Medical Category: Cardiovascular

Now that I am working up in the ICU, one of the devices that I am frequently coming across is the Impella device.  This is not something we get much training on downstairs in the ED.  Below is a summary …

Take Home Points Emergency medicine revolves around the differential diagnosis History and physical exam should significantly narrow your differential diagnosis Have an idea of what specific diagnoses are being ruled out when ordering diagnostic tests Always consider the most life-threatening and …

Take Home Points Break the differentials down into bad & painless, bad & painful, and other causes – WOMAN-PE Cardiac causes – mechanical or electrical – look for the obvious and 5 non-obvious causes (WPW, HCOM, ARVD, prolonged QT, and …

Take Home Points Be prepared to do everything with these cases, if they can’t provide information, dive into their medication list, history, contact whoever you have to to get more information Keep differentials wide – then approach these cases with …

Take Home Points Take chest pain seriously – ACS and PE patients don’t always appear ill – look for the silent killer cases Remember 4-2-1 approach to chest pain = 4 chambers, 2 lungs, 1 esophagus EKG’s – get an old …