The American journal of emergency medicine
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Atrial fibrillation (AF) may lead to stroke, heart failure, and death. When AF occurs in the context of a rapid ventricular rate/response (RVR), this can lead to complications, including hypoperfusion and cardiac ischemia. Emergency physicians play a key role in the diagnosis and management of this dysrhythmia. ⋯ An understanding of the recent updates in the literature concerning AF with RVR can assist emergency clinicians in the care of these patients.
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Acute limb ischemia is a rare but serious condition that carries with it a high rate of morbidity and mortality. ⋯ An understanding of acute limb ischemia can assist emergency clinicians in diagnosing and managing this potentially deadly disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Comparison of chest compression quality between the overlapping hands and interlocking hands techniques: A randomised cross-over trial.
Performing quality chest compressions is fundamental to the management of cardiopulmonary arrest. The aim of this study was to compare the efficacy of two hand positions: overlapping versus interlocking for performing chest compressions during cardiopulmonary arrest. ⋯ This study failed to demonstrate a difference in effectiveness between overlapping and interlocking hand chest compressions during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Mono- and bi-plane sonographic approach for difficult accesses in the emergency department - A randomized trial.
The insertion of peripheral intravenous (PIV) catheters is one of the most performed invasive procedures in acute healthcare settings. However, peripheral difficult vascular access (PDVA) is not uncommon and can lead to delays in administering essential medications. Ultrasound (US) has emerged as a valuable tool for facilitating PIV cannulation. Advancements in technology have introduced a technique known as bi-plane imaging, allowing the simultaneous display of both longitudinal and transverse views of vessels. We aimed to investigate whether the utilization of bi-plane imaging, as opposed to the single-plane approach, would yield superior results for PDVA in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ Our study confirms that US is a highly effective tool for facilitating PIV cannulation in patients with PDVA presenting to the ED. However, our investigation into the use of bi-plane imaging did not reveal a significant improvement when compared to mono-plane imaging.
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Multicenter Study
The association between specific narrative elements and patient perspectives on acute pain treatment.
Narratives are effective tools for communicating with patients about opioid prescribing for acute pain and improving patient satisfaction with pain management. It remains unclear, however, whether specific narrative elements may be particularly effective at influencing patient perspectives. ⋯ Participants preferentially view narratives featuring storytellers who share their race or gender. Narrative elements were not meaningfully associated with patient-centered outcomes. These findings have implications for the design of narrative communication tools.