The American journal of emergency medicine
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Review Meta Analysis
Efficacy of prehospital administration of tranexamic acid in trauma patients: A meta-analysis of the randomized controlled trials.
Antifibrinolytic agent tranexamic acid (TXA) has a potential clinical benefit for in-hospital patients with severe bleeding but its effectiveness in pre-hospital settings remains unclear. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate whether pre-hospital administration of TXA compared to placebo improve patients' outcomes? ⋯ Prehospital TXA appears to reduce early mortality in trauma patients. The pooled analysis also shows a trend toward lower 30-day mortality and reduced risk of thromboembolic events. Additional randomized controlled clinical trials are needed to determine the significance of these trends.
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The United States Food and Drug Administration recently approved a high sensitivity troponin (hsTn) assay for use. Recent literature has investigated the diagnostic accuracy of hsTn for acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in the emergency department (ED) and its use in accelerated diagnostic protocols. ⋯ As hsTn becomes more widespread, it is imperative emergency physicians understand its potential and limitations. Knowledge of test characteristics is vital to ensure appropriate use. Further study of hsTn is required to optimize use.
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Observational Study
Effects of opioid medications on cognitive skills among Emergency Department patients.
Treatment for pain and related conditions has been identified as the most common reason for Emergency Department (ED) visits. Concerns exist regarding the effects of opioid pain medications on cognition and patient ability to consent for procedures, hospital admission, or to refuse recommended medical interventions. This study was undertaken to identify cognitive skills before and after opioid pain medication in the ED setting. ⋯ There is an association between opioid pain medication and decrease in cognitive performance on the MMSE. Because of the wide range of cognitive performance following opioid pain medication, assessment of individual patients' cognitive function is indicated.
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Observational Study
Etiologies of altered mental status in patients with presumed ethanol intoxication.
Altered mental status is a commonly evaluated problem in the ED. Ethanol intoxication is common, and prehospital history may bias emergency physicians to suspect this as the cause of altered mental status. Quantitative ethanol measurement can rapidly confirm the diagnosis, or if negative, prompt further evaluation. Our objective was to identify the etiologies of altered mental status in ED patients initially presumed to be intoxicated with ethanol but found to have negative quantitative ethanol levels. ⋯ The presumptive diagnosis of ethanol intoxication in patients presenting to the ED with altered mental status was inaccurate in 5% of patients. The etiology of altered mental status was serious and required hospitalization in 10% of the cohort. Rapid assessment of quantitative ethanol levels should be performed, breathalyzers may be preferred over serum testing.
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Clinical studies have indicated that transient hypotension can occur after propacetamol administration. This study aimed to analyze the hemodynamic changes after propacetamol administration in patients visiting the ED due to febrile UTI. We also examined the incidence of propacetamol-induced hypotension and compared the clinical characteristics of patients with persistent hypotension, defined as requiring additional fluids or vasopressors, to those with transient hypotension. ⋯ Although febrile UTI patients treated with propacetamol in the ED showed hemodynamic changes, these changes did not have a large effect on their prognosis. However, in patients who showed bacteremia or a normal initial BP despite fever, the possibility of developing persistent hypotension should be considered.