The American journal of emergency medicine
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The Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) is an assessment tool commonly used by emergency department (ED) clinicians to objectively describe level of consciousness, especially in trauma patients. This study aims to assess the effect of drug and alcohol intoxication on GCS scores in cases of traumatic head injury. ⋯ Among patients with head trauma, intoxicated patients had statistically significant lower GCS scores as compared to matched patients with similar Injury Severity Scores.
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Multicenter Study
The feasibility of emergency department observation units in the management of mild to moderate hyponatremia.
To describe the feasibility of managing hyponatremia patients under outpatient observation status in an academic medical center, and compare outcomes based on the use of an emergency department observation unit (EDOU). ⋯ Management of selected hyponatremia patients under observation status is feasible, with the EDOU setting demonstrating lower admit rates, shorter length of stay, and lower total direct costs with similar clinical outcomes.
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Tension headaches, as well as various scalp pathologies including lacerations and abscesses are commonly treated in the emergency department (ED). The occipital nerve block (ONB), previously described in anesthesia and neurology literature, offers analgesia of the posterior scalp on the side ipsilateral to the injection while maintaining a low adverse effect profile. ⋯ The ONB is a landmark based technique that offers an opportunity to provide analgesia in the ED that is simple, effective, and without known significant risks that are associated with other modalities of treatment.
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Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians routinely treat breastfeeding patients. Physicians frequently recommend pumping and dumping milk for perceived safety risks. We hypothesized that the majority of the most commonly ordered medications in the emergency department (ED) are safe for breastfeeding patients. Accordingly, we performed a comprehensive safety analysis of the commonly ordered medications and provided an algorithm for EM physicians to utilize when treating breastfeeding patient in the ED. ⋯ The majority of medications utilized in the acute setting are compatible with breastfeeding. There should be limited circumstances to advise pumping and dumping in the ED.