SAM Manchester
It was great to see so many of you in SAM Manchester. We hope you found the conference worthwhile and found the trainee session really useful. With the trainee session we have tried to get a balance of something for trainees of all stages and thought a summary would be useful for those who couldn’t make it.
Trainee Update – December 2012 Read More
The treatment of infective endocarditis remains controversial with differing advice regarding timing of surgery in current guidelines.
DH Kang, YJ Kim, SH Kim et al. N Engl J Med 2012; 366: 2455-2473.
The treatment of infective endocarditis remains controversial with differing advice regarding timing of surgery in current guidelines.
Journal Watch: May-July 2012 Read More
Abstract
Pleuritic pain, a sharp discomfort near the chest wall exacerbated by inspiration is associated with a number of pathologies. Pulmonary embolus and infection are two common causes but diagnosis can often be challenging, both for experienced physicians and trainees. The underlying anatomy and pathophysiology of such pain and the most common aetiologies are presented. Clinical symptoms and signs that may arise alongside pleuritic pain are then discussed, followed by an introduction to the diagnostic tools such as the Wells’ score and current guidelines that can help to select the most appropriate investigation(s).
Management of pulmonary embolism and other common causes of pleuritic pain are also discussed and highlighted by a clinical vignette.
Problem based review: Pleuritic Chest Pain Read More
We hope that you have enjoyed the summer and the rare moments of sunshine! Now that you are settling into your new jobs since the recent changeover, we hoped you were able to make use of the extended trainee early bird discount for the October SAM conference in Manchester. If you have not yet booked spaces are still available and it’s a great way to meet new people and keep updated!
Abstract
Palpitations, or the sensation of a rapid or heavy heartbeat, are a common symptom in both primary and secondary care settings. Here we use a common presentation of palpitations to explore the best ways to assess and treat patients who present in this way. We hope that by using a structured approach to our assessment we will reduce the use of the ‘scattergun’ approach to diagnosis, thus preventing unnecessary investigation and hospital stay.
Problem based review: The patient with ‘palpitations’ Read More
A 69 year old female presented to the Emergency Department with swelling of her right arm and elbow, one week following a fall which resulted in a fracture of the middle third of her right clavicle (Figure 1). The forearm was hot and tender and the arm and hand function were somewhat impaired by swelling, but sensation was intact. Initial bloods were unremarkable, apart from a mild neutrophilia.
Problem based review: The patient presenting with an acutely swollen arm Read More
Abstract Alcohol-use disorders including acute intoxication and withdrawal are common in the acute medical setting. Acute physicians should be aware of the indications for inpatient detoxification, and be able to liase with specialist alcohol services in the hospital and in the community to determine those patients for whom community-based detoxification may be beneficial. Additionally, it
Problem based review: Alcohol-use disorders on the Acute Medical Unit Read More
Assessing gait speed in acutely ill older patients admitted to an acute care elders hospital unit.
Journal Watch: February-May 2012 Read More
It was great to see so many of you at SAM Dublin at the beginning of May. For those of you who could not make it to the conference, we thought it would be helpful to summarise some of the best bits within this newsletter. We have concentrated on areas we felt were most relevant to you and your training.
Haemoptysis is a common symptom in clinical practice, which requires further investigation. Fortunately, massive haemoptysis only accounts for a small proportion of these episodes. It is a medical emergency that carries a high mortality rate. There are no agreed management guidelines. This review discusses proposed methods of resuscitation as well as outlining a diagnostic algorithm and discusses treatments including bronchial artery embolization, endobronchial therapy, surgery and medical therapies.
Haemoptysis: Diagnosis and Treatment Read More