BMJ

Introduction to the “space-control theory of paramedic scene management”

Background: Scene management is a critically important aspect of paramedic practice but, to date, there has been no formal research in this area. Objective: To generate a substantive theory of ...
BMJ

Sudden visual loss after closed head injury

This is a report of a case of traumatic optic neuropathy after minor head injury: a rare cause of sudden visual loss after trauma. The aetiology and management are discussed.
BMJ

Current Issue

Renée A M Tuinte, Claudia Bull, Job M Hoonhorst, Reinier P Akkermans, Marie Louise Moors, Jaap ten Oever, Marlies EJL Hulscher, Jacobien J Hoogerwerf ...
BMJ

Dietary sugars versus glucose tablets for first-aid treatment of symptomatic hypoglycaemia in awake patients with diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Correspondence to Dr Jestin N Carlson, Department of Emergency Medicine, Allegheny Health Network, Saint Vincent Hospital, 232 West 25th St, Erie, PA 16544, USA; jcarlson{at}svhs.org Background While ...
BMJ

Haemorrhage into an arachnoid cyst: a serious complication of minor head trauma

Arachnoid cysts are infra-arachnoidal cerebrospinal fluid collections that are usually asymptomatic. However, they can become acutely symptomatic because of haemorrhage and cyst enlargement, which may ...
BMJ

Management of patients presenting to the emergency department with sudden onset severe headache: systematic review of diagnostic accuracy studies

Objective Advances in imaging technologies have precipitated uncertainty and inconsistency in the management of neurologically intact patients presenting to the Emergency Department (ED) with ...
BMJ

Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels at admission for mortality risk assessment in patients with acute coronary syndromes

2 Department of Preventive and Urgent Cardiology, I M Sechenov Moscow Medical Academy, City Clinical Hospital N 59, Moscow, Russian Federation 3 City Clinical Hospital N 7, Moscow, Russian Federation ...
BMJ

Misuse of the London ambulance service: How much and why?

OBJECTIVES: To assess the degree of inappropriate use of the London Ambulance Service and analyse the reasons for misuse. DESIGN: An immediate assessment of the appropriateness of the "999" call by ...
BMJ

Care-pathways for patients presenting to emergency ambulance services with self-harm: national survey

Background Self-harm is among the top five causes of acute hospital admissions and ambulance clinicians are often the first point of contact. However, the Emergency Department (ED) may not be the most ...
BMJ

Outcomes of beta blocker use in cocaine-associated chest pain: a meta-analysis

Objectives Beta blockers (β-blockers) remain a standard therapy in the early treatment of acute coronary syndromes. However, β-blocker therapy in patients with cocaine-associated chest pain (CACP) ...
BMJ

Medical patient boarding in the emergency department as a source of crowding and delay-related harm, impacting patient outcomes and the efficiency of urgent and emergency care

Background Previous studies have indicated that crowding within the emergency department (ED) is associated with longer lengths of stay in the ED and higher mortality. Boarding, the time patients ...
BMJ

Emergency medicine as risk management: a cognitive scaffold for safe decisions under uncertainty

Emergency medicine (EM) is often mischaracterised as symptom-based care, yet, in practice, it is the discipline of making time-critical decisions with incomplete information, under conditions where ...