Tag: Intubation

Background Information: Obtaining definitive control of the airway, when indicated, is the responsibility of the emergency medicine physician. Traditionally patients were managed on the ventilator with lung volumes of 10 – 15 ml/kg. However, that practice is long-outdated and patients …

Background: Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) induction agent selection remains a heavily debated matter. Etomidate causes adrenal suppression in critically ill patients triggering a groundswell of support in favor of ketamine. (Albert 2011, Jabre 2009) However, the existing literature comparing etomidate …

Background: Hypoxemia is a commonly encountered adverse event during rapid sequence intubation (RSI) in the ED.  Critically ill patients in the ED often have a lack of physiologic reserve, decreased cardiac output, increased shunting, and reduced pulmonary reserves.  Therefore, a …

Background: The use of ketamine and etomidate for induction in rapid sequence intubation is heavily debated. The Ketased Trial (Jabre 2009) reported no significant difference between the two induction agents. However, recently the National Emergency Airway Registry reported ketamine is …

Background:  Some of the feared complications of endotracheal intubation include hypotension, cardiac arrest, and death (cardiovascular collapse).  These complications can result from numerous causes including medication-induced vasodilation and decreased venous return to the heart due to increased intrathoracic pressure from …