Episode 963: Antihypertensives and Emergency Room Considerations
Release Date: 06/30/2025
Episode 988: Infant Botulism
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: A 2025 multistate outbreak of infant botulism has been linked to ByHeart infant formula As of December 10-17th, there have been at least 51 infants with suspected or confirmed botulism who were exposed to this formula across 19 states All reported cases resulted in hospitalization but no deaths reported to date Infant botulism Occurs when C. botulinum spores germinate in the infant’s intestine, producing toxin Spores are classically found in honey but can also be in dirt or contaminated in infant formula Infants are...
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Carepoint Journal Club: Trauma Discussion
Emergency Medical Minute
Carepoint Journal Club is a quarterly series with discussions about a medical topic, brought to you by Carepoint's Emergency Physicians.
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Episode 987: Cough Suppressants
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: OTC Medications Dextromethorphan (DM) Most common OTC cough suppressant Minimal efficacy: Little evidence that it shortens the duration or severity of cough. Potential side effects: At recommended doses: Mild dizziness, drowsiness, GI symptoms Higher doses: Decreased consciousness, dissociative effects Guaifenesin Found in Mucinex and other severe cough/cold products Thins secretions and loosens mucus in airways No more effective than increasing oral fluid intake Prescription Medications Codeine-containing products ...
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Episode 986: Lateral Canthotomy in Emergency Settings
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Taylor Lynch, MD Educational Pearls: What is orbital compartment syndrome, and how is it assessed in the emergency room? Orbital compartment syndrome (OCS) is an emergent ophthalmic condition in which intraorbital pressure in the orbital compartment rises dramatically, compromising perfusion of the optic nerve and retina, leading to risk of irreversible vision loss. OCS occurs in the context of traumatic lesions with retrobulbar hemorrhage. Intraocular pressures (IOP) are measured via tonometry as a surrogate for intraorbital pressures, with emergent pathology being present when...
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Episode 985: Amiodarone vs. Lidocaine
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: How do amiodarone and lidocaine work on the heart? Amiodarone Blocks potassium channels (Class III effect). Also blocks sodium and calcium channels. Additional noncompetitive beta-blocker effects. Stabilizes cardiac tissue, slows heart rate, and suppresses both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias. Lidocaine Blocks fast sodium channels in ventricular tissue (Class Ib). Shortens the action potential in ventricular myocardium, especially in ischemic tissue. Suppresses abnormal automaticity in damaged/irritable myocardium. Which one should...
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Episode 984: Fish Hooks
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Megan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Assess first: confirm the hook isn’t near vital structures. Automatic subspecialty consult for eye involvement or proximity to carotid artery, radial artery, peritoneum, testicle, or urethra Barbed hook: cannot be pulled back through the entry without disengaging the barb Removal Techniques String-Pull: best for superficial, single-barbed hooks Depress shank and eye of hook to disengage barb and then pull string taut and jerk suddenly along the long axis Can only be used when the hook is in a body part that can be firmly secured so it...
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Episode 983: Head-of-Bed Position in Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Aaron Lessen MD Educational Pearls: Recent prospective randomized clinical trial assessed optimal head-of-bed positioning in patients with LVO 0º vs. 30º elevation Objective was to determine superiority of the two angles in stability prior to thrombectomy for LVO patients 45 patients randomized to the group with 0° head positioning and 47 patients randomized to the group with 30° head positioning Patients in the 30º group experienced worsening of NIHSS by 2 points or more Patients with head position at 0° showed score stability Hazard ratio 34.40; 95% CI,...
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Episode 982: Epistaxis Management
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: 1. Initial Assessment Start with a physical examination: Determine if the bleed is anterior or posterior. Perform a primary survey: assess airway, breathing, and circulation (ABCs). Airway compromise = intubation immediately. If the patient is stable, have them blow out any clots, then re-examine the nares. 2. Topical Medications Anesthetics: provide local anesthesia and pain relief. Lidocaine Tetracaine Vasoconstrictors: reduce bleeding. LET (Lidocaine, Epinephrine, Tetracaine) is ideal because it provides...
