Articles: emergency-department.
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Emerg Med Australas · Feb 2024
What is the prevalence of orthostatic hypotension in an Australasian emergency department population?
Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is associated with increased morbidity and there is limited research on the prevalence in the Australian ED population. The aim was to determine the prevalence of OH in an Australian ED population. Secondary outcomes included any associations of OH with symptoms, presenting complaints, patient demographics, or hospital admission, and the timing of OH findings. ⋯ In this single Australian ED population, there was a high prevalence of OH (22.1%) with most cases detected within 3 min of standing. A higher-powered study across multiple sites would better substantiate these findings.
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Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a rare but life-threatening diagnosis in infants presenting with bilious emesis, abdominal distension, or bloody stools. Ultrasonography has been advocated as an alternative initial imaging modality to abdominal radiography, and may be superior in the evaluation of NEC. We describe the use of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) in the evaluation of suspected NEC in the emergency department (ED) when the ability to obtain immediate abdominal x-ray (AXR) was delayed due to pandemic conditions. ⋯ NEC is a rare, but potentially surgical diagnosis in infants as can be FPIES, but not milk protein allergy. NEC can be identifiable using PoCUS to search for a constellation of findings that include pneumatosis intestinalis, pneumoperitoneum, free peritoneal fluid, and portal venous gas. These findings have been previously described in the PoCUS literature for other diseases, but not for a case of suspected NEC presenting to the ED.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Pain and Satisfaction Perceptions of Ultrasound-Guided Versus Conventional Peripheral Intravenous Catheterization: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
While many emergency department (ED) patients need peripheral vascular catheterization, diagnosis and treatment are often delayed by difficult intravenous access (DIVA). ⋯ US-guided peripheral intravenous catheterization improves ED patient care, as it requires fewer catheterization attempts. It is especially recommended for patients with DIVA.