Acute mental status changes after the ingestion of alcohol or other substances are a common presentation to the ED. Those with severe obtundation may require intubation for airway protection while the substance metabolizes. In fact, more than 20,000 patients are intubated each year in the United States for acute poisoning or intoxication. Notwithstanding, intubation and mechanical ventilation are not benign procedures. In this podcast we discuss the recently published NICO Trial, that evaluated a strategy of withholding intubation in patients with coma due to acute poisoning.
Emergency medicine, critical care, and acute care providers evaluate, resuscitate, and manage patients with shock on a daily basis. Despite initial efforts, a select...
In 2009 and 2013 investigators published studies that demonstrated improved outcomes in patients with IHCA who received vasopressin and steroids in addition to epinephrine. ...
Mechanically ventilating the patient with a severe asthma exacerbation is fraught with peril. Incorrect settings for tidal volume, respiratory rate, pressure triggers, or inspiratory...