Emergency Medical Minute
Emergency Medical Minute is medicine's most prolific podcast. Geared towards physicians, nurses and paramedics! Tune in weekly for real, raw and relevant medical education.
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Podcast 793: Postintubation Sedation and Analgesia
06/27/2022
Podcast 793: Postintubation Sedation and Analgesia
Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD Educational Pearls: When intubating a patient, it is important to consider what medications will be used for post-intubation sedation and analgesia The common non-benzodiazepine sedating medications are propofol, precedex, and ketamine Propofol is frequently used in the emergency department, and it lowers ICP and MAP making it the preferred sedative for patients with intracranial bleeds Precedex is a milder sedative used in the ICU because it decreases time to extubation and reduces the risk of complications associated with long term intubation Ketamine should be used in hypotensive patients because it does not lower blood pressure, and its bronchodilatory effect is beneficial for asthmatic patients Versed and ativan are the most commonly encountered benzodiazepine sedatives, but they are infrequently used because they increase the risk of delirium and delay extubation Benzodiazepines are useful for sedation in patients with delirium tremens For post intubation analgesia, fentanyl is the drug of choice since it has a lower risk of hypotension than is seen in other narcotics In the emergency department, intubated and sedated patients should initially be sedated to a RASS of -2 while obtaining imaging, but aim for a RASS of -1 after to decrease side effects and promote earlier extubation References Ely EW, Truman B, Shintani A, et al. Monitoring sedation status over time in ICU patients: reliability and validity of the Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS). JAMA. 2003;289(22):2983-2991. Garner O, Ramey JS, Hanania NA. Management of Life-Threatening Asthma: Severe Asthma Series. Chest. 2022. Keating GM. Dexmedetomidine: A Review of Its Use for Sedation in the Intensive Care Setting. Drugs. 2015;75(10):1119-1130. McKeage K, Perry CM. Propofol: a review of its use in intensive care sedation of adults. CNS Drugs. 2003;17(4):235-272. Ramos-Matos CF, Bistas KG, Lopez-Ojeda W. Fentanyl. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 2022. Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD & Erik Verzemnieks, MD Emergency Medical Minute's Palliative screening event is tonight! There is still time to buy tickets to this intimate evening diving into the nuance of pediatric palliative care, !
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Podcast 792: Rectal Prolapse
06/21/2022
Podcast 792: Rectal Prolapse
Contributor: Jarod Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Rectal prolapse is an evagination of the rectal tissue through the anal opening Factors that weaken the pelvic floor muscles increase the risk of rectal prolapse These include age > 40, female, multiple pregnancies, constipation, diarrhea, cystic fibrosis, prior pelvic floor surgeries, or other pelvic floor abnormalities Noninvasive treatment options include increasing fluid and fiber intake to soften stools as well as using padding/taping to reinforce the perineum Surgery is an option to repair the prolapse so long as the patient is a good surgical candidate Medical sugar can be used as a desiccant to dry out and shrink the prolapse thus allowing for easier manual replacement References Coburn WM, 3rd, Russell MA, Hofstetter WL. Sucrose as an aid to manual reduction of incarcerated rectal prolapse. Ann Emerg Med. 1997;30(3):347-349. 2Gachabayov M, Bendl R, Flusberg M, et al. Rectal prolapse and pelvic descent. Curr Probl Surg. 2021;58(9):100952. Segal J, McKeown DG, Tavarez MM. Rectal Prolapse. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. Copyright © 2022, StatPearls Publishing LLC.; 202 Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 791: Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State
06/20/2022
Podcast 791: Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State (HHS) is less common than Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) but is associated with a mortality rate up to 10 times greater than that seen in DKA Typically seen in elderly patients with severely elevated blood glucose levels (>1000 mg/dL) and an increased plasma osmolality Unlike in DKA, patients with HHS do not have elevated ketones Treatment of HHS includes insulin administration along with correcting fluid and electrolyte abnormalities When treating HHS, it is important to monitor and follow osmolality regularly because over-rapid correction can result in the development of cerebral edema References Fayfman M, Pasquel FJ, Umpierrez GE. Management of Hyperglycemic Crises: Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State. Med Clin North Am. 2017;101(3):587-606. Gosmanov AR, Gosmanova EO, Kitabchi AE. Hyperglycemic Crises: Diabetic Ketoacidosis and Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State. In: Feingold KR, Anawalt B, Boyce A, et al., eds. Endotext. South Dartmouth (MA): MDText.com, Inc. Copyright © 2000-2022, MDText.com, Inc.; 2000. Long B, Willis GC, Lentz S, Koyfman A, Gottlieb M. Diagnosis and Management of the Critically Ill Adult Patient with Hyperglycemic Hyperosmolar State. J Emerg Med. 2021;61(4):365-375. Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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On the Streets #14: Trauma Activations in the Field
