Key Environmental Health Articles to Read Now

Emergency Medicine EMS Environmental Pediatric Emergency

Not So Fast—When Are Rescue Breaths Essential?
April 21, 2026April 20, 2026

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In pediatric drowning-related OHCA, bystander CPR with rescue breathing is associated with significantly better survival and neurological outcomes than compression-only CPR, underscoring the critical importance of ventilation in asphyxial arrest.

Source
Decline in rescue breathing and its impact on outcomes in pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest due to drowning: a nationwide study, 2012-2023. Resuscitation. 2026 Mar 10:111049. doi: 10.1016/j.resuscitation.2026.111049. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41819340.

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Emergency Medicine EMS Environmental

Sauna to Ice-Bath – Prehospital Cold Water Immersion Protocol
April 9, 2026May 9, 2026

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Implementation of a prehospital cold water immersion (CWI) strategy in a large urban EMS system was effective in rapid cooling, with associated neurological improvement and high survival rates.

Source
Fighting Fire with Ice: A Multisite Collaboration to Evaluate the Impact of Prehospital Cold Water Immersion on Heat Stroke Patients. Prehosp Emerg Care. 2026 Mar 13:1-11. doi: 10.1080/10903127.2026.2636148. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41739962.

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Emergency Medicine EMS Environmental Trauma

Avalanche-Proof? Saving Those Suffocated by Snow
November 5, 2025November 8, 2025

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The Safeback SBX device can improve survival in an avalanche, but does not replace the need for appropriate education and knowledge regarding avalanche safety.

Source
Respiratory Gas Shifts to Delay Asphyxiation in Critical Avalanche Burial: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA. 2025 Oct 8:e2516837. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.16837. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41060661; PMCID: PMC12509078.

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Emergency Medicine Environmental Health Policy

So Hot Right Now – Occupational Heat Illness
August 27, 2025September 6, 2025

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Although extreme heat events have become more frequent due to climate change, occupational heat-related illness remains preventable. Emergency physicians play a critical role in identifying at-risk patients, documenting exposures, and promoting prevention through education and advocacy.

Source
Occupational Heat-Related Illness. JAMA. 2025 Jul 15;334(3):267-268. doi: 10.1001/jama.2025.7629. PMID: 40531478

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Critical Care Emergency Medicine Environmental

How Fast to Rewarm Hypothermic Patients?
July 23, 2025July 24, 2025

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A faster early rewarming rate of 3º per hour, when going from very cold to 33ºC, was associated with improved 28-day survival and favorable neurological outcome.

Source
Association Between Rewarming Rate and Survival and Neurologic Outcome of Accidental Hypothermia. Crit Care Med. 2025 Jul 1;53(7):e1416-e1425. doi: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000006712. Epub 2025 Jun 3. PMID: 40459372.

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Emergency Medicine Environmental Toxicology

Under Pressure – The Deep Dive on Hyperbaric Oxygen
May 1, 2025April 26, 2025

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Hyperbaric oxygen is a seldom-used but effective adjunct when specific indications are met. Here’s what you need to know.

Source
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy: An Evidence-Based Primer for Emergency Physicians. J Emerg Med. 2025 Mar;70:35-44. doi: 10.1016/j.jemermed.2024.09.009. Epub 2024 Oct 9. PMID: 39939188

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Emergency Medicine Environmental Toxicology

Crotalid Antivenom – Can’t We All Just Get Along?
April 16, 2025April 14, 2025

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In this letter to the editor and reply, the goal of antivenom in crotalid envenomations is debated and clarified.

Sources
Letter to the editor re: Comparing the Use of Crotaline-Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) Versus Observation in Children. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2024;40(11):e270-e276. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2025 Mar 20. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000003373. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40108879
Reply: Comparing the Use of Crotaline-Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) Versus Observation in Children. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2025 Mar 20. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000003380. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40111158

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Environmental Family Medicine Pediatrics Technology

Air Purifiers – Are They Worth it?
April 7, 2025May 6, 2025

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Multi-setting air purification in the home and at school improves pulmonary function and reduces markers of airway inflammation in children.

Source
Respiratory Benefits of Multisetting Air Purification in Children: A Cluster Randomized Crossover Trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2025 Feb 1;179(2):122-128. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2024.5049. PMID: 39621320

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Environmental Family Medicine Health Policy Pediatrics

Should We be Worried about Microplastics?
April 2, 2025May 6, 2025

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Microplastics and nanoplastics are ubiquitous in the environment; their presence is potentially linked to numerous adverse health outcomes in children.

Source
The Risk from Widespread Micro- and Nano-Plastic Contamination on a Global Scale and the Threat to Children’s Health. J Pediatr. 2025 Feb 15:114512. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2025.114512. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39961376

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Critical Care Emergency Medicine Environmental

How to Make an Ice Water Bath for Heat Stroke
February 13, 2025February 10, 2025

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Cold-water immersion is recognized as the fastest way to cool patients with heat stroke. Here’s how to do it in your ED.

Source
Heat Stroke Management Updates: A Description of the Development of a Novel In-Emergency Department Cold-Water Immersion Protocol and Guide for Implementation. Ann Emerg Med. 2025 Jan;85(1):43-52. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2024.07.013. Epub 2024 Sep 24. PMID: 39320280

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