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.
Patients with COVID-19 can require supplemental oxygen for acute hypoxemic respiratory failure. While international guidelines recommend a target SpO2 between 90-96%, a safe oxygenation...
Resuscitations are often chaotic events. How we perform under pressure can make the difference between life and death. In this podcast we discuss a...
Hyponatremia is one of the most common electrolyte disorders encountered in emergency medicine and critical care. Patients with hyponatremic encephalopathy represent a severe form...