06/15/2022
On the Streets #14: Trauma Activations in the Field
The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we our upcoming event, Palliative. Check out our event page for more information and to buy tickets: Palliative Eventbrite Page
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Podcast 790: Opioids vs OTC Pain Meds
06/14/2022
Podcast 790: Opioids vs OTC Pain Meds
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: NSAIDs are a potential alternative to opioids for pain management and are associated with decreased rates of adverse effects A recent study evaluated the effectiveness of ibuprofen and oxycodone for pain management in pediatric patients with isolated, acute-limb fractures Participants were discharged home with either ibuprofen or oxycodone and followed for six weeks There was no difference in pain scores between those taking ibuprofen and those taking oxycodone indicating that they had comparable analgesic effects Those in the ibuprofen group experienced significantly less adverse events compared to those taking oxycodone The participants in the ibuprofen group showed quicker return to their normal activities and improved quality of life In pediatric patients with fracture-related pain, ibuprofen is a safer alternative to oxycodone that is equally effective for pain control References Ali S, Manaloor R, Johnson DW, et al. An observational cohort study comparing ibuprofen and oxycodone in children with fractures. PLoS One. 2021;16(9):e0257021. Cooney MF. Pain Management in Children: NSAID Use in the Perioperative and Emergency Department Settings. Paediatr Drugs. 2021;23(4):361-372. Yin X, Wang X, He C. Comparative efficacy of therapeutics for traumatic musculoskeletal pain in the emergency setting: A network meta-analysis. Am J Emerg Med. 2021;46:424-429. Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we our upcoming event, Palliative. Check out our event page for more information and to buy tickets:
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Podcast 789: DOAC
06/13/2022
Podcast 789: DOAC
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Direct Oral Anticoagulants (DOACs) have surpassed Warfarin and Lovenox® for anticoagulation as they do not require injection and allow for easier discharge. In the ED, they are commonly prescribed after PE or DVT diagnosis. Common DOACs are Apixaban (Eliquis®) and Rivaroxaban (Xarelto®). There has not been a direct head to head study comparing outcomes. 2 large observational studies evaluated the recurrence of clots and bleeding risk in patients with newly prescribed Eliquis® or Xarelto® for DVT or PE. Both studies found that Eliquis® had superior outcomes. Further data is required to determine the preferred DOAC. A randomized trial comparing the two DOACs is upcoming with enrollment ending in 2023. References Dawwas GK, Leonard CE, Lewis JD, Cuker A. Risk for Recurrent Venous Thromboembolism and Bleeding With Apixaban Compared With Rivaroxaban: An Analysis of Real-World Data. Ann Intern Med. 2022;175(1):20-28. doi:10.7326/M21-0717 Aryal MR, Gosain R, Donato A, et al. Systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of apixaban compared to rivaroxaban in acute VTE in the real world. Blood Adv. 2019;3(15):2381-2387. doi:10.1182/bloodadvances.2019000572 Image from: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Eliquis 10 Million Patients and Counting. Sec.gov. https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/14272/000114036119003478/s002621x16_425.htm. Accessed June 12, 2022. Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Mental Health Monthly #13: Substance-Induced Psychosis (Part I)
06/08/2022
Mental Health Monthly #13: Substance-Induced Psychosis (Part I)
Substance-Induced Psychosis (Part I) In this first episode of a two-part mini-series, we feature Dr. Nadia Haddad, a Colorado psychiatrist, and Dr. Ricky Dhaliwal, an emergency medicine physician, as they discuss the different substances that cause psychosis and their unique presentations in the ED and in the psychiatric world. First, Dr. Haddad establishes a medical definition of psychosis. Then, Dr. Haddad and Dr. Dhaliwal partake in a fruitful discussion, each providing their unique perspective on the drugs that affect our patient populations today. Key Points: Psychosis is a cognitive processing disorder, which leads to auditory hallucinations, visual hallucinations, and delusions. Axis one psychosis like that from schizophrenia or mania typically produces auditory hallucinations, not visual hallucinations. Delusions are also common in underlying psychiatric psychosis. One of the most common substances that cause psychosis today is methamphetamine. Meth-induced psychosis can mimic schizophrenia symptoms, though