October 21, 2020

From bad to worse: avoiding peri-intubation cardiac arrest

October 21, 2020/ Samantha Wood, MD

Intubation in the emergency department (ED) can be a stressful endeavor. We are often presented with patients who have complex anatomy and tenuous physiology. Because of this, it can be hard to look past the critical step of securing the airway. Rapid sequence intubation (RSI) and positive pressure ventilation can dismantle patients’ physiology and contribute to an almost 4% rate of post intubation cardiac arrest (PICA). Is there anything we can do to predict or prevent this? In this podcast, Sam Wood gives us an overview of the literature to help us answer these questions.

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?

February 09, 2017

Liver Failure Patients - Ten Simple Tips for Complicated Patients

February 09, 2017/ Samantha Wood, MD

Whether it is from alcoholic cirrhosis, acetaminophen overdose, or chronic hepatitis, liver failure patients are complicated. Their exams are difficult, multiple organ systems are affected and they have complex pathophysiology. Here are ten simple tips for these complicated patients.