It is challenging to detect posterior circulation strokes in patients presenting to the emergency department (ED) with acute dizziness. The current approach uses a combinatorial head-impulse, nystagmus, and test-of-skew method and is sensitive enough to differentiate central causes from peripheral ones. However, it is difficult to perform and underused. Further, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is not always available and can have low sensitivity for detecting posterior circulation strokes.
We evaluated the feasibility and utility of the bucket test (BT), which measures the difference between patient's subjective perception of the visual vertical and the true vertical, as a screening tool for stroke in patients presenting to the ED with acute dizziness.
In this work, we prospectively enrolled 81 patients that presented to our academic medical center ED with dizziness as their chief complaint. The BT was performed 3 times for every patient.
Seventy-one patients met the study criteria and were included in the analysis. Ten patients were excluded because of a history of drug-seeking behavior. compound library inhibitor There were no reported difficulties performing the BT. Six patients (8%) were diagnosed with ischemic stroke on MRI and 1 additional patient was diagnosed with transient ischemic attack and found to have a stroke on subsequent MRI. All 7 patients with dizziness attributed to cerebrovascular etiology had an abnormal BT, resulting in a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI] 59-100%). The specificity of the BT was 38% (95% CI 24-52%). The positive predictive value of the BT for detecting stroke was 18% (95% CI 15-21%).
The BT is an easy, cheap, safe, and quick test that is feasible and sensitive to screen acutely dizzy patients for stroke in the ED.
The BT is an easy, cheap, safe, and quick test that is feasible and sensitive to screen acutely dizzy patients for stroke in the ED.
The current ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) vs. non-STEMI (NSTEMI) paradigm prevents some NSTEMI patients with acute coronary occlusion from receiving emergent reperfusion, in spite of their known increased mortality compared with NSTEMI without occlusion. We have proposed a new paradigm known as occlusion MI vs. nonocclusion MI (OMI vs. NOMI).
We aimed to compare the two paradigms within a single population. We hypothesized that STEMI(-) OMI would have characteristics similar to STEMI(+) OMI but longer time to catheterization.
We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively collected acute coronary syndrome population. OMI was defined as an acute culprit and either TIMI 0-2 flow or TIMI 3 flow plus peak troponin T>1.0ng/mL. We collected electrocardiograms, demographic characteristics, laboratory results, angiographic data, and outcomes.
Among 467 patients, there were 108 OMIs, with only 60% (67 of 108) meeting STEMI criteria. Median peak troponin T for the STEMI(+) OMI, STEMI(-) OMI, and no occlusion groups were 3.78 (interquartile range [IQR] 2.18-7.63), 1.87 (IQR 1.12-5.48), and 0.00 (IQR 0.00-0.08). Median time from arrival to catheterization was 41min (IQR 23-86min) for STEMI(+) OMI compared with 437min (IQR 85-1590min) for STEMI(-) OMI (p<0.001). STEMI(+) OMI was more likely than STEMI(-) OMI to undergo catheterization within 90min (76% vs. 28%; p<0.001).
STEMI(-) OMI patients had significant delays to catheterization but adverse outcomes more similar to STEMI(+) OMI than those with no occlusion. These data support the OMI/NOMI paradigm and the importance of further research into emergent reperfusion for STEMI(-) OMI.
STEMI(-) OMI patients had significant delays to catheterization but adverse outcomes more similar to STEMI(+) OMI than those with no occlusion. These data support the OMI/NOMI paradigm and the importance of further research into emergent reperfusion for STEMI(-) OMI.
Bupropion is not known to have direct serotonin agonism or inhibit serotonin reuptake. In spite of this, it has been implicated as a causative agent of serotonin syndrome. We highlight two cases of single-agent bupropion overdose that subsequently met the diagnosis of serotonin syndrome by the Hunter criteria, despite the absence of direct serotonergic agents. CASE 1 A 14-year-old boy intentionally ingested an estimated 30 bupropion 75-mg immediate-release tablets. He presented in status epilepticus, was intubated, and was placed on midazolam and fentanyl infusions. He developed tremor, ankle clonus, and agitation. He was administered cyproheptadine for presumed serotonin syndrome with temporal improvement in his symptoms. CASE 2 A 19-year-old woman intentionally ingested an estimated 53 bupropion 150-mg extended-release tablets. She had a seizure and required sedation and intubation. During her course, she developed hyperthermia, inducible clonus, and hyperreflexia. She was treated with cyproheptadine withulted in a clinical presentation consistent with serotonin syndrome, with the first having a temporal improvement after treatment with cyproheptadine. Physicians need to be aware of the potential serotonergic activity of bupropion for accurate assessment and treatment of this dangerous condition.
Endotracheal intubation is an essential basic skill for emergency physicians. The procedure can cause complications that should be recognized. Awareness and early identification of complications are needed to allow early intervention to optimize outcomes. The risk factors for tracheal perforation during intubation are typically related to the physician skill and experience and to the patient's comorbidities, including body habitus and chronic use of certain medications.
We report a case of a 45-year-old man with renal transplant on tacrolimus and prednisolone for 16years. He presented with decreased level of consciousness due to an acute intracranial hemorrhage and was intubated for airway protection. Post intubation, a significant subcutaneous emphysema was noted on the patient's neck and chest, which was subsequently determined to be caused by a tracheal perforation. The management of tracheal injury depends on the size and location of the tear, as well as the patient's clinical status and comorbidities.compound library inhibitor
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