tactile hallucinations are very common with methamphetamine use. Methamphetamine is active for up to about 8 hours but can vary depending on underlying mental health predispositions, which can be exacerbated for several days or a week before neurotransmitters right themselves after meth use. Cannabis can lead to psychosis and paranoia for people - especially young people - with a predisposition to schizophrenia or bipolar. Alcohol-related psychosis comes primarily from withdrawal, though acute alcohol intoxication may cause mild alcoholic hallucinosis. The hallmark of delirium tremens is a fluctuating, waxing-and-waning consciousness, which can occur 72 hours after the last drink. DTs can occur after treatment of the physical withdrawal symptoms. Alcohol withdrawal can occur even at high BALs relative to a patient’s baseline. Cocaine psychosis is similar to methamphetamine-induced psychosis. Recorded, Summarized, and Edited By: Jorge Chalit
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Podcast 788: Tracheostomy Bleeding
06/07/2022
Podcast 788: Tracheostomy Bleeding
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Tracheostomy bleeding is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication that usually occurs within the first month of tracheostomy tube placement No matter how severe the bleeding, every patient should be evaluated to rule out a tracheo-innominate fistula between the tracheostomy and the innominate artery If the patient is currently bleeding and has a cuffed tracheostomy tube, over-inflate the balloon to compress the bleeding vessel Consider replacing an uncuffed tracheostomy tube with a cuffed tube or an ET tube If the tracheostomy was performed in the last seven days, use a bougie or bronchoscope to replace the uncuffed tube due to increased risk of opening a false track into the subcutaneous tissue If bleeding cannot be controlled, follow mass-transfusion protocols, and as a last resort, remove the tube and insert a finger into the stoma to manually compress the artery References Bontempo LJ, Manning SL. Tracheostomy Emergencies. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2019;37(1):109-119. Khanafer A, Hellstern V, Meißner H, et al. Tracheoinnominate fistula: acute bleeding and hypovolemic shock due to a trachea-innominate artery fistula after long-term tracheostomy, treated with a stent-graft. CVIR Endovasc. 2021;4(1):30. Manning Sara, Bontempo Laura. Complications of Tracheostomies. In: Mattu A and Swadron S, ed. ComPendium. Burbank, CA: CorePendium, LLC. https://www.emrap.org/corependium/chapter/reckOdDn9Ljn7sBLy/Complications-of-Tracheostomies. Updated August 17, 2021. Accessed June 5, 2022. Summarized by Mark O’Brien, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, MPH & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 787: TAVR and Stroke
06/06/2022
Podcast 787: TAVR and Stroke
Contributor: Nick Hatch, MD Educational Pearls: Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an increasingly common endovascular procedure to treat aortic stenosis TAVR is an alternative to the open approach surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) for patients who are inoperable or are high risk surgical candidates Following TAVR, there is increased risk of stroke, particularly in the first 30 days TAVR-related strokes are due to embolic debris left on the valve root, which is generally cleaned out during SAVR Further, following the procedure many patients are anticoagulated which increases the risk for conversion to hemorrhagic stroke Isolated, unexplained nausea and vomiting in elderly patients should prompt concern for a neurologic workup with imaging - even more so if they have recently undergone TAVR References Davlouros PA, Mplani VC, Koniari I, Tsigkas G, Hahalis G. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement and stroke: a comprehensive review. J Geriatr Cardiol. 2018;15(1):95-104. doi:10.11909/j.issn.1671-5411.2018.01.008 Gleason TG, Reardon MJ, Popma JJ, et al. 5-Year Outcomes of Self-Expanding Transcatheter Versus Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in High-Risk Patients. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;72(22):2687-2696. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2018.08.2146 Siontis GCM, Overtchouk P, Cahill TJ, et al. Transcatheter aortic valve implantation vs. surgical aortic valve replacement for treatment of symptomatic severe aortic stenosis: an updated meta-analysis. Eur Heart J. 2019;40(38):3143-3153. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehz275 Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 786: Smiling Death
05/31/2022
Podcast 786: Smiling Death
