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The Two Objectives During Every Psychiatric-Type Complaint Medical Clearance Psychiatric Risk Assessment Medical Clearance Required by EMTALA to perform a “screening exam” regardless of complaint Most psychiatric facilities have poor diagnostic/treatment capabilities for non-psychiatric conditions and will want patient to be “medically cleared” Sometimes they will require specific tests to be performed, blood pressure to […]

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Think A-B-C-P (Airway, Breathing, Circulation, Pregnancy Test) in ALL Women of Child-Bearing Age! It changes the differential diagnosis It changes the medications you can give It changes the tests you can order Vaginal Bleeding Pearls Non-pregnant vaginal bleeding Order a pelvic ultrasound (for structural causes) Order a CBC and coagulation panel (for anemia and coagulopathy) […]

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Stroke Most appropriate initial tests Blood Glucose Hypoglycemia is a common stroke mimic CT Head without contrast Rules out HEMORRHAGIC strokes Subarachnoid Hemorrhage Classic description “Worst headache of life” “Sudden and maximal in onset” “Thunderclap” Testing CT Head without contrast (If negative CT) Lumbar puncture Xanthochromia (yellowish fluid) Treatment Nimodipine (Given orally) Prevents vasospasm Causes […]