AHA Guideline | 10 Tips Life-Threatening Toxicity From Poisoning
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Here are ten tips from the AHA for the next super-sick poisoned patient you encounter.
New DOAC Score Outperforms HAS-BLED for Major Bleeding
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The new DOAC score had stronger predictive performance for major bleeding in patients on anticoagulation for atrial fibrillation (A-fib) compared to the HAS BLED score.
Source
Development and Validation of the DOAC Score: A Novel Bleeding Risk Prediction Tool for Patients With Atrial Fibrillation on Direct-Acting Oral Anticoagulants. Circulation. 2023 Sep 19;148(12):936-946. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.123.064556. Epub 2023 Aug 25.
How to Spot Ischemia in RBBB Patients
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In non-ischemic right bundle branch block (RBBB) ECGs, we expect discordant ST depression and T wave inversions in leads V1-V3. ST segment elevation, or even an isoelectric ST segment, in these leads is abnormal and should make us concerned for ischemia. See below.
Recalibrating…HEART Score with High-Sensitivity Troponin T
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A recalibrated HEART score ≤ 3 utilizing hs-cTnT ruled out MACE (adjudicated type 1 MI, unplanned coronary revascularization, and all cause death) at 30 days at a sensitivity of 98.5% and NPV of 99.7% with the ability to discharge 46.5% of patients in this cohort.
Source
HEART Score Recalibration Using Higher Sensitivity Troponin T. Annals of emergency medicine, S0196-0644(23)00313-X. 10 Jun. 2023, doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.04.024
DOACS Better than Warfarin in A-fib Even in CKD Patients
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Analysis of multiple prior RCTs finds direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) have improved safety and efficacy vs. warfarin in atrial fibrillation (AF) even as renal function decreases to as low as 25 mL/min.
Source
Direct Oral Anticoagulants Versus Warfarin Across the Spectrum of Kidney Function: Patient-Level Network Meta-Analyses From COMBINE AF. Circulation. 2023 Jun 6;147(23):1748-1757. doi: 10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.122.062752. Epub 2023 Apr 12.
Mystery ECG – Would You Send This to the Cath Lab?
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Presented is a discussion of ECG and clinical findings in the setting of a ventricular paced rhythm (and other wide QRS complex rhythms) that could signal the presence of occlusion myocardial infarction (OMI).
Do STEMI Equivalents Post-ROSC Need Immediate Cath?
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In patients with ROSC after OHCA, these 'STEMI equivalents' do not appear to accurately diagnose ACS based on this study.
Does ST Elevation in aVR Require a STEMI Alert?
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Previous guidelines suggested that isolated aVR elevation with multi-lead ST depression could be considered as a STEMI equivalent. However, current evidence suggests aVR elevation is not specific for an acute coronary event.
Source
Does ST Elevation in Lead aVR Require an Emergent Trip to the Catheterization Laboratory? JAMA Intern Med. 2023 Mar 1;183(3):261-262. doi: 10.1001/jamainternmed.2022.5901.
Actually, Hyperacute T Waves Can Help Identify Occlusion MI
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Hyperacute T-waves are best conceptualized as being tall and wide relative to the size of the QRS complex, as well as abnormally symmetric, and can be used to aid in early identification of an acute coronary occlusion.
Source
Hyperacute T-waves Can Be a Useful Sign of Occlusion Myocardial Infarction if Appropriately Defined. Ann Emerg Med. 2023 Mar 3:S0196-0644(23)00025-2. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2023.01.011. Epub ahead of print.
Amiodarone or Lidocaine for Early Shockable OHCA?
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In this secondary analysis of the ALPS trial (Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo Study), researchers found that early administration of amiodarone (within 8 minutes) is associated with greater functional survival in OHCA with initial shockable rhythm when compared to placebo.
Source
Survival by Time-to-Administration of Amiodarone, Lidocaine, or Placebo in Shock-Refractory Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Acad Emerg Med. 2023 Mar 4. doi: 10.1111/acem.14716. Epub ahead of print.