Contributor: Nick Hatch, MD Educational Pearls: “Smiling Death” describes the prehospital phenomenon of a person who is happy to be extricated from an extended period of crush injury, but dies suddenly soon after the rescue. Smiling Death is caused by Crush Syndrome. Crush Syndrome begins when large areas of tissue are damaged by compression and subsequent impeded blood flow. Resultant cell death is followed by release of myoglobin and efflux of electrolytes including potassium. Upon removal of the crushing force, high levels of potassium enter circulation and cause cardiac arrhythmias leading to sudden death. Prevention measures include aggressive hydration using normal saline before extrication. An acceptable starting rate is 1L per hour, but providers should take patient status into consideration and titrate appropriately. Standard techniques for controlling hyperkalemia by intracellular shifting may be less effective. Early dialysis may be useful. References Gonzalez D. Crush syndrome. Crit Care Med. 2005;33(1 Suppl):S34-S41. doi:10.1097/01.ccm.0000151065.13564.6f Better OS. Rescue and salvage of casualties suffering from the crush syndrome after mass disasters. Mil Med. 1999;164(5):366-369. Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 785: Pepper Spray
05/30/2022
Podcast 785: Pepper Spray
Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Pepper spray is a chemical irritant derived from oleoresin capsicum (OC), an extract from pepper plants. It can be used by police for riot or crowd control, or by individuals for self defense. In the event of an exposure, those affected should immediately disperse from the area, remove contact lenses with clean or gloved hands, and remove contaminated clothing. Pepper spray can spread from patients to providers by contact. When caring for those exposed, providers should use PPE including gloves and should double bag personal belongings. For patient management consider the following: If the eyes are affected, first remove contacts then irrigate with clean water. Use proparacaine drops for relief. Clean exposed skin thoroughly with soap and water. Inhalation and ingestion may cause nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath and generalized anxiety from discomfort. Treatment can include antiemetics and anxiolytics. Symptoms may persist for many days. References Schep LJ, Slaughter RJ, McBride DI. Riot control agents: the tear gases CN, CS and OC-a medical review. J R Army Med Corps. 2015;161(2):94-99. doi:10.1136/jramc-2013-000165 Tidwell RD, Wills BK. Tear Gas and Pepper Spray Toxicity. [Updated 2022 Jan 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account. *********************
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Podcast 784: Wastewater Surveillance for COVID
05/24/2022
Podcast 784: Wastewater Surveillance for COVID
Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: About 50% of those infected with SARS-CoV-2 will shed the virus in their feces Wastewater surveillance can be used to track COVID burden, which may be easier than collating test data from multiple hospitals across a region Viral shedding begins 5-7 days prior to symptom onset, so wastewater data can be used to anticipate outbreaks and inform policy and public health initiatives Some existing limitations to wastewater surveillance include: Reporting by counties were water sources may be mixed Septic tanks and other closed water systems will not be counted Not all those infected will shed the virus References Weidhaas J, Aanderud ZT, Roper DK, et al. Correlation of SARS-CoV-2 RNA in wastewater with COVID-19 disease burden in sewersheds. Sci Total Environ. 2021;775:145790. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.145790 Kirby AE, Walters MS, Jennings WC, et al. Using Wastewater Surveillance Data to Support the COVID-19 Response — United States, 2020–2021. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2021;70:1242–1244. DOI: Covid-19 monitoring in wastewater. Colorado COVID-19 Updates. https://covid19.colorado.gov/covid-19-monitoring-in-wastewater. Accessed May 21, 2022. Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, MPH & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 783: LAD Occlusion & Troponin
05/23/2022
Podcast 783: LAD Occlusion & Troponin
Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: A study randomized 34 healthy patient to have their left anterior descending artery (LAD) occluded by balloon for 0, 15, 30, or 90 seconds Subsequently, cardiac troponins (cTns) and Copeptin were measured every 15 minutes for 3 hours, then every 30 minutes for the next 3 hours 5 conclusions were drawn: Copeptin is not a useful marker of cardiac ischemia cTn may be detected after only 30 seconds of ischemia cTn may be detected in a little as 15 minutes after ischemic event After only 90 seconds of ischemia, cTn levels met threshold for MI Troponin I is a better marker than troponin T as it rises faster and reaches a higher peak Patients very recent or very brief ischemic events may have elevated troponin in the ED References Árnadóttir Á, Pedersen S, Bo Hasselbalch R, et al. Temporal Release of High-Sensitivity Cardiac Troponin T and I and Copeptin After Brief Induced Coronary Artery Balloon Occlusion in Humans [published correction appears in Circulation. 2021 Jun 22;143(25):e1116]. Circulation. 2021;143(11):1095-1104. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.120.046574 Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz, MD, MPH & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 782: Ventilator Management
05/17/2022
Podcast 782: Ventilator Management
