Emergency Medical Minute

Hosts: Don Stader, Nate Novotny, Travis Barlock, and Jeffrey Olson In this episode, we reminice about the first 1000 medical minutes presented by EMM and what the next 1000 might hold. Below are all of the episodes referenced in this episode. Please go back and give them all a listen. Segment 1- Recap and Facts 1st medical minute o April 29, 2016. Almost exactly 10 years ago. o Diverticulitis and Antibiotics by Dr. Chris Holmes 1000th Medical Minute o March 30, 2026 o Treatment of burns by Aaron Lessen o Edited by Ashley Lyons and published by Jorge Chalit Favorite sub-topics have included: o Cardiovascular topics- 150 episodes o Pharmacology- 97 episodes o Toxicology- 85 episodes o Neurology- 75 episodes The "Hunting for…" cinematic universe. -Michael Hunt o 399: Hunting for Pancreatitis o 424: Hunting for Measles o 432: Hunting for UTIs o 445: Hunting for the Endotracheal Tube o 455: Hunting for PeeCP o 460: Hunting for PE in Syncope o 487: Hunting for Epiglottitis Obsession with 1966- Chris Holmes o 120: The State of Sepsis in 1966 o 125: Old School CPR - 1966 o 138: Bromide Toxicity - 1966 o 147: GI Bleed - 1966 o 675: CHF like it's 1966 Favorite drug: naloxone/narcan (9) o 7: Heroin Overdose and OTC Narcan o 464: Narcan't? o 516: Narcan and Pulmonary Edema o 931: Naloxone in Cardiac Arrest Favorite disease state: Sepsis (13) o 22: Sepsis Sofa o 219: History of Sepsis o 244: Fever in Sepsis o 263: Early Antibiotics in Sepsis o 272: More on Temperature in Sepsis o 287: Sepsis Bundles o 544: C is for Sepsis Unhinged title combinations o 84: Hypothermia and Lightning Strike: Code Blue o 203: Wine, Milk and… Vaccines!? o 216: Roller Coasters and Kidney Stones o 299: Black Death, Lice, Math, and Pottery o 427: Cookie Dough is Delicious o 670: Operation Tat-Type o 695: Einstein and Cellophane o 777: Grass, weed and ancient Rome o 781: Foxglove, dropsy, and Salvador Dali o 959: The KLM Flight Disaster and Lessons in Healthcare Communication Most frequent contributors - Aaron Lessen- 192 - Don Stader- 84 - Jarod Scott- 83 - Peter Bakes- 53 - Samuel Killian- 45 - Dylan Luyten- 41 - Erik Verzemnieks- Dozens - Michael Hunt- 34 - Travis Barlock- 30 - Ricky Dhaliwal- 25 Top female voices o Rachael Duncan, PharmD o Rachel Beham, PharmD o Meghan Hurley o Gretchen Hinson o Suzanne Chilton o Katie Sprinkle Most listened to - 8. Podcast 835: Syncope Review - 7. Podcast 766: Truth about Tramadol - 6. Podcast 839: Causes of Pancreatitis - 5. Podcast 760: Why Fentanyl is the Worst - 4. Podcast 844: Dental Infections - 3. Podcast 846: Early Repolarization vs. Anterior STEMI - 2. Podcast 845: Hyperkalemic Cardiac Arrest - 1. Podcast 847: ECMO CPR Mini-game: who has actually seen our most rare diagnoses? o 18: Lemierre's Syndrome – Septic thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein after oropharyngeal infection leading to septic emboli. o 139: Locked-in Syndrome – Ventral pontine lesion causing quadriplegia and inability to speak with preserved consciousness and eye movements. o 144: Moyamoya Disease – Progressive stenosis of intracranial carotids with development of fragile collateral vessels causing strokes. o 221: Cotard Delusion (Walking Corpse Syndrome) – Psychiatric disorder where patients believe they are dead or do not exist. o 240: Pott's Puffy Tumor – Frontal bone osteomyelitis with subperiosteal abscess from sinusitis causing forehead swelling. o 277: Mucormycosis (Rhizopus) – Angioinvasive fungal infection in immunocompromised patients causing rapid tissue necrosis. o 293: Transient Global Amnesia – Sudden, transient loss of ability to form new memories that resolves within 24 hours. o 329: Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis – Episodic muscle weakness due to intracellular potassium shifts. o 374: Iliac Artery Endofibrosis – Exercise-induced fibrosis of the iliac artery causing claudication in athletes. o 466: Subacute Sclerosing Panencephalitis (SSPE) – Progressive, fatal neurodegenerative disease from persistent measles infection. o 477: Postpolypectomy Electrocoagulation Syndrome – Transmural burn of the