Browse Emergency Medicine General Articles by Topic

Cardiac Arrest in Young Athletes

Sudden cardiac death in athletes is a rare but potentially fatal event where the heart suddenly stops beating because of electrical disturbances or underlying heart conditions during physical activity.

Evaluation and Management of Abnormal Uterine Bleeding in Nonpregnant Patients: A Detailed Review

Vaginal bleeding in the nonpregnant patient may be due to various etiologies, including structural abnormalities, dysfunctional bleeding, disorders of menstruation, trauma, or coagulopathy. Emergency department assessment and management includes a thorough history and physical examination, stabilization, diagnostic studies, treatment, and appropriate disposition.

Movement Disorder Emergencies: Serotonin Syndrome and Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome

Serotonin syndrome and neuroleptic malignant syndrome are both potentially life-threatening conditions caused by medications. They present with altered mental status, autonomic dysfunction, and neuromuscular abnormalities. Despite overlapping features, they differ in etiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment.

Wrist and Finger Dislocations

Injuries to the wrist and fingers, although frequently overshadowed in polytrauma care, demand precise assessment and timely intervention to prevent long-term functional impairment. In this issue, the authors provide a thorough and clinically focused review of these often-complex dislocations, emphasizing both anatomical understanding and evidence-based management strategies relevant to emergency medicine providers.

Evaluation and Management of Diplopia in the Emergency Department

Diplopia is an uncommon presenting complaint in the emergency department that can be associated with life- and vision-threatening diagnoses. Comprehensive management typically requires an interdisciplinary team, often including both ophthalmology and neurology. This article provides emergency physicians with an organized resource that they can quickly reference for guidance on the assessment, management, and disposition of diplopia patients.

Pediatric Abdominal Trauma

Abdominal trauma is a common occurrence, and acute care clinicians must be familiar with the evaluation and management of children with potential abdominal injuries. The authors provide a comprehensive diagnostic and therapeutic approach to this population with the goal of optimizing their outcome.

An Approach to Palliative Care in the Emergency Department

Emergency physicians play a critical role in recognizing the need for and initiating early palliative care interventions, often at the most pivotal moments in a patient’s illness. By addressing symptoms such as dyspnea, pain, nausea, and constipation early and effectively, and by guiding conversations around goals of care, emergency providers can greatly enhance the quality of life for patients with serious or terminal illnesses.

Update on Emergency Department Sedation

Procedural sedation is an important and required skill for emergency medicine providers. Performing procedural sedation allows providers to safely perform multiple procedures, such as reductions, suturing, and cardioversion. Multiple agents can be used for procedural sedation and should be chosen based on desired length of sedation and comorbidities, as well as the physician’s level of comfort.

Outpatient Management of Venous Thromboembolism Diagnosed in the ED

Venous thromboembolism, which includes deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, is a common presentation in the emergency department. A systematic approach, incorporating the patient’s history, risk factors, physical examination findings, and validated risk stratification tools, can effectively guide diagnostic evaluation. Many patients with venous thromboembolism can be safely managed in the outpatient setting.

Toxic Alcohols: Mechanisms, Presentation, Evaluation, and Management

It is critical to have a high index of suspicion for toxic alcohol toxicity to make an accurate and timely diagnosis. This, in turn, facilitates expeditious treatment that may prevent morbidity and mortality in these patients.