The American journal of emergency medicine
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Sepsis is a common condition associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Emergency physicians play a key role in the diagnosis and management of this condition. ⋯ An understanding of the recent updates in the literature concerning sepsis and septic shock can assist emergency clinicians and improve the care of these patients.
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The opioid epidemic remains a major public health issue in the U. S., with over 100,000 overdose deaths in 2022, many linked to synthetic opioids. Emergency medicine plays a vital role in managing opioid overdoses, which typically cause CNS depression and respiratory failure. ⋯ Given the rise of opioid use, emergency physicians are likely to encounter more cases with similar presentations. MRI imaging should be considered in patients who do not recover as expected following an opioid overdose. Early identification of complications like CHANTER syndrome can lead to closer neurologic monitoring and neurosurgical intervention that may prevent decompensation or even death.