colon after polypectomy causing localized peritonitis without perforation. o 578: Brown-Séquard Syndrome – Hemisection of the spinal cord causing ipsilateral motor/proprioception loss and contralateral pain/temperature loss. o 697: Kounis Syndrome – Acute coronary syndrome triggered by allergic reaction causing coronary vasospasm or plaque rupture. o 973: Meningitis Retention Syndrome – Acute urinary retention due to sacral nerve dysfunction during meningitis. Segment 2- Individual Interviews Segment 3- Looking forward Segment 4- Trivia Podcast 38, what is significant about diphtheria and March 18th? o On March 18th, the Iditarod is run in Alaska to commemorate a sled dog team, led by Balto, that ran from Nome to Anchorage and back to provide children in Nome with the diphtheria anti-toxin serum. Podcast 52: Syphilis the Great Imitator. The study of Syphilis or "Syphilology" evolved into the field of what? o Dermat

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Burns range in complexity from minor first-degree burns to more severe full-thickness burns. Initial basic burn management: Run the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Do not scrub the skin. Do not use ice water. Ideally initiated as soon as possible, but no later than 3 hours after injury. Applicable to all burns ranging from superficial to full thickness. Then apply a non-adherent dressing or sterile gauze. Can be done at home or upon presentation to the emergency department. These steps decrease pain and minimize tissue damage. A study published in Annals of Emergency Medicine found that, out of 371 EMS and emergency medicine providers, 90% had not heard of the recommendation to run burns under cool water for 20 minutes. The majority of providers interviewed expressed motivation to implement this burn cooling practice but cited barriers such as: Difficulty immersing certain body parts (e.g., chest). Critically ill patients requiring other urgent interventions. References: Holbert MD, Singer Y, Palmieri T, et al. Cool Running Water as a First Aid Treatment for Burn Injuries. Annals of Emergency Medicine. 2025;S0196-0644(25)01138-2. doi:10.1016/j.annemergmed.2025.08.003. Olawoye OA, Isamah CP, Ademola SA, et al. Effect of Prehospital Topical Application of Water and Other Agents on Outcome in Burn Injured Patients: A Prospective Study. Burns. 2025;51(2):107357. doi:10.1016/j.burns.2024.107357. Summarized by Ashley Lyons, OMS3 | Edited by Ashley Lyons & Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: What is an internal jugular catheter (IJ) and when do we use it? IJs are catheters that can be placed in either the left or the right internal jugular vein to provide central venous catheter (CVC) access. CVCs can be placed in other locations other than the internal jugular vein (i.e. subclavian vein or femoral veins). IJs are used when the patient may require long-term venous access or have to receive hyperosmolar solutions (such as solutions with high glucose content for parenteral nutrition); solutions with extreme pHs (9); or vesicant drugs (drugs that can cause tissue necrosis with extravasation). They are not to be confused with EJs (external jugular vein catheters) which can be placed in difficult to peripherally catheterize patients. EJs function similarly to a peripheral IV. The advantage of IJs is their location in larger veins brings them closer to direct access to the heart (i.e. the right internal jugular vein will provide immediate/quicker access to the right atrium to the heart.) What are concerns of using a right internal jugular catheter versus one in the left? The right internal jugular vein provides quick access to the heart via the right atrium, making it ideal in critically ill patients who may require vasopressor support. However it is also the site commonly used for additional cannulation procedures such as hemodialysis, pulmonary artery pressure measurements, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and transvenous pacemaker placement. These procedures are not uncommon in critically ill patients who also required a CVC for initial hemodynamic