Emergency Medical Minute

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is Tranq? Tranq is the street name for xylazine, a sedative drug typically used in veterinary medicine. Xylazine has recently emerged as a recreational drug, often mixed with heroin or fentanyl.  The mechanism of action of xylazine is similar to dexmedetomidine (Precedex), an alpha-2 adrenergic receptor agonist. At toxic levels, either by itse...

Contributor: Travis Barlock MD Educational Pearls: Three categories of pressors: inopressors, pure vasoconstrictors, and inodilators Inopressors:  Epinephrine - nonselective beta- and alpha-adrenergic agonism, leading to increased cardiac contractility, chronotropy (increased heart rate), and peripheral vasoconstriction. Dose 0.1mcg/kg/min. Levophed (norepinephrine) - more vasoconstriction periphe...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is thrombolysis? Thrombolysis is performed by administration of a medication that promotes the body's natural ability to break up clots. These medications include Alteplase (tPA) and Tenecteplase (TNK). The main side effect of using such an agent is bleeding which typically occurs at puncture sites but can also occur internally. However, an un...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen MD Educational Pearls: SCAPE (Sympathetic Crashing Acute Pulmonary Edema), formerly known as flash pulmonary edema, is a life-threatening condition due to a sudden sympathetic surge that leads to hypertensive heart failure, pulmonary edema, hypoxia, and respiratory distress.  The initial treatment for SCAPE stabilization is BiPAP to assist with ventilation. Pharmacologica...

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA) is defined as when the heart suddenly stops beating. Immediate treatment for SCA includes Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation. This event is commonly depicted in medical dramas as an intense moment but often with the patient surviving and making a full recovery (67-75%). This depiction has likely led...

Contributors: Andrew White MD & Travis Barlock MD In this episode of Mental Health Monthly, Dr. Andrew White, a practicing psychiatrist with an addiction medicine fellowship, and Dr. Travis Barlock, an emergency physician at Swedish Medical Center, discuss the various presentations and etiologies of acute psychosis. They explore the medical presentations compared with primary psychiatric manifesta...

Contributor: Travis Barlock MD Educational Pearls:   Large Vessel Occlusion (LVO) is a condition where a clot blocks one of the major blood vessels in the brain, leading to a stroke. What are the vessels that can experience an LVO? Middle Cerebral artery (MCA) Internal Carotid Artery (ICA) Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA) Posterior Cerebral Arteries (PCA) Basilar Artery (BA) Vertebral Arteries (VA)...

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls:  Two main reasons to choose non-traditional RSI Anatomically challenging airway Physiologically difficult patients: hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, hemodynamic instability Ketamine may help patients remain hemodynamically stable In critical patients, it is important to consider non-traditional RSI medications to improve outcomes References 1. Lyon RM...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) has been attempted as an adjunct to CPR during cardiac arrest but few studies on outcomes exist  One prior small study stopped early when it showed ECMO with CPR (ECPR) was significantly superior to CPR Recent large, multicenter randomized control study in Netherlands evaluated neurologic outcomes in CPR v...

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Early repolarization a benign EKG pattern that can mimic an anterior STEMI Can be seen in the anterior leads typically in young male patients Can differentiate Early Repolarization vs Anterior STEMI by looking at four variables: Corrected QT interval QRS amplitude in V2 R wave amplitude in V4 ST elevation 60 ms after J point in V3 These four vari...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Hyperkalemia may cause cardiac arrest  Treatment of suspected hyperkalemic cardiac arrest begins with typical management of cardiac arrest including high-quality CPR, defibrillation if appropriate, and resuscitation medications  Administer calcium products to stabilize cardiac membrane and potassium shifting medications  If ROSC is achieved, initia...

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Educational Pearls: Dental infections can be categorized into two main groups Infections of the gums Pericoronitis Tooth eruption leading to inflammation/irritation Can progress to an infection Requires pain control, no antibiotics Gingivitis Inflammation of the gums Can lead to an infection requiring antibiotics Abscess (gums) If an infection dev...

