At this point, most people in the emergency medicine and critical care worlds just assume that balanced (ie, 1:1:1) transfusion is a proven intervention, and the focus has mostly moved on the the potential of whole blood. I am in an almost nonexistent minority when I argue that balanced transfusion is certainly not proven, and […]
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DALLAS, March 23, 2026 — Transthyretin amyloid cardiomyopathy, or ATTR‑CM, is a serious and often underdiagnosed condition caused by abnormal protein buildup that prevents the left ventricle from relaxing and filling properly, impairing the heart’s...Transthyretin...

STEMI-equivalent and STEMI-mimic ECGs are among the most difficult tracings to interpret. This study examines how Queen of Hearts AI performed against physicians when accuracy in cath lab activation decisions mattered most. The post The Queen of Hearts Returns: AI vs...

Research Highlights: If adolescents replaced 30 minutes of sedentary time each day with sleep or moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, it may reduce their insulin resistance and thus reduce their risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to an ...A study...

Research Highlights: A study of nearly 300 thousand adults in South Korea found that individuals with higher blood pressure (≥120 mm Hg/80 mm Hg) for up to 10 years during young adulthood (ages 30 and 40 were more likely to develop heart disease and...Research...

Research Highlights: In a study including nearly 500 pregnant women in three U.S. cities from 2020-2025, sedentary behavior, sleep and physical activity across a 7-day, 24-hour timeframe during each trimester were measured. The amount of time spent...Increased...

Dynamic left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) is not a condition I learned about during residency, and it is not a condition I have diagnosed regularly, although I have probably missed it many many times. On First10EM, I usually prefer to start with a presenting symptom than a diagnosis, because that is how patients present. […]
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Research Highlights: In an analysis of data from 2011 to 2022, the number of deaths after first hospitalization for a severe heart attack increased significantly among men and women ages 18-54. At the same time, the number of deaths was higher among...The content...

The big paper of the month: ketamine vs etomidate for RSI Casey JD, Seitz KP, Driver BE, et al. Ketamine or Etomidate for Tracheal Intubation of Critically Ill Adults. N Engl J Med. 2025 Dec 9. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2511420. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41369227 On its face, this is a fairly simple pragmatic RCT comparing […]
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CIWA-Ar breaks down when patients can’t participate. mMINDS offers an objective, ICU-ready approach to scoring severe alcohol withdrawal—especially in delirious, intubated, or critically ill patients. The post MDCalc Wars: Alcohol Withdrawal–When CIWA-Ar Breaks Down,...