P waves and bradycardias

The Bradycardias and Other arrhythmias pages have been updated with the requirement for p waves to be present in heart block. The absence of p waves means the bradycardia is either junctional or idioventricular (although retrograde p waves may still be seen in junctional rhythms).

IV morphine vs IV paracetamol for sciatica

The Paracetamol page has been updated with information about the superiority of IV morphine over IV paracetamol (alone) in patients with sciatica. Serinken, M, Eken, C, Gungor, F, et al. Comparison of Intravenous Morphine Versus Paracetamol in Sciatica: A Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial. Academic Emergency Medicine 2016;23(6):674-78. 

Management of sepsis

The Assessment of sepsis and Management of sepsis pages have had a few minor modifications following the publication of the following review (which was more theoretical than clinical). Gotts, JE, Matthay, MA. Sepsis: pathophysiology and clinical management. BMJ 2016;353:i1585.

Don’t transfuse platelets to patients with ICH on antiplatelet agents

The Platelet transfusion and Stroke management pages have been updated with information from the PATCH RCT published in Lancet that demonstrated an increase in disability and mortality from platelet transfusion in patients with supratentorial ICH on mostly aspirin, clopidogrel and/or dipyridamole. The exact mechanism for this is unclear. Baharoglu, MI, Cordonnier, C, Salman, RA-S, et al. … Read more

US guided IJV complication rates

The Central venous catheter insertion technique page has been updated with additional information about the risk of US guided IJV catheter insertion in expert hands. Hourmozdi, JJ, Markin, A, Johnson, B, et al. Routine Chest Radiography Is Not Necessary After Ultrasound-Guided Right Internal Jugular Vein Catheterization. Critical Care Medicine 9000;Publish Ahead of Print. 

Early second shock in in-hospital cardiac arrest

The Advanced cardiac life support page has been revised to increase the emphasis on the utility of an early second shock in in-hospital cardiac arrest. Bradley, SM, Liu, W, Chan, PS, et al. Defibrillation time intervals and outcomes of cardiac arrest in hospital: retrospective cohort study from Get With The Guidelines-Resuscitation registry. BMJ 2016:i1653.

Chronic pain

The Chronic pain page has been updated following the publication of the CDC Guidelines for the use of opioids in chronic pain. Dowell, D, Haegerich, TM, Chou, R. CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain-United States, 2016. JAMA 2016 .  

Perimortem Caesarian section

The Advanced cardiac life support page has been updated with additional information about the technique of performing a perimortem Caesarian section following publication of the article: Parry, R, Asmussen, T, Smith, JE. Perimortem caesarean section. Emerg Med J 2015