Annals of emergency medicine
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To evaluate the safety and efficacy of a systematic evaluation and triage strategy including immediate resting myocardial perfusion imaging in patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain of possible ischemic origin. ⋯ This strategy is a safe, effective method for rapid triage of chest pain patients. Rapid perfusion imaging plays a key role in the risk stratification of low-risk patients, allowing discrimination of unsuspected high risk patients who require prompt admission and possible intervention from those who are truly at low risk.
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To determine whether emergency patients with acute chest pain and low suspicion of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) can be managed cost-effectively and safely in a dedicated chest pain center (CPC) that incorporates mandatory stress testing. ⋯ Mandatory stress testing is a safe, cost-effective, and valuable diagnostic and prognostic tool in CPC patients.
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To determine efficacy, safety, recovery times, and parental satisfaction with i.v. ketamine sedation in pediatric patients requiring brief, painful procedures in the emergency department. ⋯ I.v. ketamine is a consistently effective method of producing a rapid, brief period of profound sedation and analgesia in children in the ED. Although no serious complications were noted in our series, larger studies are needed to establish this drug's safety profile in the ED. Vomiting, ataxia, and agitation were noted in a few cases.