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Biomedical subjects

G L Sternbach

Publications and source records attributed to G L Sternbach.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

The Glasgow coma scale.

Teasdale and Jennett first presented the Glasgow Coma Scale in 1974 as an aid in the clinical assessment of unconsciousness. It was devised as a formal scheme to overcome the ambiguities and misunderstandings that arose when information about comatose patients was presented and groups of patients were compared. Since then, the Glasgow Coma Scale has been used extensively, being used to grade individual patients, compare effectiveness of treatments, and as a prognostic indicator. It has been incorporated into numerous trauma and critical illness classification systems. However, a number of competing scales have been developed to overcome its perceived deficiencies. These scales are generally more complex. One of the expressed reservations regarding the Glasgow Coma Scale has been its failure to incorporate brainstem reflexes. The scale also includes a numerical skew toward the motor response. An important current issue is the appropriate application of the Glasgow Coma Scale to intubated patients. A number of approaches have been used to assign the verbal score to such patients. The timing of initial scoring is another area of discussion. Despite its drawbacks, the Glasgow Coma Scale remains the most universally utilized level of consciousness scale worldwide. It seems destined to be used in emergency medicine for some time.

Glasgow Coma Scale↗
PubMed1999

Automatic external defibrillators: lessons from the past, present and future.

Coronary artery disease remains the leading cause of death in the United States and most developed countries. Many of the victims die from sudden cardiac arrests, resulting from dysrhythmias-most commonly ventricular fibrillation. Since most cardiac arrests occur outside the hospital, implementing emergency services in the field will have a great impact on survival. With the development of the modern automatic external defibrillator (AED), early recognition and correction of these dysrhythmias by lay rescuers can significantly improve outcome from sudden death. This paper reviews the past, present and future development and applications of AEDs.

Electric Countershock↗
PubMed1993

Discrepancy in resuscitation beliefs among physicians at various levels of training.

Having previously described some of the attitudes of health care providers toward resuscitation for themselves, based on an individual's beliefs about the likelihood of success of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), the differences among attitudes of physicians at different levels of training have now been assessed. A multi-question survey was sent to medical students, house officers, and attending physicians at two university medical centers. Sociodemographic information, questions regarding beliefs about outcome after CPR, and personal desires were included. Respondents were asked to identify the clinical condition carrying the worst prognosis during cardiac arrest from among: metastatic cancer (MC), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), sepsis, and myocardial infarction (MI), and to specify their resuscitation desires should they be affected by these conditions. The preferences of each group regarding resuscitation given their least favored diagnosis were assessed using chi 2 analysis of trends for binomial proportions. Approximately 186 questionnaires were evaluated and consisted of 90 by medical students (MS), 67 by house officers (HOs), and 29 by attending physicians (APs). Resuscitation desires for each diagnosis were MC, 7 of 40; ESRD, 8 of 34; AIDS, 10 of 74; sepsis, 10 of 15; and MI, 20 of 23. chi 2 test for trend of desire to be resuscitated from the self-selected worst prognostic category by level of training demonstrated no significant decrease in desire to be resuscitated with increasing level of training. Physician's beliefs about CPR may be influenced by their experiences with particular patients and events.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1992

Carbon monoxide poisoning. An occult epidemic.

Carbon monoxide poisoning is a significant health threat in the United States. Smoke inhalation from fires is the most common source. History of carbon monoxide exposure and elevated carboxyhemoglobin levels should alert physicians to the diagnosis of acute poisoning. When there is no history of exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning must be considered when two or more patients are similarly or simultaneously sick. The diagnosis must be excluded by a directed history and physical examination. If suspicion remains, carboxyhemoglobin levels should be determined and oxygen therapy should be started empirically while laboratory results are pending. Prompt administration of hyperbaric oxygen may reduce the risk of death. If carbon monoxide poisoning is confirmed, the source must be identified and recommendations for correction or avoidance should be made.

Carbon Monoxide Poisoning↗
PubMed1992

Severe hyperphosphatemia associated with hemorrhagic shock.

