Patients diagnosed with acute PE in U.S. EDs have high functional status, and their mortality rate is low. These registry data suggest that appropriate initial medical management of ED patients with severe PE with anticoagulation is poorly standardized and indicate a need for research to determine the appropriate threshold for empiric treatment when PE is suspected before diagnostic confirmation.

ObjectiveTo determine whether not waiting for the elimination of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) has an effect on the amount of perioperative bleeding in patients who undergo operative treatment of a hip fracture.DesignObservation, retrospective case–control study.SettingA single UK major trauma centre.ParticipantsPatients who sustained a hip fracture were identified using the National Hip Fracture Database (NHFD). All those found to be taking a DOAC at the time of fracture were identified (n=63). A matched group not taking a DOAC was also identified from the NHFD (n=62).Main outcomePerioperative drop in haemoglobin concentration.ResultsThere was no relationship between admission to operation interval and perioperative change in haemoglobin concentration in patients taking DOACs (regression coefficient=−0.06 g/L/hour; 95% CI −0.32–0.20; p=0.64). No relationship was found between the time from admission to operation interval and the probability of transfusion (OR=0.94; 95% CI 0.85 to 1.90; p=0.16) or reoperation (OR=1.04; 95% CI 0.93 to 1.16; p=0.49). One mortality was recorded in the DOAC group within 30 days of admission, and this compared with five in the matched group of patients (p=0.2).ConclusionsDelaying surgery in patients who sustain a hip fracture who are taking a DOAC drug has not been shown to reduce perioperative bleeding or affect their mortality in this study.

The risk of occupational death is disproportionately high for emergency medical services (EMS) personnel, largely as a consequence of the high incidence of transportation-related fatalities. The purpose of this narrative review is twofold: to raise awareness in the EMS community by examining the various factors that contribute to vehicular EMS injuries and fatalities and to outline practical strategies for mitigating these risks to EMS professionals. This review describes three main categories of factors that contribute to personnel risk during ambulance transport: the inherent risks of driving/riding in an ambulance, poor ambulance safety standards and design, and increased provider vulnerability to injury while delivering critical patient care in the back of a moving ambulance. Specific educational, technologic, regulatory, and behavioral strategies for mitigating these risks are offered in hopes of improving ambulance safety practices.

Summary Objective Hyponatraemia is common in community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) and is associated with increased mortality. The mechanism of hyponatraemia in CAP is not completely understood and treatment is therefore ill‐defined. We aimed to define the causation of hyponatraemia in CAP. Design Prospective, single‐centre, observational study of all patients with CAP and hyponatraemia (≤ 130 mmol/L) during a 9‐month period. Patients The prevalence of each subtype of hyponatraemia, and the associated mortality, was determined in 143 admissions with CAP (Study 1). A sub‐cohort of patients with SIAD (n = 10) was prospectively followed, to document the natural history of SIAD associated with CAP (Study 2). Measurements In Study 2, blood and urine were collected on day 1, 3, 5 and 7 following admission for measurement of plasma vasopressin, sodium, osmolality and urine osmolality. Results In study 1, 143/1723(8.3%) of CAP patients had hyponatraemia (≤130 mmol/L). About 66 had SIAD (46%), 60(42%) had hypovolaemic hyponatraemia (HON), 13(9%) had hypervolaemic hyponatraemia (HEN) and 4(3%) patients had hyponatraemia due to glucocorticoid hormone deficiency. Mortality was higher in the HEN than in the HON, SIAD or normonatraemic groups (P < 0.01). In Study 2, plasma sodium concentration normalized in 8/10 (80%) by day 7. Two patients with persistent hyponatraemia were discovered to have underlying bronchiectasis. Conclusions Hyponatraemia in CAP is most commonly secondary to SIAD or hypovolaemia. HEN is less common, but has worse prognosis. Prospective observation demonstrates that in SIAD, plasma AVP and sodium concentrations normalize with antimicrobials; failure of reversal of suggests underlying lung disease, such as bronchiectasis.

We confirmed higher all-cause mortality in hyponatraemia than in NN. Mortality was higher in SIAD than in normonatraemia and was not explained on the basis of co-morbidities. Mortality was higher in HON and HEN than in SIAD. Mortality rates reported for all-cause hyponatraemia in the medical literature are not applicable to SIAD.