CanadiEM aims to improve emergency care in Canada by building an online community of practice for healthcare practitioners and providing them with high quality, freely available educational resources. Our podcasts are found on this channel and include: CRACKCast (Core Rosen's and Clinical Knowledge) helps residents to "Turn on their learn on" through podcasts that assist with exam prep by covering essential core content. ClerkCast: A podcast focused on clinical clerks and their time in emergency medicine. It provides an overview of key topics that help you to rock your EM rotations. First Year Diaries: A podcast focused on the first year of independent clinical practice in emergency medicine and all of its trials and tribulations. Physicians as Humans explores the struggles that physicians face and how they have overcome them. From addictions, mental health issues, and all manner of personal crises will be discussed to help let those who are currently struggling know that they are not alone.
http://canadiem.org/
episode 204: CRACKCast E204 – Depressed Consciousness and Coma
Core Questions:
1. Define coma and differentiate coma from lethargy and stupor.
2. Name five neuroanatomic structures involved in maintaining arousal.
3. List five critical and five emergent causes of depressed consciousness. (see Table 13.1)
4. Describe your approach to the history and physical examination for the patient with depressed consciousness.
5. Outline your exam to accurately assess the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). (see Table 13.2)
6. What is the FOUR score, and how is it calculated? (see Table 13.3)
7. What ancillary tests should be ordered in the patient with depressed consciousness?
8. Outline your plan of management for the patient with depressed consciousness. (see Figure 13.2)
Wisecracks:
1. What is the best noxious stimulus to apply to evaluate GCS?
2. What are the oculocephalic and oculovestibular reflexes, and what information do they provide?
3. Describe decorticate and decerebrate posturing.
4. What is the utility of serum ammonia testing?