#FOAMed

What does a raised lactate actually tell us? This 2015 physiology discussion revisits lactate production and clearance, then explores hypoxia, the stress response and interpretation in sepsis and trauma. It questions the leap from a marker of illness severity to a treatment endpoint.

Iain Beardsell and Simon Carley discuss syncope in this emergency medicine induction podcast. The accompanying notes and transcript explore how to distinguish a faint from other causes of collapse, use the history and ECG to identify concerning features, and consider medication, follow-up and senior advice.

This 2015 induction post and podcast explore the assessment of back pain in the emergency department. Topics include recognising serious causes, taking a neurological history, documenting examination findings and seeking senior advice, alongside symptom relief, mobility and communication with primary care.

An archive of St Emlyn’s learning resources mapped to the 2010 RCEM curriculum. This 2015 guide explains how topic links and curriculum codes help readers find material for core, higher and paediatric training, with ultrasound included; it is not a map of the current curriculum.

What counts as a normal respiratory or heart rate in a child? This 2015 appraisal examines emergency department centile data, compares published reference ranges and considers how rounded measurements and uneven age groups affect interpretation. It asks how confidently these observations can inform clinical assessment.

Persistent fast breathing in an otherwise well baby can be difficult to interpret. This 2015 review explores respiratory-rate measurement, clinical context and possible underlying causes, highlighting the importance of reassessment and follow-up when the initial examination or investigations do not explain the finding.