#FOAMed

Rick Body and Kerstin de Wit introduce the drugs then known as novel oral anticoagulants in this 2015 podcast. The first part explores how they work, their place alongside older treatments, prescribing considerations and monitoring, capturing the questions surrounding their early adoption in emergency practice.

A 2015 induction guide and podcast on assessing early pregnancy problems in the emergency department. Natalie May discusses pain and bleeding, recognition of possible ectopic pregnancy, local referral pathways and the importance of explaining uncertainty with compassion when patients fear they may be miscarrying.

Recorded at the London Trauma Conference in 2014, Iain Beardsell and Gareth Davies discuss impact brain apnoea after head injury. They explore the proposed physiology, difficulties in gathering evidence and the potential role of bystanders and early responders in addressing airway and breathing problems.

Could time spent in an emergency department offer an opportunity for sexually transmitted infection screening? This 2014 appraisal examines a trial of brief counselling and testing in young women, questioning its sample size, generalisability and whether measuring immediate uptake captures the wider value of screening.

A satirical ‘Fellowship of Corridor Medicine’ introduces a serious discussion of emergency department overcrowding. Simon Carley follows the spoof with practical reflections on departmental leadership, communication, sharing risk across the hospital and supporting patients and staff when demand overwhelms the space available for safe care.

A 2014 appraisal of MR CLEAN, an early positive trial of intra-arterial treatment for selected patients with acute ischaemic stroke. Simon Carley examines imaging-based selection, pragmatic treatment choices and functional outcomes, while asking how confidently one trial could support wider adoption at the time.