J Emerg Med
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Despite the developments in medicine in recent years, people in many regions of the world still tend to use alternative, or non-medical, folkloric treatment methods for many different health problems. One of these methods is "rope wrapping to the back," which is considered to be therapeutic for patients with lumbar disc hernias or low back pain. This method is practiced by local individuals without medical training. ⋯ Improvements are needed to increase the accessibility of health care, improve physician-patient communication, and provide information to people, so as to prevent the use of folk remedies, which can have serious complications, sometimes resulting in death.
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Comparative Study
Agreement between emergency medical services and expert blood pressure measurements.
Emergency Medical Services (EMS)-measured blood pressures (BPs) are utilized for administering medications in the field and for triage decisions. Retrospective work has demonstrated poor agreement between EMS and Emergency Department (ED) BP but has lacked a valid, reliable reference standard. ⋯ EMS and expert BP measurements showed smaller discrepancies than those previously noted, especially with simultaneous measurements. However, EMS demonstrated poor adherence to American Heart Association recommendations for measuring BP. EMS also showed terminal digit preference.
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Case Reports
De novo cerebral arteriovenous malformation: Pink Floyd's song "Brick in the Wall" as a warning sign.
Arteriovenous malformations are shunts between an artery and the venous system that lie within a nidus without an intervening capillary bed. These lesions are thought to be congenital, but recent reports have challenged this assumption. ⋯ AVMs may arise de novo and then spontaneously become symptomatic. Cerebral de novo AVM should be considered in the differential diagnosis in patients with complex auditory musical hallucinations or any new neuropsychiatric symptoms.
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Cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis is a rare condition with a wide range of causes and a highly variable presentation. It can lead to significant morbidity, but scant literature is available describing diagnosis and treatment when this occurs after ligation of the internal jugular vein. ⋯ Early diagnosis and aggressive therapeutic interventions are critical to prevent further morbidity in patients who develop cerebral vein and dural sinus thrombosis after ligation of the internal jugular vein.
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Wait times have been reported to be one of the most important concerns for people visiting emergency departments (EDs). Affective states significantly impact perception of wait time. There is substantial evidence that art depicting nature reduces stress levels and anxiety, thus potentially impacting the waiting experience. ⋯ Visual art has positive effects on the ED waiting experience.