J Emerg Med
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Pesticides are highly toxic to human beings, and pesticide poisoning is associated with high morbidity and mortality. The identification of powerful prognostic markers is important for the management of patients with pesticide poisoning in emergency settings. ⋯ Leukocyte counts, neutrophil counts, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratios measured within the first 24 h after admission to the ED are useful and easy-to-use parameters for estimating prognosis in the follow-up of patients with pesticide poisoning.
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Management of critically ill patients in austere environments is a logistic challenge. Availability of oxygen cylinders for the mechanically ventilated patient may be difficult in such a context. A solution is to use a ventilator able to function with an oxygen concentrator. ⋯ The ability of an oxygen concentrator to deliver high FiO2 when used with a turbine ventilator makes this method of oxygen delivery a viable alternative to cylinders in austere environments when used with a turbine ventilator. However, FiO2 has to be monitored continuously because delivered FiO2 decreases when minute ventilation is increased.
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To many physicians, hyperkalemia is the first diagnosis ascribed to any patient with end-stage renal disease and abnormal electrocardiographic morphologies or dysrhythmias. ⋯ An emergency physician's differential diagnosis of sudden cardiac arrest in the patient with end-stage renal disease should not be limited to hyperkalemia and myocardial infarction. Hypokalemia should also be considered. Hypokalemia may be an under-recognized cause of sudden cardiac death in this patient population.