The American journal of emergency medicine
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An increasing number of pediatric patients with inherited metabolic disorders are reaching adulthood. In addition, many patients are diagnosed for the first time in adult life due to improved awareness of these disorders and the availability of advanced diagnostic technology. Knowledge of these inherited metabolic disorders in adults is crucial for the emergency physician to promptly recognize their acute illness and appropriately manage them in the emergency department. ⋯ Acute metabolic decompensation is a life-threatening condition. The emergency physician is usually the first provider to evaluate these patients when they present to the emergency department. Early recognition of their illness and prompt management of these cases improve patient outcomes.
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Case Reports
Neurologic toxicity of carbamazepine in treatment of trigeminal neuralgia: A case report.
Carbamazepine is a medication used to treat a variety of neurological and psychiatric conditions including seizure disorders, neuropathic pain syndromes, and bipolar disorder. Unfortunately, its pharmacokinetics and side effect profile may lead to significant toxicities due to its sodium channel blockade. ⋯ In this article, we describe a case of a 40-year-old female who presented to a local emergency department with focal neurological deficits after repeated supratherapeutic dosing of carbamazepine.. This case highlights a key cerebrovascular accident mimic that emergency physicians should consider from acute toxicity that can be seen with carbamazepine in a patient who was taking the medication as prescribed.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Intravenous ibuprofen versus sodium valproate in acute migraine attacks in the emergency department: A randomized clinical trial.
Sodium valproate and ibuprofen are drugs with known efficacy in the treatment of headache associated with acute migraine attacks. In this study, our aim was to compare the efficacy of these two drugs in the treatment of acute migraine attacks when administered as a single intravenous (IV) dose in the emergency department. ⋯ Ninety-nine patients (49 patients in the sodium valproate group and 50 in the ibuprofen group) completed the trial, and their data were included in the statistical analysis. The mean decrease in the post-treatment delta NRS values was statistically significantly higher in the sodium valproate group than in the ibuprofen group. The mean differences were 1.69 [confidence interval (CI): 1.02-2.37, p<0.001], the mean difference between N0 and N2 was 3.61 (CI: 2.96-4.26, p < 0.001), the mean difference between N0 and N3 was 4.11 (CI: 3.54-4.67, p < 0.001), and the mean difference between N0 and N4 was 3.92 (CI: 3.67-4.46, p < 0.001). The number of patients who achieved the primary endpoint of pain relief was significantly higher in the sodium valproate group than in the ibuprofen group (p < 0.001). According to the Kaplan-Meier analysis showing the rates of reaching the targeted endpoint, there was a significant difference in the efficacy of the two-treatment group (χ2 = 79.98, CI: 80.35-99.65; p = 0.000).
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Caffeine poisoning is relatively rare, and a near-fatal caffeine overdose is highly uncommon. We present an 18-year-old male who attempted suicide with 295 mg/kg pure caffeine powder (lethal oral dose: 150-200 mg/kg) and was successfully rescued. ⋯ Then, hemodialysis ultimately eliminated serum caffeine and completely alleviated caffeine-related central nervous system toxicity. We discuss the clinical symptoms, management and toxicodynamics based on the concentration of caffeine and its metabolites in serum and urine.
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Obstructive shock describes any disease process that causes physical obstruction to blood flow into or out of the heart which results in impaired systemic oxygen or nutrient delivery. Common etiologies include cardiac tamponade, tension pneumothorax, and pulmonary embolus. However, several other causes exist and should prompt consideration in the correct clinical circumstances. ⋯ Contrast enhanced computed tomography scans showed a massive hepatic cyst which was compressing her vena cava and heart, causing hemodynamic instability. The patient was admitted to the ICU and the hepatic cyst was drained percutaneously, but ultimately, she succumbed to her illness post-operatively. This report highlights the importance of keeping a broad differential when considering etiologies of undifferentiated shock as well as the need for additional research regarding management of rare causes of obstructive shock.