Emergency Medicine News and Research

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Stroke treated significantly faster and just as safely by medical residents

Diagnosing acute stroke is a high-pressure decision. The speed with which treatment is delivered makes all the difference. Early treatment can stop brain damage, but if treatment is given inappropriately, it can dangerously increase the risk of bleeding in the brain.

24 Feb 2009

Living wills have an impact on pre-hospital lifesaving care

A new study conducted at the Hamot Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, and published by Elsevier in the February 2009 issue of The Journal of Emergency Medicine shows that there is a lack of education and understanding in what sets a living will in motion in a pre-hospital setting. Education and implementation of code status designations can clarify this confusion.

24 Feb 2009

Having health insurance essential for people's health and well-being

The evidence shows more clearly than ever that having health insurance is essential for people's health and well-being, and safety-net services are not enough to prevent avoidable illness, worse health outcomes, and premature death, says a new report from the Institute of Medicine.

24 Feb 2009

Vitamin D may help fight common colds

Vitamin D may be an important way to arm the immune system against disorders like the common cold, report investigators from the University of Colorado Denver (UC Denver) School of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) and Children's Hospital Boston.

23 Feb 2009

Emergency physicians question antibiotic guidelines for pneumonia

A new study from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center that assessed emergency physicians understanding of time-based, antibiotic treatment guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) found that more than half believed they prescribed antibiotics needlessly in order to comply with guidelines.

8 Feb 2009

Rhythm abnormality of unknown origin strongly predicts sudden death risk in heart disease patients

Researchers conducting a large, ongoing study to improve detection and prevention of sudden cardiac death were surprised to discover that a specific heart rhythm abnormality – idiopathic QT interval prolongation – increased risk five-fold among patients with coronary artery disease.

2 Feb 2009

Taser study finds serious injuries rare after Taser use

An emergency medicine researcher at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center has just published the first large, independent study of injuries from conducted electrical weapon (CEW) or Taser use, finding that serious injuries occurred in fewer than 1 percent of 1,201 Taser uses by law enforcement officers.

19 Jan 2009

Women may be more likely to experience EMS delays for heart care

Women who called 9-1-1 complaining of cardiac symptoms were 52 percent more likely than men to experience delays during emergency medical services' (EMS) care, according to a report in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes.

14 Jan 2009

Many babies with simple febrile seizures can avoid spinal tap

When babies develop a fever high enough or abrupt enough to cause a seizure, frightened parents often rush them to the emergency room, where their workup frequently includes a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) to rule out bacterial meningitis.

6 Jan 2009

New study examines effects of chlorine gas disaster in South Carolina

A new study examining the aftereffects of a chlorine gas disaster in a South Carolina town gives larger metropolitan areas important insight into what to expect and how to prepare emergency response systems for an accidental or terrorist release of the potentially deadly gas.

30 Dec 2008

Likely shortage of emergency physicians in foreseeable future

The number of physicians with board certification in emergency medicine is unlikely to meet the staffing needs of U.S. emergency departments in the foreseeable future, if ever; according to a study from a research team based at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH).

17 Dec 2008

Experts say reducing number of trauma centres long 'overdue'

According to the Australasian College of Emergency Medicine (ACEM) any move which reduces the number of major trauma centres in New South Wales hospitals is long overdue.

1 Dec 2008

Signs of stroke - most people ignorant

A Mayo Clinic study shows a majority of stroke patients don't think they're having a stroke -- and as a result -- delay seeking treatment until their condition worsens.

25 Nov 2008

Reminder, signs of a heart attack can be subtle

You know the drill: join the family for feasting on a high-fat, carbohydrate-filled meal followed by a generous slice of pumpkin pie

21 Nov 2008

Medicine, math and engineering combine to reveal how sepsis and less severe infections occur

It's a leading cause of death, but no one knows for sure how and why it happens. It's a major source of health care costs, adding days or weeks to the hospital stays and lost work time of millions of people. But no one fully understands how best to fight it.

11 Nov 2008

Flu shot still best protection against flu

The failure of the flu vaccine to protect many Americans against the virus last year shouldn't prevent you from getting your annual flu shot this year.

6 Nov 2008

Researchers look at benefits and applications of medical simulation

Emergency medicine physicians and simulation experts from Rhode Island Hospital discuss the benefits of advanced medical simulation in five manuscripts appearing in the November 2008 issue of Academic Emergency Medicine (now available online).

4 Nov 2008

Simple blood test could help detect serious bacterial infections in babies

A simple blood test may help detect serious bacterial infections (SBIs) like urinary tract infections and blood stream infections in young infants who come to the emergency department (ED) with fevers that have no clear cause.

6 Oct 2008

Research continues to support arguments against alcoholic energy drinks

A Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center researcher's study about the effects of alcoholic energy drinks (AED) is cited by the attorneys general from 25 states who have called on a leading manufacturer not to introduce a new beverage into the marketplace.

24 Sep 2008

New software promises to reduce bottlenecks in emergency departments

Australian researchers have developed a computer program which is able to accurately predict how many patients can be expected to turn up at hospital emergency departments and their expected medical needs and also promises to reduce bottlenecks in emergency departments.

3 Sep 2008