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 physicians intubate critically ill patients daily. Unfortunately, up to 17% of ED intubations can be complicated by peri-intubation hypoxemia, hypotension, and cardiac arrest....
In this episode, we review the critical pearls and pitfalls in ventilating the post cardiac arrest patient. Are lung protective strategies useful? What is...
Neurocritical Care guru Dr. Evie Marcolini is back to review recent literature and practice changes in the management of patients with acute ischemic stroke. ...