Emergency Medicine - Adult and Pediatric
RSSArticles
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Elder Abuse
Elder abuse is a substantial public health concern with devastating consequences for its victims. The authors highlight the characteristic findings and management strategies to protect our oldest patients.
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Recognizing, Managing, and Reporting Pediatric Sexual Abuse and Assault
Child sexual abuse is a common concern for patients presenting to the emergency department. The approach depends not only on the age and development of the child, but also the allegations, time since the contact occurred, and the child's symptoms. It is imperative that all clinicians are familiar with the optimal approach and evaluation of a child with alleged sexual abuse.
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Constipation: Adult and Pediatric Considerations
Constipation is a common diagnosis in the emergency department (ED) that has been steadily increasing in prevalence over the past several decades. As the morbidity and healthcare costs from this condition increase, it is important that ED physicians be aware of the workup, management, and potential complications of this common condition in adults and children alike.
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Hypothermia and Frostbite
Hypothermia is a medical emergency that requires immediate attention and correction. For patients with environmental exposures, especially freezing ambient temperatures, cold water, snow, and ice, frostbite injuries are of significant concern.
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Managing Pott’s Puffy Tumor and Sinogenic or Otogenic Intracranial Empyema
Following the COVID-19 pandemic, the incidence of sinogenic and otogenic intracranial empyemas increased. The author reviews the presentation, imaging, and treatment for this potentially life-threatening infection, with a reminder to keep this on your differential when evaluating your youngest patients.
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Falls in Older Adults
Falls cause significant morbidity and mortality among older adult patients compared to younger patients. When treating a patient who has fallen, the emergency medicine physician should identify traumatic injuries and evaluate for medical pathology contributing to the fall, as well as manage the patient.
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Scarlet Fever and Invasive Streptococcal Disease
While most physicians are familiar with the common presentations of streptococcal infections (e.g., pharyngitis, impetigo), it is important to recognize the carrier state, learn management of common complications (e.g., peritonsillar abscess), and identify the potentially serious, and perhaps deadly, complications and invasive infections.
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Envenomations Update
This article will give an overview of medically important non-marine envenomations in the United States, including their clinical manifestations, treatment, and disposition.
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Identifying and Managing Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
Rocky Mountain spotted fever is an infectious disease that may be rapidly fatal if not rapidly recognized based on clinical findings and early institution of appropriate antibiotic therapy. The epidemiologic shift of this disease makes it important for all healthcare providers to be familiar with the current status, clinical presentation, and therapy for Rocky Mountain spotted fever.
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Ketamine: Old Drug, New Uses
Ketamine is a dissociative medication, the only one in its class. Most commonly used as a general anesthetic, it permits patients to tolerate acutely uncomfortable procedures while maintaining most brainstem function, such as breathing and perfusion.