resuscitation and critical care medicine

Hip complaints are bread-and-butter emergency medicine—but every so often they are anything but straightforward. The obvious shortened, externally rotated leg after a fall is one thing; the patient with acute hip pain, a normal x-ray, unremarkable blood work, and no clear diagnosis is another. Hip fractures are also far from benign, carrying a 30-day mortality of 6–7% and a 1-year mortality of abo...

In this Part 2 or our 2-part EM Cases podcast series on Cardiac Arrest Update, Dr. Sheldon Cheskes and Dr. Rob Simard take us beyond the algorithms and into the real-world decision-making of cardiac arrest care. We answer questions like: Do vasopressin and steroids improve survival or just ROSC? Should we be giving amiodarone earlier—and is lidocaine just as good? When should we use calcium, bicar...

In this EM Cases update on cardiac arrest management, Dr. Sheldon Cheskes and Dr. Rob Simard join Anton to walk us through the evolving science and bedside practicalities of cardiac arrest management in the wake of the 2025 ACLS Guidelines. They answer questions such as: What are the most common failures in CPR quality, and how can we recognize and correct them in real time? Should we employ head...

Convulsive status epilepticus is one of the most morbid neurologic emergencies we manage in the ED, and outcomes depend far more on speed than drug selection. Like ventricular fibrillation, each minute of ongoing convulsions worsens hypoxia, acidosis, cardiovascular instability, and neuronal injury, while making seizures progressively harder to terminate. Modern definitions are intentionally time-...

In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Mike Weinstock discusses with Anton a case of upper back pain in this month's Medmal Cases, Andrew Petrosoniak on traumatic pneumothorax and hemothorax decision making: risk stratification, imaging cutoffs and chest tube choices, Justin Morgenstern on brain injury guidelines risk stratification for neurosurgical consult, repeat imaging and admission, Andrew T...

In this Part 2 of our 2-part podcast series on thyroid emergencies Anton, Dr. George Willis and Dr. Alyssa Louis answer questions such as: When a patient presents with “sepsis without a source,” what bedside features should trigger you to prioritize thyrotoxicosis? How can PoCUS help you decide whether tachycardia is dangerous — or lifesaving — before starting β-blockade? Why can TSH and free T4 b...

In the ED, we regularly care for sick patients presenting acutely with abnormal vital signs, altered mental status, and end organ dysfunction. Oftentimes, the culprit ends up being sepsis, or overdose, or organ failure. But it is important that we consider rarer endocrine presentations like decompensated hypothyroidism. In this Part 1 of this two-part podcast with Dr George Willis and Dr Alyssa Lo...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Dr. Isaac Bogoch on recognition and management of osteomyelitis in the ED, Dr. Anand Swaminathan on tourniquet tips and tricks. Dr. Andrew Tagg on managing pediatric distal radius buckle fractures & the FORCE trial. Dr. Justin Morgenstern on Delayed Sequence Intubation (DSI): RCT Takeaways. Dr. Brit Long on ESRD & Dialysis in the ED: altered mental st...

On this EM Quick Hits podcast: Tick Borne Illness Update with Dr. Issac Bogoch, Pediatric ECG Interpretation with Dr. Kathleen Stephanos, Nailbed Repair with Dr. Matthew McArther, Closed Loop Communication with Dr. Shawn Segeren, ESRD with Dr. Brit Long, Leaders in EM Dr. Catherine Varner... Please consider donating to EM Cases here: https://emergencymedicinecases.com/donation/ The post EM Quick H...

In this update to the 7 T’s of Massive Hemorrhage Protocols with Dr. Jeannie Callum and Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak, we explore the most current, evidence-informed strategies for bleeding patients, from polytrauma to obstetrical, drawing on the latest clinical trial data and real-world experience. We answer the questions: What is the evidence based alternative to FFP in EDs where FFP is not readily ava...

On this EM Quick Hits podcast: Pediatric Torticollis with Dr. Deb Shconfeld, Approach to Stable Wide Complex Tachydysrhythmias with Dr. Anand Swaminathan, Post-intubation Neurocritical Care 5 best practices with Dr. Andrew Petrosoniak, Hyponatremia Correction Rates with Dr. Justin Morgenstern, Paronychia Management with Dr. Andrew Tagg, and Women in EM Leader Series with Judith Tintinalli and Dr....

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Dr. Mathew MacArther on Occipital Nerve Block, Dr. Ian Chernoff on PoCUS in Pulmonary Embolism, Dr. Hans Rosenberg on Myelopathy, Dr. Shawn Segeren on Team Resuscitation, Dr. Brit Long on Incidental Neutropenia and Dr. Kylie Booth on Peer Programs. Please help ensure continued Free Open Access of the entire EM Cases Learning System by donating here: https://e...

