Emergency Medicine Alert articles from April 2003

Emergency Medicine Alert archives from April 2003

Observation safe in low-risk, cocaine-related chest pain. (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2003... Source: Weber JE, et al. Validation of a brief observation period for patients with cocaine-associated chest pain. N Engl J Med 2003;348:510. COCAINE USE CAN CAUSE BOTH ACUTE AND CHRONIC CARDIOVASCULAR disease and complications, including...

Should trauma intubations be performed in the field? (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2003... Source: Bochicchio GV, et al. Endotracheal intubation in the field does not improve outcome in trauma patients who present without an acutely lethal brain injury. J Trauma Inj Infect Crit Care 2003;54:307-311. RECENT STUDIES HAVE...

Does high-dose continuous albuterol therapy improve outcome in the ED? (Abstract & Commentary).
April 1, 2003... Source: Stein J, et al. A randomized, controlled double-blind trial of usual-dose versus high-dose albuterol via continuous nebulization in patients with acute bronchospasm. Acad Emerg Med 2003;10:31-36. THIS RANDOMIZED, DOUBLE-BLINDED...

CDC update: smallpox and vaccinia vaccine redux. (Special Feature).
April 1, 2003... Introduction The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently is releasing a large number of doses of vaccinia to health departments across the United States to vaccinate health care workers and emergency responders against...

Physician CME.
April 1, 2003... 28. Based on the study by Weber et al, ED patients who present with cocaine-associated chest discomfort safely can be discharged home after a: a. negative troponin-I level six hours after the onset of symptoms. b. normal pharmacologic...

1[degrees] AV block in lead [V.sub.1]? (ECG Review).
April 1, 2003... Clinical Scenario: The 12-lead ECG shown in the Figure was obtained from an 87-year-old man who was thought to be in sinus tachycardia with 1[degrees] AV block. Would you agree with this assessment of the rhythm? Interpretation: The rhythm...