J Emerg Med
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Cardiac troponin elevations are associated not only with acute coronary syndromes (ACS) but also with multiple other cardiac and non-cardiac conditions. ⋯ Elevated troponin levels for reasons other than MI are common in the ED and are a marker of poor in-hospital prognosis.
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Case Reports
Radiographic look-alikes: distinguishing between pneumoperitoneum and pseudopneumoperitoneum.
Air under the diaphragm seen on plain radiograph usually signifies a perforated viscus. This represents a surgical emergency and an immediate consult with the surgeon. However, not all air under the diaphragm seen on plain radiograph represents a surgical emergency. ⋯ It is important for physicians to be able to distinguish pneumoperitoneum and pseudopneumoperitoneum to allow proper diagnosis and treatment.
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Phantom shock is the sensation of shock in the absence of an actual implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) discharge. The ICD is now the first-line therapy for patients with ventricular tachycardia and fibrillation. ⋯ There is no specific treatment. We report 3 patients who presented to the ED with the sensation of ICD discharges, however, on device interrogation had no shocks and no dysrhythmias.