Ultrasound in Cardiac Arrest

Ultrasound during cardiac arrest has quickly become standard. Initially, data suggested that the use of ultrasound during arrest increased pauses between compressions which worsens outcomes. To decrease time between compressions, many proto…

Central Line Week

Central Line Week TR Pearl Series (all three pearls combined for this post) by Ryan LeBuhn, PGY-3 Informed Consent I once described the risks of a procedure so thoroughly that the patient no longer wanted the procedure, though avoiding the…

Chaotic Energy: A-fib RVR

Intro: You are at Elmhurst and it’s your first cardiac shift ever. EMS rolls in, “Hey Doc, this patient is in a-fib.” The patient’s heart is beating fast. Your heart is beating fast.  He is a 70 year old patient with a PMH of HTN, CKD, and…

Calcium Channel Overdose

For those who could not make it to VMR, we went over a truly sick calcium channel blocker overdose case. If not, here’s a quick rundown, and a link to the slides.   Briefly, the case was a 17-year-old female who reportedly overdosed on 60 m…

A Heart-Stopping EKG

You see this EKG for your elderly patient who has just been admitted to the CCU and your eyes open up wide. What is the rhythm(s) below? SPOILERS AHEAD If you thought to yourself “is this complete heart block with a junctional escape…

Pacemaker Problems

More than just what company makes it Written by Erena Weathers Pacemakers have their own code.  Position I: which chamber is pacedPosition II: where the pacemaker senses the intrinsic rhythmPosition III: response to sensing T = Sensed activ…