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Episode 981: Electrical Burns
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Quick Statistics on Electrical Burns: Electrical burns compose roughly 2 to 9% of all burns that come into emergency departments. The majority of patients who receive electrical burns are male, typically aged 20’s to 30’s, accounting for 80 to 90% of all electrical burn victims. The majority of burns are linked to occupational exposure. The upper extremities are more commonly impacted by electrical burns, accounting for 70 to 90% of entry points into the body during an exposure. What are some of the key considerations in electrical...
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Tox Talks 2025 Recap 1, Digoxin and Beta Blockers
Emergency Medical Minute
Contributors: Preeya Prakash MD, Adam Greenhaw PharmD, Travis Barlock MD, and Jeffrey Olson MS4 In this episode, cardiologist Preeya Prakash and medical student Jeffrey Olson listen in as two cases are presented from EMM’s recent event, Tox Talk 2025. Talk 1- Digoxin Overdose Dr. Adam Greenhaw presents a case of a Digoxin overdose along with many pearls. During the studio listen in, Dr. Prakash helps to answer the questions of: How does digoxin work? Why might a patient still be on digoxin in 2025? What are the EKG findings of digoxin toxicity? Is there any utility in atropine...
info_outlineContributor: Alec Coston, MD
Educational Pearls:
For patients presenting to the emergency room with hypertension, clinicians should determine if it is isolated and uncomplicated, or involves comorbidities with more complex underlying pathophysiology.
For uncomplicated and isolated hypertension, first-line treatment is thiazide diuretics.
How do thiazide diuretics work to treat hypertension?
- Thiazide diuretics work by blocking sodium and chloride resorption in the kidneys.
“Where sodium goes, water follows,” thus promoting diuresis and lowering blood pressure.
Examples of thiazide diuretics and their benefits?
- Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ): First-line medication in uncomplicated and chronic hypertensive states. Cheaper and fewer significant adverse effects compared to chlorthalidone.
- HCTZ can be associated with decreased risk of stroke and myocardial infarction.
- However, for more complicated hypertension, especially in the setting of heart failure, Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors should be considered.
How do ACE Inhibitors manage blood pressure?
- The body’s kidneys drive the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone-System (RAAS) to regulate blood pressure.
- It is easiest to understand RAAS as being pro-hypertensive as a response to decreased renal perfusion. As renal perfusion decreases, renin is released and activates angiotensin I, which is converted by ACE to Angiotensin II, which causes release of aldosterone.
- ACE Inhibitors prevent the conversion of Angiotensin I to Angiotensin II, thus decreasing the kidneys' production of Angiotensin II and Aldosterone levels.
Why, in the context of heart failure, are ACE Inhibitors preferred?
- In heart failure, especially left-sided or left-ventricular heart failure, a vicious cycle can develop wherein the left ventricle fails to perfuse the kidneys due to over-dilation.
- The kidneys are hypoperfused and activate RAAS to try to retain volume and increase peripheral vasoconstriction, promoting renal perfusion.
- The increase in blood pressure puts further strain on the heart, thereby further decreasing cardiac output. The cycle develops, and extremely elevated blood pressures can develop.
- ACE Inhibitors can directly block this cycle, hence their preference in heart failure.
Big takeaway?
- In uncomplicated hypertensive patients, consider thiazide diuretics. When comorbidities, especially heart failure, are introduced, then consider ACE Inhibitors.
References
- Carey RM, Moran AE, Whelton PK. Treatment of Hypertension: A Review. JAMA. 2022;328(18):1849-1861. doi:10.1001/jama.2022.19590
- Fan M, Zhang J, Lee CL, Zhang J, Feng L. Structure and thiazide inhibition mechanism of the human Na-Cl cotransporter. Nature. 2023;614(7949):788-793. doi:10.1038/s41586-023-05718-0
- Hripcsak G, Suchard MA, Shea S, et al. Comparison of Cardiovascular and Safety Outcomes of Chlorthalidone vs Hydrochlorothiazide to Treat Hypertension. JAMA Internal Medicine. 2020;180(4):542-551. doi:10.1001/jamainternmed.2019.7454
- Yu D, Li JX, Cheng Y, et al. Comparative efficacy of different antihypertensive drug classes for stroke prevention: A network meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. PLoS One. 2025;20(2):e0313309. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0313309
Summarized by Dan Orbidan, OMS2 | Edited by Dan Orbidan & Jorge Chalit, OMS4
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