Authorizing a second opioid prescription in opioid-naive adults doubles the risk for chronic opioid use, according to an MMWR study. Researchers examined a sample of 1.3 million U.S. adults who were prescribed opioids for the first time between 2006 and 2015. Of these, the probability of continued opioid use 1 year later was 6%, and 3 years […]
Read MorePresented at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine conference, May 2016, New Orleans, LA. Authors: Cameron P. Upchurch, BS et al Study objective Induction doses of etomidate during rapid sequence intubation cause transient adrenal dysfunction, but its clinical significance on trauma patients is uncertain. Ketamine has emerged as an alternative for rapid sequence intubation induction. […]
Read MoreAuthors: Chalifoux, F., Colin, F., St-Pierre, P. et al. Can J Anesth/J Can Anesth (2017) 64: 280 Background Although intravenous dexamethasone prolongs the analgesic duration of interscalene brachial plexus block, it is uncertain whether this effect can be observed using lower doses of dexamethasone. This study evaluated the impact of intravenous dexamethasone (4 mg and […]
Read MoreAuthors: Motov S et al., Am J Emerg Med 2017 Mar 3; Neuropsychiatric side effects were more common with intravenous push administration, but does it matter? At intravenous (IV) doses of 0.1–0.3 mg/kg, ketamine is a safe and effective analgesic. Adverse effects are minimal and include sedation and a feeling of disconnection from reality. Investigators compared the effectiveness […]
Read MoreBy Kelly Young Edited by Susan Sadoughi, MD, and Richard Saitz, MD, MPH, FACP, DFASAM The American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology have updated their guidelines for managing valvular heart disease. The new guidance appears in Circulation. Here are a few of the changes since the 2014 guidelines: Antibiotic prophylaxis for certain dental work is […]
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