Rhabdomyolysis Audrey K. Wagner and Deborah M. Stein BACKGROUND Rhabdomyolysis is a syndrome characterized by the necrosis of striated muscle and the subsequent release of intracellular contents—including myoglobin, electrolytes, creatine…
Palliative Care in the Emergency Department Lawrence A. Ho and J. Randall Curtis BACKGROUND Emergency medicine is typically characterized as a fast-paced, procedure-based specialty that focuses on the evaluation and…
Adrenal Insufficiency Thomas B. Perera BACKGROUND The adrenal glands are two small, irregularly shaped bodies located superior to each renal pole. Each gland contains two distinct structures, the outer adrenal…
Cardiotoxins Nicholas J. Connors and Silas W. Smith BACKGROUND Numerous therapeutic options exist for medical management of dysrhythmia, heart failure, and hypertension. In 2011, more than 42.4 million patients received…
Noninvasive Hemodynamic Monitoring Chad M. Meyers BACKGROUND The provision of optimal medical care presents a dilemma in emergency medicine. As the importance of early resuscitation continues to be reinforced, the…
Heart Failure and Cardiogenic Shock Daniel Sedehi and Venu Menon Background Acute heart failure syndrome (AHFS) is a term intended to capture pathologic changes in cardiac function that are new…
The Central Venous and Pulmonary Artery Catheter Carlos Brun and Geoffrey K. Lighthall BACKGROUND Since their inception, both central venous and pulmonary artery catheters (PACs) have been influential in the…
The Geriatric Patient Mary R. Mulcare, Alexis Halpern, and Michael E. Stern BACKGROUND Geriatric patients, or “older adults,” are defined chronologically as 65 years and older. They represent a growing…
Acute Kidney Injury and Renal Replacement Therapy Emilee Willhem-Leen and Glenn Chertow BACKGROUND Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in critical illness. A recent, large, multinational prospective study reported that…
Drugs of Abuse Rana Biary and Jane Marie Prosser OPIOIDS Background Opioids comprise both naturally occurring and synthetic compounds that bind to the μ opioid receptor. μ receptors are located…
