Background/Study Question How often do septic patients receive their second antibiotic dose later than they should? What are the risk factors for these delays? And do these delays affect patient outcomes? Leisman et. al. published a study in 2017 that examined these important inquiries. These questions are particularly interesting to me as…
Author: Dr. Catherine Buckley Based on a simulation case discussion led by Dr. Michelle Hughes, let’s talk about Cystic fibrosis (CF) from an emergency medicine stand point. Briefly- CF is an autosomal recessive disease that is caused by mutations in the CFTR channel which prevents Cl- from being secreted. Without the normal levels of Cl-,…
Alternatives to Opiates Dr. Swoboda provides alternatives to opiates for pain control. We can all be better stewards of opiates to benefit our patients. High Altitude Illness High altitude illnesses including Acute Mountain Sickness (the other AMS), High Altitude Cerebral Edema (HACE), High Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) and High Altitude Flatulent Expulsion (wait, what?!). The…
Author: Dr. Dennis McKinney Background: Epistaxis is one of the most common presenting chief complaints in the emergency department, accounting for about 1 in 200 visits. Different algorithmic approaches exist to address epistaxis, with application of intranasal vasoconstrictors usually existing somewhere in between empathetic counseling/clamping and a rhino rocket. Most intranasal vasoconstrictors have precautions against…
Author: Vanessa I. Petrak, M.D. Background: Septic Shock is a dysregulated host response to infection, resulting in life-threatening circulatory, cellular, and metabolic abnormalities. Sepsis is associated with a dysregulated response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis that may involve any of the steps from cortisol production to cortisol use by cells. Short term mortality is approximately 45-50%, and…
Here are videos from this week’s zoom conference: Ventilator settings 101 (Patwari) Medications used in COVID-19 (Anthony Renzoni) – slides
With summer rapidly approaching, we are all waking from our winter slumber ready to the hit the beaches and take a little dip in the pools. Today we are going to immerse ourselves in all things water related. With all the knowledge in this post you will be able to flow right through your next…
All right folks, the chief complaint we all know and love: “rectal bleeding”. It may strike fear in your heart or bring you comfort in its algorithmic approach. However, GI bleeds can present in a variety of ways from the “sick” to “not sick”. So, grab your GUAIAC cards and let’s get started. UPPER GI…