J Emerg Med
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Review Meta Analysis
Intravenous Flecainide for Emergency Department Management of Acute Atrial Fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered dysrhythmia in the emergency department, and its prevalence is increasing. A substantial proportion of these patients have recent-onset AF (<48 h). The poor prognosis associated with AF is being increasingly recognized, and there is some evidence for better outcomes in younger patients with recent-onset AF when sinus rhythm is restored. Flecainide is recommended in the latest international guidelines for cardioversion of recent-onset AF, but its safety and efficacy relative to other recommended agents are unclear. ⋯ Intravenous flecainide cardioversion could be a safe and effective option for emergency physicians to restore sinus rhythm in selected patients with acute AF.
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Review Meta Analysis
Intravenous Flecainide for Emergency Department Management of Acute Atrial Fibrillation.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most commonly encountered dysrhythmia in the emergency department, and its prevalence is increasing. A substantial proportion of these patients have recent-onset AF (<48 h). The poor prognosis associated with AF is being increasingly recognized, and there is some evidence for better outcomes in younger patients with recent-onset AF when sinus rhythm is restored. Flecainide is recommended in the latest international guidelines for cardioversion of recent-onset AF, but its safety and efficacy relative to other recommended agents are unclear. ⋯ Intravenous flecainide cardioversion could be a safe and effective option for emergency physicians to restore sinus rhythm in selected patients with acute AF.
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Cannabinoid hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a challenging clinical disorder. CHS patients frequently present to the emergency department and may require treatment for intractable emesis, dehydration, and electrolyte abnormalities. Thought to be a variant of cyclic vomiting syndrome, CHS has become more prevalent with increasing cannabis potency and use, as enabled by various states having legalized the recreational use of cannabis. ⋯ Despite the increasing prevalence of CHS, there is a limited body of high-quality research. Benzodiazepines and antipsychotics represent logical choices for treatment of CHS because of their powerful sedating effects. Topical capsaicin holds promise based on a totally different pharmacologic mechanism. Discontinuation of cannabis use is the only assured cure for CHS.
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Hip dislocations are a common presentation in the Emergency Department (ED) and require urgent reduction to reduce the risk of avascular necrosis. Over 90% of all dislocations can successfully be reduced in the ED and there is evidence that cases awaiting operative reduction result in significant delays. ⋯ It is important for Emergency Physicians to be familiar with several different reduction techniques in case the initial reduction attempt is unsuccessful or patient characteristics limit the use of certain maneuvers. This article reviews a number of reduction techniques for hip dislocations, variations on these techniques, and advantages and disadvantages for each approach.
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The main goal of antipsychotic medication in the management of acute agitation in the emergency department is to rapidly induce calm without oversedation, enabling patients to participate in their own care. However, there is a paucity of comparative studies, particularly with newer fast-acting second-generation antipsychotic agents. ⋯ Although the patient populations of trials included in this review do not truly reflect that of the emergency department, the results provide useful information to emergency physicians on the rapid efficacy of certain newer-generation antipsychotic agents for the treatment of acutely agitated patients.