Tactical Medicine News Blog

The 800 question (and growing) Quiz Vault has been designed by a development team over the past year so that you can quickly and easily get test-enhanced learning at your fingertips for free. Build your own customized quiz by episode, by year and by medical field. Sign in once and you're ready to go. Quizzes on individual episodes can also be accessed at the bottom of the show notes for that particular episode with one click. You receive instant feedback for every multiple choice question you answer with a detailed explanation and your quiz scores are displayed for your eyes only compared to the community averages. Whether you're studying for an exam or need to brush up on Pediatric EM because your ED doesn't see many pediatric patient, or you just want to make sure you etch all the practice enhancing pearls from the EM Cases main episode podcasts, The Quiz Vault will help you on your path to b the best EM provider you can be! The post EM Cases Quiz Vault Launch! appeared first on Emergency Medicine Cases.

In this podcast we discuss the key concepts in assessing drug efficacy trials, and provide you with a bottom line recommendation for the use of gabapentinoids, NSAIDs and acetaminophen for low back pain and radicular symptoms, topical NSAIDs and cyclobenzaprine for sprains and strains, caffeine as an adjunct analgesic, why we should never prescribe tramadol, dexamethasone for pharyngitis, calcium channel blockers for hemorrhoids and anal fissures, buscopan for abdominal pain and renal colic and why morphine might be a better analgesic choice than hydromorphone... The post Ep 126 EM Drugs That Work and Drugs That Don’t – Part 1: Analgesics appeared first on Emergency Medicine Cases.

In this podcast we discuss the key concepts in assessing drug efficacy trials, and provide you with a bottom line recommendation for the use of gabapentinoids, NSAIDs and acetaminophen for low back pain and radicular symptoms, topical NSAIDs and cyclobenzaprine for sprains and strains, caffeine as an adjunct analgesic, why we should never prescribe tramadol, dexamethasone for pharyngitis, calcium channel blockers for hemorrhoids and anal fissures, buscopan for abdominal pain and renal colic and why morphine might be a better analgesic choice than hydromorphone... The post Ep 126 EM Drugs That Work and Drugs That Don’t – Part 1: Analgesics appeared first on Emergency Medicine Cases.

Mechanical Ventilation is a modality commonly used in the critically ill, but many providers, may not have a strong understanding of the basics of mechanical ventilation. Emergency Medicine and Critical Care Physicians need to have a firm grasp of the basic concepts of mechanical ventilation because without it, we can do serious harm to our patients. Airway management is not complete once the endotracheal tube is placed through the cords, and the proper selection of both the ventilator mode and initial settings is essential to ensure your patient has the best possible outcomes. You should not simply rely on the respiratory therapist to know your patients physiology. Clear communication with your therapist about the patient’s physiology and initial ventilator setting is crucial.

[Click for larger view] Chief Complaint: Pain with swallowing History of Present Illness: A 43-year-old male presented to the emergency department with progressing pain upon swallowing. He described a sensation of food becoming stuck and creating a fullness in his chest. Review of symptoms was positive for dyspnea on exertion worsening over several months, but negative for cough, fevers, or weight change. He reported no medical history and had recently emigrated from Guatemala where he worked as a well digger.