Browse Emergency Medicine General Articles by Topic

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.

Right Upper Quadrant Pain in the ED

Right upper quadrant abdominal pain is a frequently encountered chief complaint in the emergency department and requires methodical evaluation. Emergency physicians face the challenge of distinguishing between a broad range of potential etiologies, from benign conditions to life-threatening emergencies.

Colonic Emergencies

Abdominal pain is one of the most frequent chief complaints an emergency clinician will evaluate. Some of the most frequently encountered colonic emergencies, including large bowel obstruction, acute colonic pseudo-obstruction, diverticulitis, toxic megacolon, scybala, volvulus, hemorrhoids, rectal prolapse, and constipation, will be reviewed in this article.

Evaluation and Management of Anaphylaxis in the Emergency Department

This article will present the most current information for diagnosing allergic reactions and anaphylaxis and how to treat them properly.

Understanding Myocarditis, COVID-19 Infection, and COVID-19 Vaccines

Although myocarditis is rare, interest has increased in recent years because of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 vaccinations both being associated with its development. This review article will trace the history of myocarditis from the pre-COVID-19 era to the present day.

Acute Abdominal Pain in Older Adults

Abdominal pain is a common chief complaint for patients presenting to an emergency department. This article will discuss history and physical exam findings, diagnostic tools, and analgesia, as well as several, but not all, pathologies that can cause acute abdominal pain in an older adult.

The Fourth Trimester: Emergencies in the Postpartum Period

The most common causes of maternal death in the postpartum period include infection, hemorrhage, cardiomyopathy, and mental health-related conditions.

‘Doc, I Can’t See’: The Emergency Medicine Approach to Acute Atraumatic Vision Loss

This article will discuss the various emergent causes of vision loss, including necessary diagnostic testing, imaging, and needed interventions and consultations. Most importantly, emergency medicine clinicians must be sensitive to the goal of restoration and preservation of as much vision as possible.