support via vasopressors. Gharaibeh et al. found that patients who received a right IJ and hemodialysis had a higher need for re-insertion of the hemodialysis catheter (40% compared to 2.6% in the left IJ group). Furthermore, it was found that with a right IJ, hemodialysis catheters had to be exchanged by a guidewire in 23% of those with a right IJ as opposed to 0.9% in the left IJ group (a guidewire exchange is often considered a salvage technique to try and maintain access). Big Takeaway? If you are able to obtain an IJ on the right, you can likely obtain one on the left, and if considering longitudinal care for your patient, consider obtaining an IJ on the left to allow for future critical access in the right IJ. References Gharaibeh KA, Abdelhafez MO, Guedze KEB, Siddiqi H, Hamadah AM, Verceles AC. Impact of initial jugular vein insertion site selection for central venous catheter placement on hemodialysis catheter complications. Journal of Critical Care. 2025;87:155011. doi:10.1016/j.jcrc.2024.155011 Gallieni M, Pittiruti M, Biffi R. Vascular access in oncology patients. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2008;58(6):323-346. doi:10.3322/CA.2008.0015 Summarized by Dan Orbidan, OMS2 | Edited by Dan Orbidan & Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: How long do we need to watch patients with a presumed overdose who were treated with naloxone in the field? A 2025 study in the Annals of Emergency Medicine took a look at this question Methods Prospective, multi-institutional cohort study Included ED patients with suspected acute opioid overdose with biologic testing to confirm substances. This paper performed a secondary analysis evaluating the risk of "delayed intubation," defined as intubation occurring >4 hours after ED arrival. Results 1,591 patients with presumed opioid overdose were included. Delayed intubation occurred in only 9 patients (0.6%). 8 of the 9 cases had non-respiratory causes contributing to intubation. Only 1 patient had respiratory-related deterioration, presenting with respiratory acidosis after receiving 6.4 mg naloxone prior to intubation. Key Takeaway Delayed respiratory deterioration requiring intubation after 4 hours of ED monitoring is extremely rare, suggesting prolonged monitoring may not be necessary for most stabilized overdose patients. How else can we mitigate risk? Give patients take-home naloxone at discharge and educate them on how to use it (See Episode 673: Leaving the ED with Naloxone). When are naloxone drips necessary? If a patient requires repeated naloxone boluses, consider a drip To get the dose, take the total naloxone dose that restored adequate breathing and give two-thirds of that dose per hour Typically these patients are admitted to the ICU References McCabe DJ, Gibbs H, Pratt AA, Culbreth R, Sutphin AM, Abston S, Li S, Wax P, Brent J, Campleman S, Aldy K, Falise A, Manini AF; ToxIC Fentalog Study Group. Risk of Delayed Intubation After Presumed Opioid Overdose in the Emergency Department. Ann Emerg Med. 2025 Jun;85(6):498-504. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2025.01.022. Epub 2025 Mar 4. PMID: 40047773; PMCID: PMC12955731. Summarized and edited by Jeffrey Olson MS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: D-dimer: fibrin degradation product used to evaluate for clot formation and breakdown Threshold: Elevated D-dimer indicates recent or ongoing intravascular coagulation and fibrinolysis YEARS score: algorithm to assess PE risk using three clinical criteria Criteria: signs of DVT, hemoptysis, and PE as the most likely diagnosis YEARS score of 0 with D-dimer YEARS score of ≥1 with D-dimer A study found that YEARS score accurately predicted the presence or absence of PE in 80% of enrolled patients with 90% sensitivity and 65% specificity D-dimer may also help exclude aortic dissection: Aortic Dissection Detection Risk Score (ADD-RS) When ADD-RS = 0 or 1 and D-dimer When ADD-RS >1, patients are considered high probability for aortic dissection and CT should be performed References Fayiad, H., Moussa, H., Nosair, Y. et al. Predictive accuracy of years score in diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Egypt J Bronchol 18, 18 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43168-024-00269-y Weitz JI, Fredenburgh JC, Eikelboom JW. A Test in Context: D-Dimer. