Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Multicenter Study
Anxiety and depression are unrecognised in emergency patients admitted to the observation care unit.
To assess the sensitivity and specificity of emergency physicians in detecting anxiety and depression in patients requiring admission to the emergency department (ED) observation care unit for complementary investigations/treatment. ⋯ Although patients presenting to the ED often experience anxiety and depression, these symptoms are poorly detected by ED physicians.
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Multicenter Study
Impact of the Surviving Sepsis Campaign on the recognition and management of severe sepsis in the emergency department: are we failing?
Severe sepsis/septic shock (SS/SS) has a high mortality. The past decade lays witness to a concerted international effort to tackle this problem through the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC). However, bundle delivery remains problematic. In 2009, the College of Emergency Medicine (CEM) set out guidelines for the management of SS/SS. These set the standards for this audit. ⋯ The SSC has had some impact; however, there is still a long way to go. It is assumed that the picture is similar in EDs across the UK and recommendations are made based on these local findings.
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Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) disruptions are common injuries that currently hold a fearsome reputation among athletes of all abilities and disciplines. Indeed, if the diagnosis is missed at first presentation, it is difficult to attribute ongoing instability and recurrent injury to an ACL tear. Classically, patients then often improve shortly before repeatedly reinjuring their knee. ⋯ Once diagnosed, the responsibility of advising and further counselling of patients with ACL injuries is best left to the orthopaedic knee specialist. Family practitioners and emergency room doctors should not feel pressured to offer advice on specialist areas such as return to sports without reconstruction or indeed the need for reconstruction. Indeed, decisions to return to sports with ACL-deficient knees have all too often led to disastrous reinjury events to the articular cartilage and/or the menisci.