You will regularly see patients with blood in their urine, most often picked up incidentally on a urine drip. Your initial assessment should aim to identify whether this is due to a UTI (or other transient cause) and whether it is urological or nephrological with the help of measuring the patient’s blood pressure, bloods (FBC,
Femoral puncture is typically used to acquire blood from a patient in an emergency setting as both the veins and arteries are large vessels. In profound hypotension, unlike the radial, the femoral artery remains palpable. In a cardiac arrest, good quality CPR should result in a palpable pulsation. Typically a venous sample is preferred as
A CNS infection is one that involves the central nervous system in some way. This includes the meninges, cerebellum, ventricular system and spinal cord, among others. Meningitis is the most common form of CNS infection. You should have a low threshold for starting empirical treatment in suspected cases of meningitis or encephalitis, particularly in patients
Almost every patient admitted to hospital receives IV fluids at some point in their journey. However, the body manages this, without the need for careful medical assessment and adjustment, as fluid balance is one of its core functions. Despite this, there are many situations where we need careful and controlled management. These include: Electrolyte disturbance
Hypothermia, whilst an infrequently encountered issue during foundation, is a high-risk condition with a need for investigation and often rapid intervention. It is defined as a core body temperature less than 35°C and can be divided into mild, moderate and severe (by the extent of hypothermia and associated signs/symptoms) or into the duration of onset
Red eye is one of the most common eye presentations you will encounter. Whilst many will likely be referred to an opthalmologist or senior clinician, it’s important to know what common cases you are likely to encounter and how to manage them. One of the main factors is to distinguish whether the red eye is
In this article, we cover the main ENT situations you are likely to encounter either in A&E, during an ENT on call job or occasionally as a ward emergency. ENT cases can be exciting but slightly daunting, particularly due to the number of specialty-specific presentations and practical procedures to become familiar with as well as
You’ve found an unwell dehydrated, diabetic patient who is hyperglycaemic. They are ketotic or have significant hyperglycaemia alone (>30mmol/L) at a first glance, and so you suspect Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) or Hyperosmolar Hyperglycaemic State (HHS) respectively. Diabetic Ketoacidosis (DKA) DKA is defined as the biochemical triad of: Ketonaemia ≥3 mmol/L (hand-held Ketone Meter) OR significant Ketonuria
In this article, we will present several common scenarios involving Parkinson’s disease (PD) that you might face on the ward or on call. We will not go into too much detail about the pathophysiology of the disease – as fascinating as it is. This is more of a quick practical guide, on how to deal
Requesting scans can be a scary daily occurrence for new doctors. It is one of few times where you liaise directly with a consultant. When requesting scans, there are two simple questions you have to ask yourself: Usually, most requests are through a computer system. It is important that the information you provide answers the
