J Emerg Med
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Acute subdural hematoma without subarachnoid hemorrhage or intraparenchymal hematoma is rare. ⋯ Ruptured intracranial aneurysm should be considered as a cause of nontraumatic subdural hematoma. Immediate subdural hematoma removal after aneurysm coiling can be performed in such patients, even those in poor neurological condition.
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A growing number of novel substances have been abused as recreational drugs by young people in the United States (US), Europe, and Australia. Called "legal highs," these substances range from plant-based to completely synthetic compounds. Spice, Salvia, mephedrone, methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV), and other cathinone derivatives have psychotropic effects and are marketed for recreational use through exploitation of inadequacies in existing controlled substance laws. ⋯ "Legal highs" continue to increase in use in the US, Europe, and Australia. These substances are powerful, can mimic effects of more traditional drugs of abuse, and are intentionally manufactured to circumvent existing controlled substance laws. As controlled substance legislation may be inadequate in the face of the quickly evolving legal highs, physicians are likely to see an increase in the prevalence of legal highs.
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Trauma airway management is commonly performed by either anesthesiologists or Emergency Physicians (EPs). ⋯ EPs can safely manage the airways of trauma patients with rates of complication and failure comparable with those of anesthesiologists.
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Comparative Study
The prognostic value of cystatin C compared with trauma scores in multiple blunt trauma: a prospective cohort study.
Many scoring systems have been developed to predict the prognosis of the traumatized patients in Emergency Departments, and the necessary calculations make complex scoring systems difficult to use as a part of the initial trauma patient assessment, and they also have limited accuracy. ⋯ Cystatin C may represent an important severity-of-illness indicator, easily available to clinicians during the initial assessment of trauma victims on admission.