Emergency Medicine Alert articles from April 2002

Emergency Medicine Alert archives from April 2002

Pertussis on the rise--atypical infections increasingly common. (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2002... Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Pertussis--United States, 1997-2000. MMWR Morb Mort Weekly Rep 2002;51:73-76. THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION TRACKS the number of pertussis cases reported by state...

Acute dyspnea: diagnostic role of the B-natriuretic peptide assay. (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2002... Source: Morrison LK, et al. Utility of a rapid B-natriuretic peptide assay in differentiating congestive heart failure from lung disease in patients presenting with dyspnea. J Am Coll Cardiol 2002;39:202-209. ACUTE SHORTNESS OF BREATH IS...

Oral vs. IM steroids as supplementary treatment for exudative pharyngitis. (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2002... Source: Marvez-Valls EG, et al. A randomized clinical trial of oral versus intramuscular delivery of steroids in acute exudative pharyngitis. Acad Emerg Med 2002;9:9-14. PREVIOUS WORK HAS SUGGESTED THAT A SINGLE DOSE of intramuscular (IM)...

Screening for renal insufficiency in ED patients with severe hypertension. (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2002... Source: Karras DJ, et al. Urine dipstick as a screening test for serum creatinine elevation in emergency department patients with severe hypertension. Acad Emerg Med 2002; 9:27-34. AS MANY AS 32% OF PATIENTS SEEKING CARE IN urban emergency...

Dislocation of the carpometacarpal joints. (Special Feature).
April 1, 2002... THE CARPOMETACARPAL (CMC) JOINTS OF THE HAND, excluding the thumb, are extremely stable joints with relatively limited motion. They have significant bony and ligamentous supports that fix them in position. As a result, isolated dislocations are...

Physician CME questions.(continuing medical education)
April 1, 2002... 27. Which of the following is not true regarding pertussis? a. The incidence has risen in all age groups. b. Vaccination confers life-long immunity. c. Adults generally have atypical presentations. d. Diagnosis requires...

VT with no heart disease? (ECG Review).(ventricular tachycardia)
April 1, 2002... Clinical Scenario: The wide-complex tachycardia (WCT) shown in the Figure was obtained from a 40-year-old man with schizophrenia, but no other medical problems. He had no other evidence of heart disease. What is the rhythm likely to be? Is...