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Tidal volume is the amount of breath a patient receives in a single ventilation Traditional tidal volume (TV) setting was 10 ml/kg but studies showed lower TV had less incidence of respiratory distress, ARDS, and overall better outcomes ED ventilation settings may get carried on for hours or days when a patient is admitted, making this an important part of patient care Recent large systematic review shows that low TV setting in the ED leads to decreased incidence of ARDS, shorter ICU and hospital length of stay, shorter duration of mechanical ventilation, and decreased mortality Consider an ED low tidal volume ventilation setting at around 6 ml/kg of predicted body weight References De Monnin K, Terian E, Yaegar LH, et al. Low Tidal Volume Ventilation for Emergency Department Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on Practice Patterns and Clinical Impact [published online ahead of print, 2022 Feb 7]. Crit Care Med. 2022;10.1097/CCM.0000000000005459. doi:10.1097/CCM.0000000000005459 Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 781: Foxglove, Dropsy, and Salvador Dali
05/16/2022
Podcast 781: Foxglove, Dropsy, and Salvador Dali
Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Foxglove plant contains the cardiac glycoside digoxin Foxglove leaf potions were once used to treat Dropsy; a historic term for symptoms of heart failure Digoxin, previously used for treating heart failure, works by increases heart contraction strength and slows heart rate Of note, the EKG of patient on digitalis may have a ‘Dali Mustache’ appearance Digoxin toxicity can lead to a variety of dysrhythmias as well as neurological, GI, and metabolic effects Treatment of digoxin toxicity is digoxin-immune fab, which is an antibody that binds digoxin References David MNV, Shetty M. Digoxin. [Updated 2021 Dec 23]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: Cummings ED, Swoboda HD. Digoxin Toxicity. [Updated 2021 Jul 10]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470568/?report=classic Summarized by Kirsten Hughes, MS4 | Edited by John Spartz MS4 & Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 780: Pediatric Sedation Post-Intubation
05/10/2022
Podcast 780: Pediatric Sedation Post-Intubation
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Recent study looking at a pediatric emergency department to determine what percentage of patients after intubation received sedation within 10 minutes after intubation About 25% of the patients in the study received sedation within 10 minutes after intubation Only 75% of the patients in the study received sedation in the ED at some point after intubation Those who received rocuronium were less likely to received sedation post-intubation References Berg K, Gregg V, Cosgrove P, Wilkinson M. The Administration of Postintubation Sedation in the Pediatric Emergency Department. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2021;37(11):e732-e735. doi:10.1097/PEC.0000000000001744 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 779: Pulse Pressure in Trauma
05/09/2022
Podcast 779: Pulse Pressure in Trauma
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure, normal is about 40 A narrow pulse pressure is generally thought of as less than 30 mmHg which may signal peripheral vasoconstriction in response to lower blood volumes 2020 study examined hypotension and narrow pulse pressure in trauma and outcomes 37% of patients who were hypotensive on ED arrival had a severe injury, 22% of patients who had a narrow pulse pressure had a severe injury, and 11% of patients with normal blood pressure and normal pulse pressure had a severe injury Need for thoracotomy, death, cardiac arrest, and need for other interventions was highest in the hypotensive group, the lowest in the normal blood pressure/normal pulse pressure group, and narrow pulse pressure group outcomes fell in the middle Narrow pulse pressure in the setting of trauma may be a helpful vital sign to incorporate into trauma care in the ED References Schellenberg M, Owattanapanich N, Getrajdman J, Matsushima K, Inaba K. Prehospital Narrow Pulse Pressure Predicts Need for Resuscitative Thoracotomy and Emergent Intervention After Trauma [published correction appears in J Surg Res. 2021 Oct 6;270:1]. J Surg Res. 2021;268:284-290. doi:10.1016/j.jss.2021.06.051 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 778: tPA for Frostbite Injury
05/03/2022
Podcast 778: tPA for Frostbite Injury
Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD Educational Pearls: Mild frostbite injury usually only requires supportive care In severe frostbite injury, patients should receive an immediate angiogram, be admitted, and receive tPA if there is evidence of vascular occlusion Salvage rate is around 80% for appropriate patients who receive tPA in phalangeal frostbite injury References Paine RE, Turner EN, Kloda D, Falank C, Chung B, Carter DW. Protocoled thrombolytic therapy for frostbite improves phalangeal salvage rates. Burns Trauma. 2020;8:tkaa008. Published 2020 Apr 10. doi:10.1093/burnst/tkaa008 Basit H, Wallen TJ, Dudley C. Frostbite. In: StatPearls. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; November 5, 2021. Wexler A, Zavala S. The Use of Thrombolytic Therapy in the Treatment of Frostbite Injury. J Burn Care Res. 2017;38(5):e877-e881. doi:10.1097/BCR.0000000000000512 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 777: Grass, Weed, and Ancient Rome
