Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Gastric volvulus is a rare disease with an unknown incidence. Unless it stays in the back of the diagnostician's mind, diagnosis of gastric volvulus, which can have significant morbidity and mortality associated with it, can be easily missed. ⋯ The presence of a hiatal hernia with persistent vomiting despite initial antiemetic treatment should trigger one to think of gastric volvulus, despite the patient appearing very stable. With the advent of CT and laparoscopic surgery, the gold standards for diagnosing and treating this disease are ever evolving.
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A 39-year-old Zimbabwean man presented with a 1 week history of fever, general malaise and acute-onset chest pain. He had a urethral stricture, which had been managed with an indwelling supra-pubic catheter. The electrocardiography on admission showed inferior ST-T segments elevation. ⋯ A diagnosis of enterococci infective endocarditis with concomitant acute myocardial infarction due to possible septic emboli was made. Despite the successful outcome from thrombolysis in the setting of acute myocardial infarction with infective endocarditis, the case highlights the current lack of definitive data on the optimal acute management of such an unusual clinical scenario. Although there is serious concern that thrombolytic treatment for myocardial infarction in the setting of infective endocarditis may be associated with higher risk of cerebral haemorrhage, there is little documented evidence supporting the safety of primary percutaneous coronary intervention with these patients.
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To explore nurses' views and to identify the perceived advantages and disadvantages of the "4-hour target." ⋯ Although deemed an overall success, there were reservations as to the target's sustainability. Recommendations are made for improved communication between primary and secondary care and establishing the target as a shared goal within the hospital environment.