Hyperphosphatemia is an electrolyte abnormality that most frequently results from renal insufficiency and the attendant inability to excrete phosphorus (PO4) efficiently. A case is presented in which a young man with hemorrhagic shock developed severe hyperphosphatemia in the absence of renal failure. This is the first such case documented to the authors' knowledge. The prompt correction of the primary cause (ie, hypoperfusion and acidosis) resulted in a rapid return of PO4 levels to normal. This was probably related to the intracellular shift of PO4. Physicians should be aware of this electrolyte disturbance because it is not a well-recognized complication and because, in most cases, proper treatment of shock will also correct the elevated PO4.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Emergency department presentation and care of heart and heart/lung transplant recipients.

STUDY OBJECTIVE: Heart and heart/lung transplants are accepted forms of therapy for patients with end-stage cardiac or pulmonary disease. These patients are likely to present postoperatively to the emergency department. To our knowledge, there have been no previous reports in the medical literature of the ED presentation of these patients. DESIGN: We conducted a retrospective review of the records of all patients who had received a heart or a heart/lung transplant at Stanford University Medical Center from 1988 through 1990 and who had at least one ED visit. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Between the time of operation and April 1, 1991, 131 ED visits were recorded. Fever was the single most common presenting complaint, for 48 (37%) of the visits. Difficulty in breathing (13%); gastrointestinal symptoms of nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea (10%); and chest pain (9%) were other common reasons for presentation. CONCLUSION: The transplant patient, by virtue of requiring chronic immunosuppression, is susceptible to infection with a spectrum of opportunistic organisms. When fever or other symptoms suggest infection, appropriate cultures and aggressive diagnostic procedures (eg, lumbar puncture, bronchoscopy) should be performed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

'Designer drugs'. Recognizing and managing their toxic effects.

"Adam," "Eve," "ecstasy," "China white." Illicit street drugs such as these are called designer drugs because they are designed to elicit certain effects and to bypass legal classification. Unfortunately, use and abuse of such substances can lead to serious medical problems and even death. Drs Sternbach and Varon describe the best-known compounds and discuss clinical characteristics and management of designer drug intoxication.

Amphetamines↗
PubMed1992

Hypothermia. Saving patients from the big chill.

Although hypothermia is a serious and sometimes fatal condition, prompt recognition and institution of appropriate rewarming techniques may save even profoundly affected persons. The diagnosis of hypothermia should be considered when patients present with alterations of cerebral function without apparent explanation, especially in the presence of underlying predisposing illnesses and conditions. When hypothermia is suspected, an accurate core temperature must be obtained. Application of rewarming techniques appropriate to the degree of hypothermia may be lifesaving. Conservative use of pharmacotherapy is warranted.

Age Factors↗
PubMed1991

Resuscitation attitudes among medical personnel: how much do we really want to be done?

Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is attempted every day. Whereas medical professionals and personnel perform these resuscitation attempts, no previous studies have reported the attitudes of medical personnel towards resuscitation for themselves. We have attempted to assess the prevalent attitudes among various physicians at various levels in training and nurses. An eleven item questionnaire was sent to medical students, house officers, attending physicians and registered nurses at university medical centers. Each questionnaire consisted of respondent's sociodemographic information, their attitudes about CPR for themselves and their beliefs about outcome after CPR with particular disease states. The results were analyzed using chi-square analysis. Four hundred questionnaires were mailed and 240 were returned (60% response rate). All groups favored resuscitation in a university hospital over other sites (P less than 0.05). More nurses requested to be 'no code' compared with other professionals (P less than 0.005). Attending physicians requested that CPR attempts be terminated after less time than any other group (P less than 0.005). Medical students requested resuscitation significantly more than any other group in the presence of terminal conditions such as metastatic cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (P less than 0.005). Medical personnel's beliefs about CPR may be influenced by their experiences with particular patients and events. As trainees acquire more experience they appear less inclined to desire resuscitation efforts for themselves.

Attitude of Health Personnel↗
PubMed1991

Recurrent pneumoperitoneum following vaginal insufflation.

The authors report a case of a 24-year-old nulligravida woman who presented to the hospital with complaints of severe abdominal pain and radiographic evidence of pneumoperitoneum. She had two prior nondiagnostic laparotomies for similar complaints and radiographic findings. After a careful sexual history was taken the patient revealed that she had sexual intercourse preceding every similar episode including this one, during which her partner forcefully blew air into her vagina. Pneumoperitoneum associated with vaginal insufflation has been previously reported in two multigravida patients with and without anatomic abnormalities. When pneumoperitoneum is present in the absence of gastrointestinal symptoms or trauma, a meticulous sexual history should be made to avoid unnecessary laparotomies.

Adult↗