Academic emergency medicine : official journal of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
-
The majority of chest pain admissions originate in the emergency department (ED). Despite a low incidence of cardiac events, limited telemetry availability, and its questionable benefit, these patients are routinely admitted to a monitored setting. ⋯ Telemetry may be a "cost-effective" use of health care resources for chest pain patients when patients have a probability of ACS above 3% or for patients with a minimal delay and cost associated with obtaining a monitored bed. Further research is needed to better stratify low-risk chest pain patients to the appropriate inpatient setting and to understand the frequency and costs associated with delays in obtaining monitored beds.
-
Biography Historical Article
The Biology of Emergency Medicine: what have 30 years meant for Rosen's original concepts?
In 1979 Peter Rosen, MD, a leading academic figure in the developing field of emergency medicine (EM), wrote an article, "The Biology of Emergency Medicine," in response to criticism from other specialties and medical leaders that there was no unique biology of EM that would qualify it as a legitimate medical specialty. This essay received much attention at the time and served as rallying cry for emergency physicians (EPs) who were trying to find their places in the house of medicine and especially in medical schools and academic teaching hospitals. ⋯ Many of Rosen's predictions on the eventual success of EM have come true. However, core issues that existed then continue to present challenges for academic EM and clinical emergency practice.
-
Early surface cooling of burns reduces pain and depth of injury and improves healing. However, there are concerns that cooling of large burns may result in hypothermia and worsen outcomes. In contrast, controlled mild hypothermia improves outcomes after cardiac arrest and traumatic brain injury. The authors hypothesized that controlled mild hypothermia would prolong survival in a rat model of large scald burns. ⋯ Induction of brief, mild hypothermia prolongs survival and increases the survival rate in nonresuscitated rats with large scald burns.