{"title":"Diagnosis and management of heat stroke and other heat-related illness in the emergency department.","authors":"David Fernandez, Sophia Gorgens, Carver Goodhue","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Heat-related illness encompasses a spectrum of conditions ranging from heat cramps and heat exhaustion to life-threatening heat stroke, all resulting from impaired thermoregulation under excessive environmental heat load. The incidence and severity of heat-related illnesses are increasing, underscoring the need for evidence-based emergency management strategies. Accurate diagnosis requires differentiating heat-related illness from conditions that may mimic hyperthermia. Timely recognition and rapid cooling are the cornerstones of management. This review summarizes current evidence on the diagnosis, treatment, and disposition of heat-related illness in the emergency department, with an emphasis on distinguishing heat stroke from conditions with overlapping clinical presentations and on optimizing cooling interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"28 6","pages":"1-20"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147989411","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency department evaluation and management of serious and high-risk infections in the febrile returning traveler.","authors":"Benjamin Wyler, Nita Avrith","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Fever in the returning international traveler presents a diagnostic challenge in the emergency department due to the wide range of potential infectious diseases that may be encountered abroad, many of which may manifest with nonspecific presentations. Malaria remains the most common and life-threatening tropical cause of fever and must be ruled out in all febrile patients returning from malaria-endemic regions. Other key infections to consider in returning travelers include dengue, enteric fever, and leptospirosis. Early recognition and treatment of these diseases can reduce morbidity and mortality and may help contain disease outbreaks. This review presents a structured, systematic approach to the timely evaluation of fever in returning international travelers, including evidence-based recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of malaria, dengue, enteric fever, and leptospirosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"28 5","pages":"1-36"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147784253","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Wide complex tachycardia in the emergency department: an updated approach to diagnosis and management.","authors":"Robert Allen, Caleb J Bailie, Ian S deSouza","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Wide complex tachycardia encompasses a range of cardiac tachydysrhythmias, several of which can be life-threatening, difficult to distinguish, and require distinct treatment approaches. This review summarizes the etiologies and pathophysiology of wide complex tachycardia, outlines the differential diagnosis, and provides an evidence-based approach to distinguishing the various types using the history, physical examination, electrocardiography, and response to intravenous adenosine. Management strategies and disposition decisions are also reviewed, with attention to special clinical circumstances and selected areas of ongoing controversy, including emerging artificial intelligence tools.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"28 4","pages":"1-28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147491901","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency management of renal and genitourinary trauma: best practices update.","authors":"Whitney K Bryant, Sanjay Shewakramani","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>For polytrauma patients who may have life-threatening injuries, renal and genitourinary trauma may be overlooked initially, but a delayed or missed diagnosis of these injuries may result in potentially preventable complications. This review provides a best-practice approach to the diagnosis and management of renal and genitourinary injuries, with an emphasis on the systematic approach needed to identify subtle injuries and avoid long-term sequelae such as hypertension, incontinence, urethral stricture, erectile dysfunction, chronic kidney disease, and nephrectomy.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 Suppl 6","pages":"1-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2026-03-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147460471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency department diagnosis and management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.","authors":"Archana Hinduja","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis is a rare cause of stroke with an overall good prognosis. It predominantly affects women of reproductive age and patients with prothrombotic conditions. It has a diverse presentation that includes headache, seizures, focal neurological deficits, and encephalopathy. A strong index of suspicion is required to make a prompt diagnosis and initiate early management. Despite aggressive care, death or functional dependence occurs in 10% to 15% of patients. This review provides an overview of the literature and recent guidelines on the emergency department approach and the therapeutic challenges in the management of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 Suppl 4","pages":"1-38"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145276258","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency department management of patients with status epilepticus.","authors":"Destiny Marquez, Rmneek Kaur, Cappi Lay","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Status epilepticus is a neurological emergency requiring prompt intervention by emergency clinicians, as delays can lead to significant morbidity and mortality. Etiologies include acute causes such as electrolyte imbalance, infection, drugs, and acute strokes, as well as chronic causes such as remote brain injury, progressive epilepsies, and brain tumors. This issue presents evidence for an algorithmic approach to status epilepticus, from managing underlying causes and administering initial benzodiazepines, to second-line antiseizure agents, and escalating to intravenous anesthetics for refractory cases. Disposition for patients in status epilepticus includes inpatient care tailored to the patient's clinical needs, and appropriate follow-up.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 9","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144875746","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Difficult airway management in trauma: a review of current guidelines.","authors":"Christian Menard, Sarah Pierce, Thomas R deTar","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The American Society of Anesthesiologists and the British Difficult Airway Society have generated and revised guidelines over the past 30 years based on analyses of the causes of airway catastrophes. Guideline components include airway management algorithms, equipment standardization, and routine training. Algorithms utilize intubation, supraglottic airway insertion, fiberoptic intubation, awake intubation, and front of neck surgical access. This issue summarizes difficult airway management guidelines and discusses their application to trauma patients, including patients with physiologically difficult airways and patients with maxillofacial and laryngotracheal trauma.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 Suppl 3","pages":"1-40"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-08-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144276213","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency department management of patients with thyroid emergencies.","authors":"Jazmyn J Shaw, Cindy D Chang","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Patients experiencing thyroid emergencies can present with a wide array of clinical presentations and comorbid conditions, so a systematic strategy to identify key historical and physical examination features can help guide the emergency clinician in recognizing these infrequent conditions. This issue review the most up-to-date evidence for diagnosing and managing decompensated hypothyroidism and thyroid storm in adult, pediatric, and pregnant patients.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 6","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144144009","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Emergency department management of patients with complications of chronic neurologic disease: Parkinson disease, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis.","authors":"Jeremy Rose, Caroline W Burmon, John Rozehnal","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This issue reviews 3 neurological conditions that can cause or complicate a patient's emergency department presentation: Parkinson disease, myasthenia gravis, and multiple sclerosis. Parkinson disease is a common comorbidity, and can be exacerbated in the ED if not managed expeditiously. Myasthenia gravis carries the potential for significant respiratory compromise and requires swift recognition and emergency care. Multiple sclerosis has many manifestaions, stages, and treatments that emergency clinicians need to understand to best manage flares. This review presents a summary of the presentations, the common pitfalls, and the roles of various therapeutics in managing patients with chronic neurologic disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 5","pages":"1-24"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144052904","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Sodium disorders in the emergency department: a review of hypernatremia and hyponatremia.","authors":"Camiron L Pfennig, Caroline Astemborski","doi":"","DOIUrl":"","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Manifestation of sodium disorders will depend on the rapidity of development, the absolute level of sodium, and the patient's overall health. Acute symptomatic hypernatremia should be corrected rapidly, while chronic hypernatremia is generally corrected more slowly due to the risks for brain edema during treatment. Hyponatremia symptoms are vague, but acute severe symptomatic hyponatremia, whether self-induced, drug related, or hospital-acquired, is a medical emergency that demands immediate recognition and intervention. This issue reviews the evidence on the causes, diagnosis, and treatment of hypernatremia and hyponatremia in the emergency department, focusing on early recognition and best-practice management.</p>","PeriodicalId":38728,"journal":{"name":"Emergency medicine practice","volume":"27 4","pages":"1-28"},"PeriodicalIF":0.0,"publicationDate":"2025-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143671342","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}