sepsis
Clinical teaching and practical ideas for your next study session.
Acute Cholangitis on Warfarin: Separate Drainage From Sphincterotomy
With obstructed cholangitis and an INR of 3.2, the key procedural question is whether urgent duct decompression can be separated from sphincterotomy and stone extraction. Stent-only ERCP may be appropriate when the patient’s condition, anticoagulation, and technical feasibility favor staging—but the INR and procedure plan both need context.
Pneumonia With Septic Shock and Paradoxical Breathing: When to Intubate
Learn why severe work of breathing can change the intubation decision before an ABG confirms ventilatory failure—and why a respiratory-rate cutoff alone is not the answer.
qSOFA in Sepsis MCQs: A Risk Flag, Not a Diagnosis
A qSOFA of 3 flags a high-risk patient, not a completed Sepsis-3 diagnosis. Learn how to use the score, compare acute SOFA with baseline, and avoid converting hypotension into septic shock.
Sepsis-Associated Atrial Fibrillation: Is the Rhythm Causing Shock?
A fast irregular rhythm in sepsis may be the culprit, a consequence, or both. This case-based discussion teaches how to determine whether AF is driving instability, choose rate control versus synchronized cardioversion, and plan follow-up after recovery.