Hospital Medicine Alert – June 1, 2012
June 1, 2012
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ICU Bed Availability Appears to Influence Goals of Care but not Hospital Mortality
When fewer ICU beds were available, patients experiencing a medical emergency team call were less likely to be admitted to the ICU and more likely to have their goals of care changed. -
Factors that Increase Risk for ICU Readmission: Implications for ICU Discharge Practices
A significant risk factor for ICU readmission is the illness severity (acute physiology score) associated with persistent physiological abnormalities at ICU discharge, regardless of initial ICU admission illness severity. -
CT Coronary Angiography in ER Patients with Chest Pain
Patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain are often admitted to "rule out" myocardial infarction (MI). Many of the patients are subsequently found to have noncardiac causes of chest pain. -
PFO Closure for Cryptogenic Stroke?
Some patients who experience stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) of unknown cause (i.e., cryptogenic) are subsequently found to have a patent foramen ovale (PFO). -
The Future of Prehospital Treatment of Convulsive Status Epilepticus
Early cessation of prehospital seizures via an intramuscular injection of midazolam was at least noninferior, if not superior, to traditional intravenous lorazepam.