Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
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Dyspnea is one of the most common emergency department (ED) symptoms, but early diagnosis and treatment are challenging because of multiple potential causes. Impedance cardiography (ICG) is a noninvasive method to measure hemodynamics that may assist in early ED decision making. ⋯ Impedance cardiography data result in significant changes in ED physician diagnosis and therapeutic plan during the evaluation of dyspneic patients 65 years and older.
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To determine common themes in faculty and peer feedback for emergency medicine (EM) resident oral presentations. ⋯ The authors present a model for providing feedback to EM residents on communication skills that is individualized, behavior based, and includes peer comments. Faculty and peers differ in their recommendations. The findings may inform communication skills curricula for EM residents.
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To determine whether suicide mortality rates for a cohort of patients seen and subsequently discharged from the ED for a suicide-related complaint were higher than for ED comparison groups. ⋯ The suicide rate among these ED patients is higher than population-based estimates. Rates among patients with suicidal ideation, overdose, or self-harm are especially high, supporting policies that mandate psychiatric interventions in all cases.
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To describe and analyze the intubating conditions and hemodynamic effects of etomidate in patients undergoing rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the emergency department. ⋯ Etomidate appears to provide appropriate intubating conditions in a heterogeneous group of patients undergoing RSI in the emergency department. Hemodynamic stability appears to be present following administration of this agent, even in patients with low pre-RSI blood pressure. This attribute must be weighed against potential adverse effects of this agent, including adrenal suppression.