There are many nuances in the management of patients with pulmonary embolism in cardiac arrest, peri-arrest or simply in shock: We need to optimize oxygenation and airway management, hemodynamic support, acid/base management, thrombolysis and/or catheter-directed therapies that Anton dives into with guest experts Dr. Lauren Westafer, Dr. Bourke Tillmann and Dr. Justin Morgenstern... EM Cases is pr...

How do you predict which intermediate-risk patients will suddenly deteriorate? What role do risk scores, biomarkers, imaging, and hemodynamics play in decision-making? Should these patients receive anticoagulation alone, or is thrombolysis warranted? When should you consider catheter-directed or surgical interventions? This podcast focuses us to think critically about risk stratification, early in...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Stephen Freedman on pediatric bloody diarrhea, S-TEC and hemolytic uremic syndrome, Justin Morgenstern on the evidence for IM epinephrine in out of hospital cardiac arrest, Matthew McArther on recognition and ED management of dengue fever, Andrew Petrosoniak on imaging decision making in trauma in older patients, Brit Long & Michael Gotlieb on recognition...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Anand Swaminathan on optimizing RSI medication timing, Brittany Ellis on ED boarding challenges in older patients and solutions to ED crowding and flow, Dave Jerome on managing prolonged tourniquet application, Nour Khatib and Phil Gillick on a rural peer support case, Jesse McLaren on ECG reciprocal changes in acute coronary occlusion, and Melody Ng on pract...

Which elements of your current pre-shift preparation contribute most to your mental clarity and performance, and what new practices might further optimize your readiness? With interruptions shown to increase task errors and decision fatigue, how can you strike a balance between being approachable to colleagues and safeguarding your focus for patient care? When confronted with a particularly challe...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Ross Prager on TEE in cardiac arrest, Justin Morgenstern on nebulized ketamine for analgesia in the ED, Hans Rosenberg & Krishin Yadav on standardizing cellulitis management, Mathew McArther on latest studies on subcutaneous insulin protocols in DKA, Jennifer C. Tang on documenting differential diagnoses medicolegal tips... The post EM Quick Hits 61 TEE i...

In this EM Cases main episode podcast, we tackle the complexities of trauma airway management, including direct trauma to the airway. We discuss indications and timing of intubation, penetrating neck trauma, the head injured patient, the agitated patients and the soiled airway. The critical question is: when should we deviate from, delay or modify RSI, and how do we navigate the unique challenges...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Kevin Wasko on post-tonsillectomy hemorrhage management, Brit Long on assessment and management of post-CABG surgical incision infections, Anand Swaminathan on evidence, pitfalls and tips on using Bougies, Leah Flannigan on when to suspect vascular injury in patients with low energy mechanism pelvic fractures, Andrew Petrosoniak on debriefing after cases: why...

In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Andrew Petrosoniak on the role of vasopressors in the hemorrhaging trauma patient, Megan Landes on providing HIV PEP and PrEP in the ED, Justin Morgenstern & George Kovacs on the PREOXI trial and evidence for pre-oxygenation with NIPPV before intubation in RSI, Brit Long on recognition and management of blast crisis in the ED, and Leah Flanagan & Liam...

In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Megan Landes on the importance of diagnosing HIV in the ED, Jesse McLaren on the failed paradigm of STEMI criteria and ECG tips to identify acute coronary occlusion, Anand Swaminathan on evidence for non-invasive airway management in the poisoned patient, Brit Long and Hans Rosenberg on the identification, workup and management of spontaneous bacterial perito...

In this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Justin Morgenstern on the first RCT of high dose nitroglycerin in SCAPE, Andrew Neill on Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) indications and evidence, Brit Long on indications for CT in suspected diverticulitis, Tahara Bhate on Central Retinal Artery Occlusion (CRAO) and diagnostic error, Matthew McArthur on penicillin allergy la...

In this part 2 of our 2-part podcast on asthma with Dr. Sameer Mal and Dr. Leeor Sommer, we dig into the recognition and management of life-threatening asthma. We answer such questions as: what are the key elements in recognition of threatening asthma? What are the most time-sensitive interventions required to break the vicious cycle of asthma? What are the best options for dosing and administerin...

On this month's EM Quick Hits podcast: Anand Swaminathan on update to ED management of postpartum hemorrhage, Nour Khatib on serotonin syndrome and its mimics, Katie Lin on an approach to recognition and management of severe TBI and brain herniation syndromes, Hans Rosenberg on the ED management of ulcerative colitis, Heather Cary on pediatric c-spine immobilization controversies and techniques, N...