Articles: emergency-services.
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To determine the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of a new rapid creatine kinase-MB (R-CK-MB) assay compared with a standard CK-MB (S-CK-MB) assay and to determine its potential use in the evaluation of emergency department patients with possible myocardial infarction. ⋯ The R-CK-MB assay demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity compared with the S-CK-MB assay. When used for patients in whom a cardiac care unit admission is not considered, the rapid assay may identify some patients with unsuspected myocardial infarction and prevent inadvertent discharge or admission to unmonitored beds.
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In the last ten years, many emergency medicine specialists have studied animal bite wounds. The majority of these studies have addressed the controversies of prescribing prophylactic antibiotics or suturing wounds. This study was undertaken to determine risk factors for cat bite wound infections. ⋯ In this study, wound type and wound depth were the most important factors in determining the likelihood of developing wound infection regardless of whether the patient was prescribed prophylactic oral antibiotics.
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A 42-year-old woman presented with the acute onset of bilateral blurred vision that occurred immediately after bending over. She denied pain or any other associated symptoms. ⋯ This case represents an atypical presentation of acute narrow-angle glaucoma, a true ophthalmological emergency. The pathophysiology and treatment options of this disease process are summarized.