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2017 Nov 7;70(19):2411-2420. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2017.09.024. PMID: 29096812. Yichao Ma,Zhenjiang Ding,Yunong Zhao,Paijiao Zhang,Bo Du,Ye Shen,Junmei Hu,Luqi Zhu,Honghong Zhao,Chunrong Jin,Yuhong Wang,Lizhen Gao,Research progress on multi-marker detection technology for cardiovascular diseases (review), Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, 1008, (119969), (2026). Summarized by Meg Joyce, MS2 | Edited by Meg Joyce & Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/

Contributor: Taylor Lynch MD Educational Pearls: Melatonin is an endogenous hormone released primarily by the pineal gland Also released by extrapineal regions in the retina, the GI tract, and some immune cells Peak secretion occurs at night and is suppressed during the day Secretion and production decrease with age Older patients experience the greatest improvement in sleep latency and sleep quality Mechanism of action in the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus MT1 receptor Reduces normal firing MT2 receptor Shifts the circadian rhythm FDA approved for insomnia Decreases sleep latency by 7 minutes Increases total sleep time by 8 minutes FDA approved for circadian sleep-wake disorders Jet lag Most effective in west-to-east travel Best if crossing at least 5 time zones Shift work A study examined ED physicians and nurses with rotating shifts Modest increase in deep sleep percentage No difference in cognition or reaction time the day after taking melatonin Nurses on rotating night shifts experienced increased total sleep time by 20 minutes Dosing 0.5 - 3 mg is the most evidence-based dosing Higher doses increase the risk of rebound grogginess but do not improve outcomes References Ahmad SB, Ali A, Bilal M, et al. Melatonin and Health: Insights of Melatonin Action, Biological Functions, and Associated Disorders. Cell Mol Neurobiol. 2023;43(6):2437-2458. doi:10.1007/s10571-023-01324-w Herxheimer A, Petrie KJ. Melatonin for the prevention and treatment of jet lag. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2002;(2):CD001520. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD001520 Morgenthaler TI, Lee-Chiong T, Alessi C, Friedman L, Aurora RN, Boehlecke B, Brown T, Chesson AL Jr, Kapur V, Maganti R, Owens J, Pancer J, Swick TJ, Zak R; Standards of Practice Committee of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Practice parameters for the clinical evaluation and treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders. An American Academy of Sleep Medicine report. Sleep. 2007 Nov;30(11):1445-59. doi: 10.1093/sleep/30.11.1445. Erratum in: Sleep. 2008 Jul 1;31(7):table of contents. PMID: 18041479; PMCID: PMC2082098. Thottakam BMVJ, Webster NR, Allen L, Columb MO, Galley HF. Melatonin Is a Feasible, Safe, and Acceptable Intervention in Doctors and Nurses Working Nightshifts: The MIDNIGHT Trial. Front Psychiatry. 2020;11:872. Published 2020 Aug 27. doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00872 Summarized and edited by Jorge Chalit, OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Contributor: Travis Barlock, MD Educational Pearls: Foul-smelling urine and cloudy urine are commonly misinterpreted as indicators of a UTI. However, these findings alone are not diagnostic. Criteria for UTI: Presence of localized urinary symptoms: Suprapubic pain Dysuria Hesitancy Urgency Urinalysis with WBC > 10 Urine culture with > 100,000 CFU/mL Colonization differs from infection - many patients harbor asymptomatic bacteria but do not have a true infection. Consequences of overtreatment One review showed 45% of patients treated with antibiotics for a presumed UTI actually had asymptomatic bacteriuria and were incorrectly treated. Unnecessary antibiotic treatment can have deleterious effects on the gut microbiome, increasing the risk of multidrug-resistant infections. Another problem with overdiagnosing UTI is missing the real diagnosis by explaining symptoms away as "just a UTI." Be mindful of the risk of overtesting versus not testing at all. Clinicians must navigate a balance between moving patients efficiently through the ER and testing appropriately when a UTI is truly suspected. References: Baghdadi JD, Korenstein D, Pineles L, et al. Exploration of primary care clinician attitudes and cognitive characteristics associated with prescribing antibiotics for asymptomatic bacteriuria. JAMA Netw Open. 2022;5(5):e2214268. