AIR Series: Neurology Module 2 – Headaches, Seizures, and Other

Welcome to the Second Neurology Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts from the top 50 sites of the Social Media Index the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality neurology content relating to headaches, seizures, and other neurologic emergencies. Below we have listed our selection of the 17 highest quality blog posts within the past 12 months (as of December 2015) related to neurologic emergencies, curated and approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically in this module, we identified 9 AIRs and 8 Honorable Mentions.

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By Andrew Grock, MD|2026-06-16T16:09:14-07:00Mar 29, 2016|Approved Instructional Resources (AIR series), Neurology|

Calcium channel blockers for stable SVT: A first line agent over adenosine?

A 52-year old man presents via EMS with a chief complaint of “racing heartbeat” for one hour. He is placed on a cardiac monitor which shows a heart rate of 185, an ECG reveals supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), and his blood pressure is 143/95 mmHg. As you ask the nurse to procure 6 mg of adenosine, the patient’s eyes grow wide.

“Please doc…” he pleads, “anything but that! Last time they gave that to me I thought I was gonna die!”

You recently read about using calcium channel blockers (CCBs) for paroxysmal SVT (PSVT), but can’t recall the last time you actually considered using them. After all, it’s been over 20 years since we switched to using adenosine first-line.

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By Stephen Rappaport, PharmD, BCPS|2024-01-12T02:08:09-08:00Mar 23, 2016|Cardiovascular, Expert Peer Reviewed (Clinical), Tox & Medications|

AIR Series: Neurology Module 1 – Bleeds and Strokes

Welcome to the first Neurology Module! After carefully reviewing all relevant posts from the top 50 sites of the Social Media Index the ALiEM AIR Team is proud to present the highest quality neurology content relating to intracranial hemorrhage and stokes. Below we have listed our selection of the 17 highest quality blog posts within the past 12 months (as of November 2015) related to neurologic emergencies, curated and approved for residency training by the AIR Series Board. More specifically in this module, we identified 5 AIRs and 12 Honorable Mentions.

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By Andrew Grock, MD|2018-10-28T21:25:18-07:00Mar 14, 2016|Approved Instructional Resources (AIR series), Neurology|

PEM Pearls: Pediatric Concussions

A 9-year boy was hit in the head during a soccer game and was out for a few seconds. He regained consciousness quickly, but was repetitive for EMS. By the time the patient arrived at the ED, he was back to his normal self. Did this patient sustain a concussion? If so, what discharge instructions, anticipatory guidance, and resources do you have for your patient and his family? Here’s a quick 170-second animated video tutorial to sum up some thing for you.

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By Delphine Huang, MD|2026-06-16T16:08:51-07:00Mar 7, 2016|Pediatrics, PEM Pearls, Trauma|

Fentanyl: Adding Fuel to the Fire in the North American Opioid Epidemic

Drug poisoning is now the leading cause of injury death in the United States,¹ with opioids accounting for up to 40% of these deaths. In the U.S., prescription opioid death rates have more than quadrupled since 1999, and death rates exceed those due to motor vehicle crashes.² Similar trends in opioid exposure and death rates in Canada suggest that it is not far behind. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics paralleled a rise in opioid abuse and fatalities between 2002 and 2010, leveling off between 2011 and 2013,³ only to rise again in 2014.⁴ Among the more frequently misused opioids nationwide are oxycodone and hydrocodone (the most widely prescribed drug in the U.S.) in their various formulations, and methadone, but a “rising star” in the epidemic in many regions is fentanyl.

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By Scott Lucyk, MD|2026-06-16T16:08:54-07:00Feb 29, 2016|Tox & Medications|

60 Second Soapbox: Bafuma (IV Antibiotics), Favot (Nod and Smile), & Augustine (Medical Travel)

Get ready for another round of 60-Second Soapbox! Each episode, one lucky individual gets exactly 1 minute to present their rant-of-choice to the world. Any topic is on the table – clinical, academic, economic, or whatever else may interest an EM-centric audience. We carefully remix your audio to add an extra splash of drama and excitement. Even more exciting, participants get to challenge 3 of their peers to stand on a soapbox of their own!

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By Sam Shaikh, DO|2026-06-16T16:08:58-07:00Feb 23, 2016|60-Second Soapbox|

ALiEM Chief Resident Incubator Must Read EM Journal Articles – 2016 Edition

In November 2013, the blog post 52 Articles in 52 weeks: Landmark EM Articles for EM interns was published on the ALiEM site. Over the subsequent years, many ground-breaking and practice-changing articles have been published. As part of a multi-institutional initiative launched by the ALiEM Chief Resident Incubator (“The Crincubator”), 9 chief residents from across the country pooled together lists of journal articles thought to be most important for the broad spectrum of EM learners. Additional input was obtained from FOAM leaders across the country including Dr. Ryan Radecki and Dr. Jeffrey Kline. These lists can be used by individuals for further learning or by residency programs for journal clubs.

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By Allison Trop, MD|2019-02-19T18:50:56-08:00Feb 19, 2016|Education Articles, Incubators, Journal Club|