Acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) occurs when blood flow to the small intestines is not sufficient for normal bowel function. AMI is a high-risk diagnosis that carries an extremely high mortality…
Medications used in atrial fibrillation with rapid ventricular response (RVR) include: Calcium channel blockers (CCBs), Beta-blockers...
Venous thromboembolism (VTE), which includes deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), is responsible for more than 250,000 annual hospitalizations in the United States, with significant risk for morbidity…
For an average adult, water accounts for 60% of total body mass. However, this percentage decreases as the percentage of fat increases since fat has a lower water content than…
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is an increasingly popular technology that is used as a modified cardiopulmonary bypass in order to oxygenate blood externally. First demonstrated in the 1970s, it has…
Anaphylaxis is a serious systemic IgE-dependent immunologic hypersensitivity reaction, potentially fatal without early detection and management. Anaphylaxis tends to be underrecognized and undertreated with a lifetime prevalence based on international…
This exam takes a three-step bedside protocol to assess a critically ill patient’s cardiovascular status (“the pump”), intravascular volume status (“the tank”), and vascular integrity (“the pipes”)...
In 2005, the American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiovascular care introduced therapeutic hypothermia to the post–return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) algorithm in comatose patients. This…
Achieving return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after a cardiac arrest is one of the most satisfying and encouraging experiences in emergency medicine. It can be easy to forget that work…
Cardiac arrest (CA) can be defined as the acute loss of heart function, either instantaneously or following a range of symptoms, ultimately leading to an arrest of circulation.