Emergency Tips

Before discharging a patient from the  ED , ask " Why did the patient come, and have I made the patient feel better?"

In the treatment of hyperkalemia , calcium chloride should only be used for a wide QRS ; it narrows the QRS but does not  lower the serum potassium.

Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm [ A A A ] can mimic renal colic.

  When hyponatremia is treated, Serum sodium should never be raised by more than 10-12 mEq/day to prevent the development  of central pontine myolysis

When formulating the differential diagnosis, ask " What is the most serious possible cause of this patient's presenting signs and symptoms?"