05/02/2022
Podcast 777: Grass, Weed, and Ancient Rome
Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Antiemetics were used in ancient Rome to help with sea-sickness and included toxic substances such as wine and wormwood and white hellborn The first antihistamine used for nausea, dramamine, was introduced in 1947 for motion sickness After this chlorpromazine, prochlorperazine, and promethazine came about in the 1950s and 1960s Cannabis, colloquially referred to as weed, isolates like THC used in the 1970s to help with chemotherapy-induced After this in the 1980s, ondansetron and metoclopramide were introduced for more severe chemotherapy-induced nausea Lastly, NK-1 inhibitors were introduced to treat nausea References Sanger GJ, Andrews PLR. A History of Drug Discovery for Treatment of Nausea and Vomiting and the Implications for Future Research. Front Pharmacol. 2018;9:913. Published 2018 Sep 4. doi:10.3389/fphar.2018.00913 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Mental Health Monthly #12: Management of Opioid Use Disorder with MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)
04/27/2022
Mental Health Monthly #12: Management of Opioid Use Disorder with MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)
In this special episode of MHM, we feature Dr. Nadia Haddad, a Colorado psychiatrist, and Dr. Ricky Dhaliwal, an emergency medicine physician, as they discuss the implications of OUD in Colorado. As a substance use disorder specialist, Dr. Haddad provides an invaluable perspective on various treatment modalities for OUD in the outpatient and inpatient settings. Finally, Dr. Haddad and Dr. Dhaliwal discuss the implications of the newly introduced Colorado legislation affecting patients with OUD and their providers. Key Points: The classic Suboxone therapy for heroin or prescription opioid detox can precipitate severe withdrawal in street fentanyl users. The three FDA-approved MATs include methadone (full opioid agonist), buprenorphine (partial opioid agonist), and naltrexone (opioid antagonist). Street fentanyl does not behave like pharmaceutical-grade fentanyl; a recent study found that the chemical composition of a street pill varied and included opioid analogs and benzodiazepines Fentanyl attaches and detaches to/from the receptor more easily and quickly than buprenorphine. Dr. Haddad suspects that as fentanyl weans from the patient’s system, there is not enough to compete with Suboxone, therefore precipitating withdrawal. Suboxone vs. naltrexone: Suboxone can be started sooner to treat post-acute withdrawal. Naltrexone helps to prevent relapse but may slow a patient’s emotional return to baseline. Dr. Haddad recently developed a new home induction program to provide patients with supportive measures for the withdrawal period, which include pharmacologic interventions like clonidine, trazodone, dicyclomine, or loperamide. Resources after discharge in Colorado include mental health centers, Front Range Clinic, Magnolia Mental Health The criminalization of substance use disorders moves people from treatment-focused settings to punitive settings and leads to prison population expansion without adequate mental healthcare resources.
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Podcast 776: Single-Site Blood Cultures
04/26/2022
Podcast 776: Single-Site Blood Cultures
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Traditionally, blood cultures are drawn from two separate sites despite no data to suggest this is better than drawing blood from one site Recent study evaluated multi-site versus single-site blood cultures to determine if there was a difference in accuracy or contamination Positive yield was 20% in the single-site year and 17% in the multi-site year No difference in contamination between the two groups References Ekwall-Larson A, Yu D, Dinnétz P, Nordqvist H, Özenci V. Single-Site Sampling versus Multisite Sampling for Blood Cultures: a Retrospective Clinical Study. J Clin Microbiol. 2022;60(2):e0193521. doi:10.1128/JCM.01935-21 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 775: Olecranon Bursitis
04/25/2022
Podcast 775: Olecranon Bursitis
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Olecranon bursitis refers to inflammation in the bursa of the elbow and can be due to infection or trauma Recent study examined treating suspected septic olecranon bursitis with antibiotics versus drainage About 90% of the patients treated with antibiotic therapy for this issue did not require subsequent drainage or hospitalization for intravenous antibiotics Consider treating suspected olecranon bursitis with antibiotic therapy and good return precautions rather than defaulting to drainage References Beyde A, Thomas AL, Colbenson KM, et al. Efficacy of empiric antibiotic management of septic olecranon bursitis without bursal aspiration in emergency department patients. Acad Emerg Med. 2022;29(1):6-14. doi:10.1111/acem.14406 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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On the Streets #13: Pre-hospital Cardiology Concepts
