Rapid Ultrasonography in Shock: A Lifesaving ED Tool

Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Events, Featured Procedure, medical procedures
More Tags – featured procedure, HPC updates, RUSH Exams
Rapid Ultrasonography in Shock:  Is this really useful? Caring for patients with undifferentiated hypotension, causes anxiety for most health care providers.  This is natural.  Fear, however, must not lead to hesitation or poor decision-making.  Therapies chosen early in shock disproportionately…
Read More

Rapid Influenza Diagnostic Tests Have High False Negative Rates

Patient Sleeping with Nurse in Mechanical Ventilation Cours
Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Emergency Procedures, Featured, Medical General, medical procedures, Respiratory diseases
More Tags – ARDS, featured, HPC updates, influenza
We are in the midst of an aggressive influenza season right now that should continue into March, so it is nice to review the testing accuracy of standard influenza point-of-care tests that are commonly used.  There are many Rapid Influenza Diagnostic…
Read More

IV Contrast CT Scans Do Not Significantly Increase the Risk of Acute Kidney Injury

Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Featured, Hospital Procedures, medical procedures, Nephrology
More Tags – acute kidney injury, CT scan, featured, HPC updates
Researchers from the Mayo Clinic Rochester performed a retrospective study of data from 5758 adults with chronic kidney disease (CKD; stages 1−5) who underwent either noncontrast CT or iodixanol-enhanced contrast CT and who had pre- and post-CT serum creatinine measurements. All of…
Read More

King Tube Airways are Excellent Rescue Airways for Both EMS and Medical Personnel

Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Endotracheal Intubation, Featured Procedure, King Tube, Laryngeal Mask Airway, Mechanical Ventilation, medical procedures, Respiratory diseases
More Tags – airway management, difficult airway management, HPC updates, intermediate airways, King tubes
King Tube Airways are Excellent Rescue Airways for Both EMS and Medical Personnel If you are faced with a patient who needs a secure airway and respiratory stabilization, I still believe that endotracheal intubation is the airway of choice.  Nevertheless,…
Read More

Early Transexamic Acid Decreases Severe Bleeding in Major Trauma Patients or After Childbirth

Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Emergency Procedures, Featured, Gastrointestinal diseases, Ginecology, medical procedures, Traumatology
More Tags – HPC updates, Major trauma, postpartum hemorrhage, TXA
Tranexamic acid (TXA) has been shown to decrease deaths from acute severe bleeding. To determine if time to treatment is associated with the effectiveness of TXA, these authors conducted a systematic review and only two trials met their criteria: the…
Read More

Steroids of No Benefit for Severe Alcoholic Hepatitis

Joseph Esherick, M.D., FAAFP, FHM
More Articles – Endocrinology, Featured, Gastrointestinal diseases, Hospital Procedures
More Tags – alcoholic hepatitis, hepatitis, HPC updates, steroids
Severe alcoholic hepatitis as defined by a Maddrey’s Discriminant Function [MDF] score, >32 can carry risk for 1-month mortality of greater than 50%. Current AASLD guidelines recommend corticosteroids (prednisolone 40 mg daily for 28 days) for patients with severe acute…
Read More