Articles: patients.
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A 9-year-old girl accidentally injected her right thumb with an adult dose of epinephrine through an auto-injector syringe, delivering 0.3 mg of 1:1000 epinephrine. This injection caused immediate ischemic changes in the digit. ⋯ This report compares the management of a pediatric case to that of all reported adult cases of accidental subcutaneous epinephrine injections. This case suggests a pattern of infiltration with low-dose phentolamine that may be the most effective form of treatment for this condition in a patient of any age.
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The rural hospital environment differs from the urban hospital environment in that there are fewer physicians available to share the workload and to help out in an emergency. When a rural physician on call for emergency writes admission orders rather than disturb the patient's family physician, that rural physician accepts full responsibility for the patient until the patient's physician actually examines the patient and assumes care.
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In randomized controlled trials, inhaled nitric oxide failed to provide significant clinical benefit in patients with acute lung injury. Despite temporary improvement in oxygenation, inhaled nitric oxide neither improved survival, nor decreased length of mechanical ventilation. ⋯ Inhalation of prostacyclin and prostaglandin E1, respectively, has been associated with an improvement in oxygenation and a decrease in pulmonary artery pressure. Prospective randomized trials are warranted to assess the impact of inhaled prostaglandins on the outcome of patients with acute lung injury.
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To determine whether the addition of intravenous dexamethasone to standard emergency department (ED) migraine therapy would decrease the incidence of severe recurrent headache 24 to 48 hours after initial treatment. ⋯ Migraine recurrence is common after "successful" ED treatment. Inflammation may be a critical factor in migraine genesis. Intravenous dexamethasone decreases the incidence of severe recurrent headache after ED treatment and should be offered to patients thought to be at risk of recurrent headache.