Toxicologic Hyperthermic Syndromes Mai Takematsu and Rama B. Rao BACKGROUND Elevations in body temperature may be caused by behavioral factors, exertion, infections, endocrinologic conditions, and environmental exposures; as well as…
Induction of Intubation and Sedation of the Mechanically Ventilated Patient Jin H. Han and Pratik Pandharipande BACKGROUND Sedation is the pharmacologic reduction of agitation and anxiety, and it is an…
Seizure and Status Epilepticus Brandon Foreman and Anil Mendiratta BACKGROUND Seizure is a common emergency department (ED) presentation. Seizing patients may arrive actively convulsing, with a depressed level of consciousness,…
Hypothermia Morgan Eutermoser and Jay Lemery BACKGROUND In 2005, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report disclosed that 689 deaths per year in the…
Altitude Emergencies Christopher Davis, Zina Semenovskaya, and Jay Lemery BACKGROUND Altitude illness encompasses a spectrum of clinical entities that occur at elevation as a result of hypobaric hypoxia. While a…
Subarachnoid and Intracerebral Hemorrhage A.L.O. Manoel, Cappy Lay, D. Turkel-Parrella, Joshua Stillman, and Alberto Goffi BACKGROUND Cerebrovascular disease is the fourth leading cause of death in North America and accounts…
Acute Liver Failure and Hepatic Encephalopathy Robert J. Wong and Glen A. Lutchman BACKGROUND Acute liver failure (ALF) is a rare condition characterized by a rapid decline in hepatic synthetic…
Burns and Soft Tissue Infections Carla M. Carvalho and Paul Maggio BURNS Background Each year in the United States, 450,000 people require medical treatment for burns, with 40,000 requiring hospitalization…
Sedation of the Agitated Patient Randall Wood and Jin H. Han BACKGROUND Emergency physicians are frequently called upon to provide care to agitated, violent, and combative patients. These patients pose…
Vasopressors and Inotropes Matthew C. Strehlow BACKGROUND Vasopressors and inotropes are vasoactive agents used to improve cardiac output and distribution of blood flow in patients suffering from shock. Vasopressors act…
