REBELEM Blog

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All Categories
  • All Categories
  • Abdominal and Gastroinstestinal
  • Allergy and Immunology
  • Cardiovascular
  • Dermatology
  • EMS and Disaster
  • Endocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes
  • Environmental
  • Ethical and Legal
  • Head, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat
  • Hematology and Oncology
  • Infectious Disease
  • Neurology
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Orthopedics
  • Pediatrics
  • Procedures and Skills
  • Pyschobehavioral
  • Renal and Genitourinary
  • Resuscitation
  • Thoracic and Respiratory
  • Toxicology
  • Trauma

Left Ventricular Assist Device

The first left ventricular assist device (LVAD) was performed in 1984 and since that time there is an increasingly growing population of patients with LVADs.  This means ED physicians will be seeing more and more of these patients in the ...

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Cardiovascular

Rivaroxaban for Treatment of Symptomatic Pulmonary Embolism

Typically, the treatment of acute pulmonary embolism consists of administration of unfractionated heparin or low molecular weight heparin (i.e. enoxaparin) overlapped with vitamin K antagonists (i.e. warfarin).  This can be a very effective treatment regimen, but also very complex.  New direct ...

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Thoracic and Respiratory

Any Benefit to Sodium Bicarbonate in DKA?

In a prior post, we discussed the use of an initial insulin bolus in the management of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA).  Today we will address another facet of DKA management, for which there is less than optimal evidence and that is: ...

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Endocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes

Intravenous Fluids and Alcohol Intoxication

Frequently, patients with acute alcohol intoxication are brought to the emergency department (ED) for evaluation and treatment.  Although practice patterns vary, it is not an uncommon practice to give normal saline to these patients in the hopes that the saline ...

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Toxicology

Age Adjusted D-Dimer Testing

D-dimer testing is sensitive for thrombus formation, and in patients who are not high risk, this test is used to rule-out venous thromboembolism. D-dimer has been shown to increase with age, which can cause a lower specificity (i.e. more false ...

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Hematology and Oncology

Topical Anesthetic Use on Corneal Abrasions

Patients with corneal abrasions typically come to the emergency department for eye pain.  Most physicians treat these with topical antibiotics, oral analgesia, and for those who are lucky enough 48 – 72 hour follow up with ophthalmology. Oral analgesia does ...

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Head, Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat

ECG Changes of Hyperkalemia

Hyperkalemia is an electrolyte abnormality seen in the emergency department as well as in hospitalized patients and it can be associated with adverse clinical outcomes and death if not treated appropriately. It is important to remember that the electrophysiologic effects ...

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CardiovascularEndocrine, Metabolic, Fluid, and Electrolytes

Diagnosis of Right Ventricular Strain with Transthoracic Echocardiography

Abnormal vital signs are poor predictors of mortality associated with pulmonary embolism (PE).  Diagnosis of PE and right ventricular (RV) strain with transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) however, has been well documented as a predictor for pending shock and significant in-hospital mortality.  ...

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CardiovascularResuscitationThoracic and Respiratory

From Hippocrates to Osler to FOAM

As many know Free Open Access Med(ical Ed)ucation (FOAM) is a concept that was developed in June 2012 at a pub in Ireland. Since its creation FOAM has developed into a collection of constantly evolving, collaborative, and interactive resources and tools ...

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tPA-Associated Angioedema

  For the most part, the biggest concern with administering tPA is the bleeding complications, specifically intracranial hemorrhage. But there is another side effect that is being reported more frequently. I, myself, saw two cases in one week. This side ...

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Neurology

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