Contributor:  Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Commotio cordis is sudden ventricular fibrillation precipitated by direct impact to the chest  A national registry, US Commotio Cordis Registry, reports an average of 10-20 cases annually  95% of reported cases occur in males, indicating possible genetic component  Average age of patient in registry is 15  Most cases occur during sporting events (b...

Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Through world history, there have been various interesting approaches to wound care Ancient Egyptians applied honey, lint, and grease which provided antimicrobial, absorptive and moisturizing properties, respectively  Ancient Greeks irrigated wounds with clean water and applied wine and vinegar which may have been antimicrobial  One of the first sy...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Wound care in the emergency department aims to prevent future infection Copious wound irrigation is the important step in preventing wound infection Studies have shown that irrigation with tap water is just as effective, if not superior,  to  irrigation with saline or other solutions Several studies have shown no reduction in wound infection rates...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Pediatric patients frequently have vital signs considered abnormal for age at discharge Large multicenter study recently evaluated if pediatric patients discharged with abnormal vital signs have worse outcomes   97,824 pediatric discharges were included in the study 18.1% were discharged with vitals considered abnormal for age No significant differ...

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: The causes of pancreatitis can be remembered with the mnemonic: "GET SMASHED"  G: Gallstones (Most common cause of pancreatitis overall)  E: Ethanol (Alcohol consumption is the most common cause of chronic pancreatitis) T: Trauma  S: Steroids M: Malignancy A: Autoimmune  S: Scorpion Sting H: Hypertryglyceridemia  E: ERCP D: Drugs (e.g. Valproate,...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Septic arthritis of the sternoclavicular joint is uncommon accounting for

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Venomous snakes in the United States include species from the family Elapidae and subfamily Crotalinae In prehospital setting, elevate the bitten extremity and transport to hospital immediately Do not attempt interventions with the bite site  Monitor for progression of swelling past any joint line, systemic symptoms or lab abnormalities for 8-12 h...

Contributor: Jared Scott, MD Educational Pearls: Two conventional ways to aid in external jugular vein (EJ) catheter placement are Trendelenburg's position and Valsalva's maneuver by patient  One study compared ultrasound visualization of cross sections of EJ and common femoral vein at baseline and with patients in Trendelenburg's position, Valsalva's maneuver, and while humming The study found al...

Contributor: Meghan Hurley, MD Educational Pearls: Syncope is defined as a loss of consciousness with an immediate return to baseline Differential is broad Cardiogenic Structural (aortic stenosis, HOCUM, etc.) Electrical (long QT syndrome, Brugada, etc.) Neurogenic/neurovascular (brain bleed, etc.) Seizure Everything else Hypoglycemia, anemia, and bleeding into the abdominal cavity are some potent...

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Torus (Buckle) fractures are a commonly encountered pediatric fracture pattern Typically presents as wrist pain secondary to a child falling on outstretched hand One edge of the bone "buckles" or bends because children's bones are softer and more pliable Management Older studies have shown that short term immobilization with a velcro splint and pri...

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Normal Saline (NS) contains 154 mEq of both Sodium (Na) and Chloride (Cl),  and has a pH of 5.5 Normal Na and Cl in adult humans are about 140 mEq/L and 103 mEq/L. respectively   Excess negative charge resulting from hyperchloremia is managed via bicarbonate excretion leading to loss of base Overall, administration of NS drives metabolic acidosis...

Happy Thanksgiving EMM listeners, Mason here wanting to extend a special thank you to all of you for tuning in to our show. Today we are featuring a special episode on health disparities in the opioid epidemic and their intersection with the ER that we produced for the Iowa Healthcare Collaborative's Compass Opioid Stewardship Program , a national initiative to provide comprehensive education on o...

Educational Pearls: Most common sexually transmitted disease (STD) in North America: Human Papillomavirus (HPV) From the emergency department patients should be connected to follow-up care and educated on vaccine series Most common non-viral STD in North America: Trichomonas Vaginalis   While men may be asymptomatic, they can transmit the disease to women who may experience irritation leading to i...