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Healthcare Utilization

Abnormal Arterial Blood Gas and Serum Lactate Levels Do Not Alter Disposition in Adult Blunt Trauma Patients after Early Computed Tomography

Introduction: Arterial blood gas and serum lactate (ABG / SL) values have been shown to be markers for occult shock and poor outcome following blunt trauma. However, the utility of ABG / SL in blunt trauma patients who also receive computed tomographies (CT) of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis (CT C&A) remains unknown.
Conclusion: We found that abnormal ABG / SL results do not change management or discharge disposition in patients without clinical or radiographic evidence of traumatic injury on CT C&A. Among patients who receive CT C&A, the routine measurement of arterial blood gas and lactate may be an unnecessary source of additional cost, patient discomfort, and delay in care.

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Counter-Point: Are We Really Ordering Too Many CT Scans?

  Author Affiliation David T. Schwartz, MD Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine, New York University School of Medicine In a recent review published in the New England Journal of Medicine, DJ Brenner and EJ Hall, professors of Radiation Biology at Columbia University, analyzed the current trend to increased use of computed tomography (CT) scanning, the attendant […]

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WestJEM/ Department of Emergency Medicine
UC Irvine Health

3800 W Chapman Ave Ste 3200
Orange, CA 92868, USA
Phone: 1-714-456-6389
Email: editor@westjem.org

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WestJEM
ISSN: 1936-900X
e-ISSN: 1936-9018

CPC-EM
ISSN: 2474-252X

Our Philosophy

Emergency Medicine is a specialty which closely reflects societal challenges and consequences of public policy decisions. The emergency department specifically deals with social injustice, health and economic disparities, violence, substance abuse, and disaster preparedness and response. This journal focuses on how emergency care affects the health of the community and population, and conversely, how these societal challenges affect the composition of the patient population who seek care in the emergency department. The development of better systems to provide emergency care, including technology solutions, is critical to enhancing population health.