Biomedical subjects

K G Rodgers

Publications and source records attributed to K G Rodgers.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed1995

Cardiovascular shock.

Few presentations to the emergency department are as critical or dramatic as the patient in shock. Cardiovascular disasters that commonly present with shock include massive pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade, aortic dissection and aneurysm, and cardiogenic shock associated with acute myocardial infarction. Because patients in "cardiovascular shock" have similar clinical presentations and a high degree of morbidity and mortality, they demand rapid, efficient, and aggressive evaluation and treatment. This article reviews the evaluation and treatment of patients presenting with cardiovascular shock.

Aortic Dissection↗

PubMed1994

Antibiotic use in prosthetic device infections.

The incidence of prosthetic infections presenting to the emergency department is constantly increasing as the number of patients with prostheses grows. Our first duty as emergency physicians is to maintain a high index of suspicion for prosthetic infection in patients presenting with prosthetic dysfunction or fever. Optimal cultures must be obtained before instituting antimicrobial therapy. In stable patients, this may preclude starting antibiotics in the emergency department. The diversity of prosthetic infections and the need for accurate treatment in order to reduce the morbidity, mortality, and economic costs requires an in-depth knowledge of the microbiology and pharmacologic management of such infections. Except in the case of prosthetic heart valves, prophylactic antibiotics are rarely indicated and their use should be based on judicious clinical decision making.

Anti-Infective Agents↗

PubMed1992

The rational use of antimicrobial agents in simple wounds.

The wounds in most patients presenting to the Emergency Department will heal uneventfully and do not require the use of antimicrobial agents. Specific indications for antimicrobial use include simple wounds in patients with lymphedema, orthopedic prostheses, or in those patients prone to bacterial endocarditis. Relative indications include high-risk wounds in compromised hosts, wounds contaminated with feces, saliva, or vaginal secretions, or wounds clinically infected at the time of presentation. More important than antimicrobial administration is the commitment to aggressive, timely wound care. Pitfalls in therapy center around the injudicious use of antimicrobial agents. Such therapy does not give the physician permission to close wounds that should be left open or to give less than optimal wound care. Physicians should be keenly aware of the fact that antimicrobial use is not innocuous. The economic burden and potential for adverse side effects must be weighed against the fact that the wounds in 90% to 95% of patients presenting to the Emergency Department will heal without the use of antimicrobial agents.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