Browse Emergency Medicine General Articles by Topic

Review of the AHA Hypertension Update for Emergency Physicians

Hypertension is one of the most common complaints among adult patients presenting to the emergency department. The American Heart Association (AHA) issues periodic guidelines and recommendations for the management of hypertension. This article will focus on the recent AHA scientific statement on the management of hypertension in the acute care setting.

Mass Casualty Incidents

Mass casualty incidents are frightening and challenging for both victims and the healthcare professionals who must provide the highest level of care to the most individuals possible, often in uncertain environments. The authors review critical aspects of mass casualty incidents and the latest evidence regarding optimal care and management for patients and staff.

Tracheostomy Patients in the Emergency Department

Tracheostomies are prone to complications. Most complications are minor and can be readily treated. Serious and life-threatening complications require prompt recognition and expeditious management.

Spinal Cord Compression

Diagnosis and management of acute spinal cord compression can be a challenge for the emergency physician. The clinical presentation can range from intermittent, subtle symptoms to acute loss of motor and/or sensory function. Prompt diagnosis and definitive intervention are crucial to preventing long-term neurologic deficit.

Stroke in Young Adults

Although stroke once was considered primarily a disease of older adults, recent epidemiological data underscore a rising incidence in younger populations worldwide. This article will define the scope of young adult stroke, discuss its epidemiology and pathophysiology, highlight the wide etiological spectrum, delve into clinical diagnostic steps, offer a practical framework for management, and conclude with a summary that emphasizes the persistent practice gap.

Evaluation and Management of Elbow Injuries in the Emergency Department

Elbow injuries continue to be a very common complaint that presents to the emergency department. These injuries involve a complex joint that includes many important structures, with injuries that vary greatly. It is important that emergency medicine clinicians remain prepared to evaluate, diagnose, and treat these various elbow injuries.

Airway Management in Trauma

Rapid assessment and management of the airway in trauma patients is critical, and timely, decisive, and skillful intervention often can make the difference between life and death. Every emergency medicine physician must have an escalating stepwise approach to securing even the most difficult airway. The authors comprehensively review the initial airway assessment, basic and advanced methods and techniques for establishing a definitive airway through endotracheal intubation and surgical airways, airway adjuncts, medications selection, and strategies to address specific factors that complicate airway management in trauma.

Burnout in the Emergency Department

This article examines the unique challenges of burnout in emergency department providers, exploring its impact on individuals, teams, and patient care. After an overview of the phenomenon, including historical trends and current statistics, this article will discuss actionable strategies to mitigate burnout and foster resilience, illustrated through real-world experiences of emergency medicine professionals.

Drugs and Toxins that Produce Delayed Toxicities

Drug overdose is a common chief complaint in the emergency department. Overdose of certain medications or ingestions of toxins should prompt the emergency physician to carefully deliberate on the appropriate next steps and disposition. Furthermore, delayed toxicity may be under-recognized, and delayed management can lead to life-threatening complications, such as arrhythmias and seizures. Managing the poisoned patient can be challenging because clinical effects often are difficult to predict in circumstances that produce toxicity.

Mechanical Thrombectomy for Stroke

Stroke remains a global health crisis, affecting up to one in five individuals in high-income countries and nearly one in two individuals in low-income regions, making it the second leading cause of death worldwide. Advances in endovascular thrombectomy, including mechanical thrombectomy (MT), have revolutionized the management of acute ischemic stroke, offering significant reductions in patient disability and mortality rates.