04/20/2022
On the Streets #13: Pre-hospital Cardiology Concepts
On this episode of On the Streets, our host, Jordan Ourada, talks with cardiologist, Dr. Chirag Chauhan, about all things cardiac. Highlighted topics: Wrist versus femoral access in the cath lab The most important prehospital interventions for an MI Nitroglycerin: Who gets it and what are the precautions Lidocaine and amiodarone in a heart attack CPR assist devices
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Podcast 774: Maggots
04/19/2022
Podcast 774: Maggots
Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Maggots were discovered as a therapy to help wound healing in WWI, but this fell out of favor after the discovery of penicillin One study from Israel used maggots in treating diabetic foot wound with positive results but notable patient discomfort Maggots debride tissue, kill MRSA, promote angiogenesis, and promote fibroblast migration to lay down new tissue While maggots may be very useful in wound healing, the reality of the therapy may make patients very uncomfortable References Gilead L, Mumcuoglu KY, Ingber A. The use of maggot debridement therapy in the treatment of chronic wounds in hospitalised and ambulatory patients. J Wound Care. 2012 Feb;21(2):78, 80, 82-85. doi: 10.12968/jowc.2012.21.2.78. PMID: 22584527. Mohd Zubir MZ, Holloway S, Mohd Noor N. Maggot Therapy in Wound Healing: A Systematic Review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(17):6103. Published 2020 Aug 21. doi:10.3390/ijerph17176103 McCaughan, Dorothy et al. “Patients' perceptions and experiences of venous leg ulceration and their attitudes to larval therapy: an in-depth qualitative study.” Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy vol. 18,4 (2015): 527-41. doi:10.1111/hex.12053 Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 773: Atrial Fibrillation Medications
04/18/2022
Podcast 773: Atrial Fibrillation Medications
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that sometimes requires rate control in setting of rapid ventricular response (RVR) Calcium channel blocker and beta blockers are the most frequently used medications to block the AV node and slow down the heart rate in atrial fibrillation with RVR If a patient is on one of these agents at home, the IV form should be used first Recent systematic review and meta-analysis found 3 trials addressing which medication to use to control heart rate in atrial fibrillation with RVR with a total of 150 patients Found diltiazem, a CCB, was 4x more likely to reduce heart rate than metoprolol 50% of patients had a normal heart rate at 21 minutes with diltiazem versus 22% in those who received metoprolol Both agents had a similar decrease in blood pressure after administration References Jafri SH, Xu J, Warsi I, Cerecedo-Lopez CD. Diltiazem versus metoprolol for the management of atrial fibrillation: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Emerg Med. 2021 Oct;48:323-327. doi: 10.1016/j.ajem.2021.06.053. Epub 2021 Jun 30. PMID: 34274577. Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 772: Firearms in Suicidal Ideation
04/12/2022
Podcast 772: Firearms in Suicidal Ideation
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Firearms are a dangerous potential method of committing suicide Death occurs in about 5-15% of suicide attempts overall, but death in suicide attempts using firearms occurs in 85-90% of cases In some states, families can petition a judge to remove firearms from a house although healthcare providers cannot do this References Sarai SK, Abaid B, Lippmann S. Guns and Suicide: Are They Related? Prim Care Companion CNS Disord. 2017 Dec 21;19(6):17br02116. doi: 10.4088/PCC.17br02116. PMID: 29272571. Anestis MD, Bandel SL, Butterworth SE, Bond AE, Daruwala SE, Bryan CJ. Suicide risk and firearm ownership and storage behavior in a large military sample. Psychiatry Res. 2020 Sep;291:113277. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113277. Epub 2020 Jul 2. PMID: 32886959. Mann JJ, Michel CA. Prevention of Firearm Suicide in the United States: What Works and What Is Possible. Am J Psychiatry. 2016 Oct 1;173(10):969-979. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2016.16010069. Epub 2016 Jul 22. PMID: 27444796. Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 771: Intubation in Cardiac Arrest
04/11/2022
Podcast 771: Intubation in Cardiac Arrest
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: In a secondary analysis of the PART trial, the mortality effect of timing of airway management for patients in cardiac arrest was examined Study looked at whether timing played a part in both laryngeal tube placement or endotracheal intubation during cardiac arrest Did not find any association of timing and survival to hospital discharge High-quality CPR and defibrillation are the only two things that improve outcomes in cardiac arrest References Okubo M, Komukai S, Izawa J, Aufderheide TP, Benoit JL, Carlson JN, Daya MR, Hansen M, Idris AH, Le N, Lupton JR, Nichol G, Wang HE, Callaway CW. Association of Advanced Airway Insertion Timing and Outcomes After Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Ann Emerg Med. 2022 Feb;79(2):118-131. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2021.07.114. Epub 2021 Sep 16. PMID: 34538500. Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 770: Xylazine
