January 08, 2019

Epinephrine in Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest - The PARAMEDIC-2 Trial

January 08, 2019/ Samuel Potter, MD

In this blog post and podcast we take a look at the PARAMEDIC-2 trial and discuss the implications this study has on the use of epinephrine in out of hospital cardiac arrest.

March 15, 2018

Enhancing Human Performance and Flow in Resuscitation

March 15, 2018/ Jeffrey A. Holmes, MD

Mike Lauria was a pararescueman, providing medical/rescue support for special operations throughout the world. Through this experience, he learned how to use psychological skills to perform under acute stress. We were fortunate to have him join our winter symposium this year, discussing the cognitive science behind stress and performance, as well as how to use performance enhancing psychological skills for acutely stressful conditions.

January 23, 2018

Resus of the Hypotensive Patient Part 2 - Why You Should be Using Peripheral Pressors (and not feeling guilty about it)

January 23, 2018/ Jeffrey A. Holmes, MD

For the patients we see that are potential recipients of large volume resuscitation, excessive IV fluids can harm. In part one of this two part series, Dr. Mackenzie discussed how IV fluids can lead to increased renal injury, pulmonary edema, and extra-vascular lung water. So how do we avoid the harms of excessive IV fluids? Plan to start peripheral pressors.

January 16, 2018

Resus of the hypotensive patient Part 1 - When IV Fluids Kill

January 16, 2018/ Jeffrey A. Holmes, MD

There is probably no other drug emergency providers administer more often than IV fluids. We give them to patients with mild heat exhaustion, gastroenteritis and orthostatic dizziness to name a few. These patients tend to feel better, go home and no harm comes to them. However, for the subset of patients with shock and potential recipients of large volume resuscitation, excessive IV fluids can harm. In part one of this two part series, Dr. Mackenzie discussed how IV fluids can lead to increased renal injury, pulmonary edema, and extra-vascular lung water.

March 30, 2017

Vitamin C. . . The Holy Grail for Sepsis Treatment?

March 30, 2017/ Samantha Wood, MD

It is hard not to get excited about a new treatment for sepsis, a disease that kills over 300,000 people each year in the US. However, there have been so many false promises in the past, it is appropriate to be skeptical. A recent study published online by the journal Chest is turning heads . . . not only because it appears extremely effective, but also because it is a simple, inexpensive treatment. Could this be the silver bullet we have all been looking for?