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2022.14268 Colgan R, Williams M. Acute uncomplicated urinary tract infections in adults. Am Fam Physician. 2024;109(2):167-174. Accessed February 21, 2026. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2024/0200/acute-uncomplicated-utis-adults.html#afp20240200p167-ta1 Summarized by Ashley Lyons OMS3 | Edited by Ashley Lyons & Jorge Chalit OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: What is anaphylaxis and what are its treatments? Anaphylaxis is a broad term for potentially life threatening allergic reactions that can progress to cardiovascular collapse (anaphylactic shock). It is triggered by IgE and antigen cross-linking on mast cells to induce degranulation and the release of histamines, which can cause diffuse vasodilation and respiratory involvement with end-organ hypoperfusion. First line treatment is the immediate administration of epinephrine at 0.01 mg/kg (max dose for pediatrics is 0.3 mg and for adults is 0.5 mg) as well as removal of the offending agent causing the reaction. Additional pharmacologic treatments such as anti-histamines and steroids should be considered but not used instead of epinephrine when anaphylactic shock is evident as the sole therapy. What is biphasic anaphylaxis and what is its occurrence? Biphasic anaphylaxis is the return of anaphylactic symptoms after the initial anaphylactic event. Previous studies have reported an incidence ranging from 1-20% of patients having an initial anaphylactic reaction having biphasic anaphylaxis, at a range of time from 1-72 hours. The mechanism of biphasic anaphylaxis is not completely known, but can be contributed to by initial interventions wearing off (and why patients will be monitored for 2-4 hours after initial symptoms and treatment), or delayed immune mediators beginning to take effect. Recent studies show that the rate of biphasic anaphylaxis may be closer to 16% occurrence with a median time of occurrence being around 10 hours. What is the key take away and patient education on biphasic anaphylaxis? After patients have been observed for the initial 2-4 hours in the emergency room, they are generally safe to go home. Patients should be informed of the need to carry an Epi-Pen for similar anaphylactic reactions, and informed that there is a chance within the next day (10-20 hours) that they may have the symptoms occur once again. The biphasic reaction may be more mild, and patients should be educated on how to treat it and to seek immediate emergency care if the symptoms do not improve. References Golden DBK, Wang J, Waserman S, et al. Anaphylaxis: A 2023 practice parameter update. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. 2024;132(2):124-176. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2023.09.015 Rubin S, Drowos J, Hennekens CH. Anaphylaxis: Guidelines From the Joint Task Force on Allergy-Immunology Practice Parameters. afp. 2024;110(5):544-546. Weller KN, Hsieh FH. Anaphylaxis: Highlights from the practice parameter update. CCJM. 2022;89(2):106-111. doi:10.3949/ccjm.89a.21076 Gupta RS, Sehgal S, Brown DA, et al. Characterizing Biphasic Food-Related Allergic Reactions Through a US Food Allergy Patient Registry. The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology: In Practice. 2021;9(10):3717-3727. doi:10.1016/j.jaip.2021.05.009 Summarized by Dan Orbidan OMS2 | Edited by Dan Orbidan & Jorge Chalit OMS4 Donate: https://emergencymedicalminute.org/donate/ Join our mailing list: http://eepurl.com/c9ouHf