Emergency Medicine

Which trauma papers deserved attention at the 2013 Trauma Care conference? Simon Carley shares his shortlist, from tranexamic acid and analgesia to imaging and airway management, and reflects on the limits of presenting ten studies in half an hour.

Can bedside ultrasound identify the cause of undifferentiated hypotension? This 2013 journal club examines a 108-patient diagnostic study, questioning how agreement with a final diagnosis relates to clinical judgement, potential bias and better patient outcomes.

Simon Carley reviews the 2013 ACC/AHA STEMI guidance from an emergency department perspective. The discussion focuses on access to PCI, cardiac arrest and cardiogenic shock, and the practical challenge of transferring critically ill patients safely to the catheter laboratory.

This April 2013 announcement invited readers to an evening with emergency physician and FOAM educator Joe Lex in Manchester. Natalie May introduces his contribution to open-access education and shares the enthusiasm generated by his talk at SMACC 2013.

Should doctors introduce themselves by their first name or their title? Simon Carley reflects on how introductions and hierarchy shape communication with patients and colleagues, and why making it easier for junior staff to speak up matters.

An elevated troponin result does not tell the whole clinical story. In this 2013 discussion, Rick Body explores high-sensitivity assays, chronic elevations and type 2 myocardial infarction, explaining why serial results need to be interpreted alongside the patient's presentation.