The implementation of therapeutic hypothermia in the emergency department: a multi-institution case review.

Background: The use of therapeutic hypothermia (TH) is a burgeoning treatment modality for post-cardiac arrest patients.

Objectives: We performed a retrospective chart review of patients who underwent post-cardiac arrest TH at eight different institutions across the United States. Our objectives were to assess how TH is currently being implemented in emergency departments and to examine the feasibility of conducting TH research using multi-institution prospective data.

Genetics of warfarin sensitivity in an emergency department population with thromboembolic.

Background: Emergency department (ED) patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) are eventually treated with a standard dose of warfarin despite the fact that a number of patients are known to be sensitive to warfarin and may experience supra-therapeutic INRs and adverse bleeding events. Pharmacogenetics is an emerging field of medical practice that seeks to improve drug safety and efficacy in an individual patient by tailoring treatment to the patient's known genetic makeup.

Objective: To identify patients with risk for warfarin sensitivity among an ED population with VTE and to assess if the warfarin sensitivity mutations were of significant enough prevalence to be of clinical significance in customizing treatment of VTE.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: a case series and review of the literature.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) is an unusual form of acute cardiomyopathy showing left ventricular apical ballooning. It is often triggered by intense physical or emotional distress. We report here four cases of TCM and a review of the literature on the topic.