A Brewing Problem
Excessive alcohol use is responsible for approximately 88,000 deaths per year, and is known to be a contributing factor in motor vehicle accidents, homicides, suicides, sexual assault, domestic violence, and unintentional injury. Because of this, it is frequently the case that EMS professionals are called to a scene in which alcohol has been involved. It […]
Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (GPA)
/*! elementor – v3.20.0 – 26-03-2024 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=”.svg”]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), also known as Wegener’s Disease or Wegener’s Granulomatosis, is a blood vessel disorder called vasculitis (which means blood vessel inflammation). It causes inflammation and damage of the blood vessels in certain areas of the body, including the nose, sinuses, […]
Thanks, But No Thanks
EMS was called to the parking lot of a grocery store by a bystander who reports an elderly woman fell while getting out of her car and is now experiencing chest pain. At the scene, the woman denies losing consciousness or striking her head and the only visible injury is a slight abrasion on her […]
Crohn’s Disease
What is Crohn’s disease? Crohn’s disease is classified as an inflammatory bowel disease, or IBD, in which any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract becomes inflamed. Most typically, inflammation occurs at the ileum, the end of the small intestine, where it meets the colon; however, Crohn’s disease can affect any of the GI tract from […]
Tired to Death
On January 22, 2018, an ambulance crashed in Miami County, Indiana. The ambulance was transporting a 5-month-old child who, accompanied by her mother, was being moved between hospitals when the accident occurred at approximately 3:45 AM. The driver of the ambulance failed to stop at a red light and collided with another vehicle that was […]
Terror Behind the Wheel
On the evening of July 14, the people of the French city of Nice gathered to celebrate Bastille Day, the day that commemorates the storming of the Bastille. The Bastille was a political prison and a symbol of royal authority and when it was taken in 1789, it marked a major turning point in the […]
5 Ways to Calm a Dying Patient
You’re on the front lines every day performing miracles. You execute CPR effortlessly, instinctively notice the signs of an impending stroke, and have performed abdominal thrusts for choking too many times to count. You’ve done it all, and have vast experience handling life or death situations. Despite your tactical expertise in performing daily EMS tasks, […]
Influenza: Deadly Myths and Sickening Facts
This winter the influenza virus is hitting the country especially hard. A major reason for this tougher-than-usual flu season is that this year’s most prevalent strain of the influenza virus is especially nasty. There are four different species of influenza virus known as A, B, C, and D, with the seasonal flu being caused by […]
Case Study: Young Man with Severe Chest Pain
/*! elementor – v3.21.0 – 18-04-2024 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=”.svg”]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} He was sitting up leaning slightly forward when I entered the exam room. This 22-year-old man said he started having severe central chest pain that he described as sharp while playing soccer. He decided to lay down on the sidelines and see if […]
Anxiety Disorders
/*! elementor – v3.21.0 – 18-04-2024 */ .elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=”.svg”]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block} Anxiety is a term that tends to get tossed around a lot to reflect whenever someone is feeling stressed. Occasionally feeling worried or anxious is normal, but it becomes an anxiety disorder when the worry and fear is persistent, intense, and revolves around […]
