A 40-year-old gentleman is brought into your Emergency Department by EMS in Pulseless Electrical Activity (PEA) arrest. With CPR in progress, monitors being placed, and epineprine being prepared, both nurses on either side of the patient report they couldn’t get IV access. A third nurse tries. Then a fourth. What should be done next? What is IO access, and when should it be used? Obtaining vascular access to deliver fluids, medications, and blood …
What is the role of systemic thrombolysis in the management of pulmonary embolism?
A previously well 41-year-old woman on OCP presents to the emergency department with acute-onset tachycardia, dyspnea, and leg swelling. While awaiting imaging, she rapidly deteriorates and BP drops to 86/60 (triage BP 134/78). CT shows bilateral pulmonary emboli. Risk Stratification Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a cardiovascular emergency which can result in significant morbidity and mortality for patients.1 It is classified as high risk (formerly “massive”), intermediate (formerly “submassive”), or low risk. High-risk PE …