The American journal of emergency medicine
-
There is evidence that regionalized trauma care and appropriate triage of major trauma patients improve patient outcomes. However, the national rate of undertriage and diagnoses of undertriaged patients are unknown. ⋯ We found that more than one-third of US ED major trauma patients were undertriaged, and more than 40% of undertriaged diagnoses were TBIs. A significant capacity increase at level I and II TCs to accommodate these patients appears not feasible.
-
Elevated blood pressure (BP) and headache have long been linked in the medical literature, although data on association are conflicting. We used previously collected data to address these related aims: (1) using the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS), we determined whether elevated BP is more likely in patients who present to an emergency department (ED) with headache than in patients who present with other complaints; (2) using data collected in 3 ED-based migraine clinical trials, we determined the association between improvement in headache pain and improvement in BP among patients who present to an ED with migraine and elevated BP; (3) using the data from the migraine clinical trials, we also determined if an elevated baseline BP identifies a group of patients less likely to respond to standard migraine treatment. ⋯ Although there is an association between elevated BP and headache among patients presenting to an ED, improvement in headache is not associated with improvement in BP.
-
Case Reports
Intralipid emulsion treatment as an antidote in lipophilic drug intoxications: a case series.
Intravenous lipid emulsion (ILE) is a lifesaving treatment of lipophilic drug intoxications. Not only does ILE have demonstrable efficacy as an antidote to local anesthetic toxicity, it is also effective in lipophilic drug intoxications. Our case series involved 10 patients with ingestion of different types of lipophilic drugs. ⋯ Complications were observed in 2 patients (minimal change pancreatitis and probable ILE treatment-related fat infiltration in lungs). In our case series, ILE was used for different lipophilic drug intoxications to improve cardiovascular and neurologic symptoms. According to the results, it was found that ILE treatment is a lifesaving agent in lipophilic drug intoxications and it can be used in unconscious patients who have cardiac and/or neurologic symptoms but no history of a specific drug ingestion.
-
Hospital crowding and emergency department (ED) boarding are large and growing problems. To date, there has been a paucity of information regarding the quality of care received by patients boarding in the ED compared with the care received by patients on an inpatient unit. We compared the rate of delays and adverse events at the event level that occur while boarding in the ED vs while on an inpatient unit. ⋯ Compared with inpatient units, ED boarding was associated with more medication-related delays and adverse events but fewer laboratory-related delays. Until we can eliminate ED boarding, it is critical to identify areas for improvement.
-
Observational Study
Differences in noninvasive thermometer measurements in the adult ED.
Detection of accurate temperature in the emergency department (ED) is integral for assessment, treatment, and disposition. The primary objective was to compare temperature measurements from noninvasive temperature devices in the adult ED. The secondary objective was to evaluate the discrepancy between febrile and afebrile patients. ⋯ There was a statistically significant difference in measured temperatures between oral and TA thermometers and a clinically significant difference in 49% of patients. Febrile patients had a greater discrepancy and variability between noninvasive temperature measurements. Caution should be taken when evaluating temperature measurements with these noninvasive devices.