Emergency medicine clinics of North America
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2022
ReviewEvaluation and Management of Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Exacerbation in the Emergency Department.
Obstructive lung disease includes asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Exacerbation of asthma or COPD can result in significant morbidity and mortality, and emergency department (ED) care is often required. ED evaluation should assess risk factors for severe exacerbation and the patient's hemodynamic and respiratory status. ⋯ First-line treatments for acute exacerbation include bronchodilators and corticosteroids. Noninvasive ventilation, magnesium, ketamine, and epinephrine should be considered in those with severe exacerbation. Mechanical ventilation is challenging and should use an obstructive lung strategy with permissive hypercapnia.
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Pulmonary embolism is a challenging pathology commonly faced by emergency physicians, and diagnosis and management remain a crucial skill set. Inherent to the challenge is the breadth of presentation, ranging from asymptomatic pulmonary emboli to sudden cardiac death. ⋯ Management of pulmonary emboli revolves around appropriate anticoagulation, which for most of the patients will comprise newer oral agents. However, there remains a substantial degree of practice variation and ambiguity when it comes to higher risk patients with submassive or massive pulmonary emboli.
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Acute respiratory failure requiring invasive mechanical ventilation is a common presentation in the emergency department. Providers can further improve care for these patients by understanding common modes of mechanical ventilation, recognizing changes in respiratory mechanics, and tailoring ventilator settings and therapies accordingly.
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Emerg. Med. Clin. North Am. · Aug 2022
ReviewAirway Pressure Release Ventilation: A Field Guide for the Emergency Physician.
Airway pressure release ventilation (APRV) is a mode of ventilation that uses high airway pressures to recruit and maintain patients' lung volumes. The goal of this mode of ventilation is 2-fold: first, to maintain patients as close to their functional residual capacity as possible and second, to promote safe spontaneous breathing. ⋯ Eventually, patients are able to fully support their ventilatory needs and no longer require any release breaths to maintain normal CO2 levels. Now, patients can be "stretched" to CPAP.