Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · May 2016
ReviewPediatric Abdominal Pain: An Emergency Medicine Perspective.
Abdominal pain is a common complaint that leads to pediatric patients seeking emergency care. The emergency care provider has the arduous task of determining which child likely has a benign cause and not missing the devastating condition that needs emergent attention. This article reviews common benign causes of abdominal pain as well as some of the cannot-miss emergent causes.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · May 2016
ReviewEvaluating the Patient with Right Upper Quadrant Abdominal Pain.
Right upper quadrant (RUQ) pain is among the most common complaints in the emergency department. The differential diagnosis is broad and includes gastrointestinal (GI) and non-GI causes for pain. ⋯ This article details the anatomy and physiology of the right upper abdomen and approach to the history and physical examination of the most common diseases encountered in the emergency department. "Can't miss," non-GI diagnoses are discussed. Best practices of laboratory and imaging, and treatment of most common diagnoses of RUQ pain are reviewed.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · May 2016
ReviewThe Vomiting Patient: Small Bowel Obstruction, Cyclic Vomiting, and Gastroparesis.
Vomiting and abdominal pain are common in patients in the emergency department. This article focuses on small bowel obstruction (SBO), cyclic vomiting, and gastroparesis. ⋯ Treatment of acute cyclic vomiting is primarily directed at symptom control, volume and electrolyte repletion, and appropriate specialist follow-up. The mainstay of therapy for gastroparesis is metoclopramide.
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Patients commonly present to the emergency department with anorectal complaints. Most of these complaints are benign and can be managed conservatively; however, there are a few anorectal emergencies that clinicians must be aware of in order to prevent further complications. The history and physical examination are especially important so that critical disorders can be recognized and specific treatment plans can be determined. It is important to maintain a broad differential diagnosis of anorectal disease and to distinguish benign from serious processes.
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There is an epidemic of opioid abuse. This article discusses the history of opioid use. ⋯ Naloxone has made a profound impact in the care of these patients if they present for medical care early enough. This paper discusses naloxone pharmacodynamics, its use in the medical setting, and how its use is now being expanded to include nontraditional providers with take home naloxone programs.