04/05/2022
Podcast 770: Xylazine
Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Xylazine, referred to as tranq dope colloquially, is an FDA approved animal tranquilizer that is circulating in the illicit drug markets of the northeastern United states It is a powerful alpha-2 agonist, similar to clonidine, and patients with xylazine overdose may present similarly to opioid overdose Naloxone will not reverse the effects of xylazine and management is supportive care Withdrawal symptoms from xylazine use can be treated with clonidine References Nunez J, DeJoseph ME, Gill JR. Xylazine, a Veterinary Tranquilizer, Detected in 42 Accidental Fentanyl Intoxication Deaths. Am J Forensic Med Pathol. 2021 Mar 1;42(1):9-11. doi: 10.1097/PAF.0000000000000622. PMID: 33031124. Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Podcast 769: Pressors After Cardiac Arrest
04/04/2022
Podcast 769: Pressors After Cardiac Arrest
Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Hypotension after cardiac arrest often requires a vasopressor to improve blood pressure Recent observational study from France examined outcomes of patients who received either epinephrine or norepinephrine for post-resuscitation shock Norepinephrine had significantly better outcomes Death from shock was 35% in the epinephrine group vs. 9% in the norepinephrine group Recurrent cardiac arrest was 9% in epinephrine group vs. 3% in norepinephrine group For epinephrine: The all cause mortality was 2.5 times higher than norepinephrine Cardiovascular mortality was 5 times higher than norepinephrine Favorable neurological outcomes was 3 times worse than norepinephrine References Bougouin W, Slimani K, Renaudier M, Binois Y, Paul M, Dumas F, Lamhaut L, Loeb T, Ortuno S, Deye N, Voicu S, Beganton F, Jost D, Mekontso-Dessap A, Marijon E, Jouven X, Aissaoui N, Cariou A; Sudden Death Expertise Center Investigators. Epinephrine versus norepinephrine in cardiac arrest patients with post-resuscitation shock. Intensive Care Med. 2022 Mar;48(3):300-310. doi: 10.1007/s00134-021-06608-7. Epub 2022 Feb 7. PMID: 35129643. Summarized by John Spartz, MS4 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD The Emergency Medical Minute is excited to announce that we are now offering AMA PRA Category 1 credits™ via online course modules. To access these and for more information, visit our website at and create an account.
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Mental Health Monthly #11: De-escalation: Changing Confrontation to Collaboration
03/30/2022
Mental Health Monthly #11: De-escalation: Changing Confrontation to Collaboration
Contributor: Dr. Kimberly Nordstrom De-escalation usually takes less time than physical and chemical restraints, which leads to decreased injury to staff members, better patient trust and increased patient throughput as accepting facilities oftentimes delay transfer acceptance following physical restraints Prepare to engage prior to entering their room in two ways: cognitively and emotionally Why do you want to de-escalate the patient? Remind yourself you don’t want to introduce more trauma Check your emotions, and ensure you don’t bring your emotional state into If possible, engage the patient when they’re in mild agitation before their anger is out of control Be authoritative not authoritarian or permissive, impart your expertise in medicine and explain your rationale to them without claiming to be an expert on them personally Small acts of kindness like the provision of a warm blanket, snacks or voluntary medications appropriate to the situation can aid in establishing trust and rapport Take a break to cool off if the interaction is too charged Verbal de-escalation pearls: Respectful introduction, etiquette can be perceived as empathy to a patient in crisis Confirm story and allow patient to offer corrections to what you’ve been told Utilize active listening techniques, both verbally and nonverbally Avoid assigning blame, but use distant third parties if necessary without being detrimental to your colleagues Offer choices in medications within your clinical comfort zone for the patient Verbal De-escalation videos: References: Berlin JS. Collaborative De-escalation. In: Zeller SL, Nordstrom KD, Wilson MP, eds. The Diagnosis and Management of Agitation. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press; 2017:144-155. doi:10.1017/9781316556702.012 Richmond JS, Berlin JS, Fishkind AB, et al. Verbal De-escalation of the Agitated Patient: Consensus Statement of the American Association for Emergency Psychiatry Project BETA De-escalation Workgroup. West J Emerg Med. 2012;13(1):17-25. doi:10.5811/westjem.2011.9.6864 Summarized by Mason Tuttle
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