The Clinical Scenario A 35-year-old professor presents to the emergency department with marked dyspnea. He reports a history of asthma, for which he takes salbutamol, which is his only medication. Over the past 3 years, he has been coughing and wheezing with increasing severity. He has been using his inhaler every two hours with minimal effect. En route to the ED, EMS administered 10 mg of nebulised salbutamol. Upon arrival, the patient appears …
A Basic, Practical Approach to Toxicology
A 16-year-old girl is found in her bedroom unresponsive by her mother. The patient had texted her friends earlier in the day, telling them that she was going to “go away forever.” The mother reports that her daughter has a history of depression and several episodes of self-harm but no previous overdose attempts. Her mother believes that the patient is distraught as a result of a recent breakup with her boyfriend. EMS personnel …
EM Cases Classics: Pediatric Abdominal Pain and Appendicitis
Our latest collaboration will see the publication of classic episodes of Emergency Medicine Cases published on CanadiEM. Emergency Medicine Cases is an exceptional podcast developed by fellow Canadian emergency physician, Dr. Anton Helman. In the second episode of Emergency Medicine Cases Classics on CanadiEM, Anton discusses pediatric abdominal pain and appendicitis. -CanadiEM Editor Brent Thoma Pediatric abdominal pain can be an extremely challenging presentation. Children are not able to provide us with as clear …
EM Cases Classics: IV Iron for Anemia in the ED
For years we’ve been transfusing red cells in the ED to patients who don’t actually need them. A Canadian study looking at trends in transfusion practice in the ED found that about 1/2 of transfusions given were deemed unnecessary. We’re simply transfusing blood way too much! Could we just give our patients IV Iron for anemia?