OVERVIEW

Emergency Department Diagnosis and Treatment of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (Pharmacology CME and Infectious Disease CME) is organized by EB Medicine.

Date of Original Release: April 1, 2019.
Date of most recent review: March 10, 2019.
Termination date: April 01, 2022.
CME Expiration Date: April 30, 2022

Target Audience: This enduring online CME material is intended for emergency medicine physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, and residents.

CME Credits:
4 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™, 4 ACEP Category I credits, 4 AAFP Prescribed credits, and 4 AOA Category 2-A or 2-B CME credits. CME expires 04/01/2022.

Specialty CME Credits:
Incorporated as part of the 4 credits, this CME activity is acceptable for 1 Pharmacology CME and 4 Infectious Disease CME credits, directed to your state and institutional approval.

Goals: At the conclusion of this online CME course, you should be able to: (1) describe medical decision-making based on the strongest clinical evidence; (2) cost-effectively diagnose and treat the most crucial presentations; and (3) explain the most common medicolegal pitfalls for each topic covered.

About This Issue:
The sexually transmitted disease can generate severe outcomes for patients, their partners, and their unborn babies, and fast and reliable diagnosis and treatment is necessary to decrease morbidity and lessen the potential public health risks.
• How can you be sure you’re asking the right questions when preferring a history in a patient with suspected STDs?
• Syphilis can present in primary, secondary, and tertiary stages. What are the presenting signs for each, and how will diagnosis and treatment differ?
• Do you need to do a pelvic exam when STD is suspected?
• Which STDs increase the chances of pelvic inflammatory disease, HIV, and cancer?
Should you order clean-catch urine samples, urethral or vaginal swabs, or blood sample?
• Which STDs have FDA approval for NAAT testing? Should wet mounts be used for trichomoniasis?
• What are the particular risks of STDs in pregnant women, and what are optimal treatments?
• When can expedited partner therapy be used?

Objectives:
Upon completion of this online CME article, you should be able to:
• Recognize, diagnose, and treat the most common sexually transmitted diseases seen in the emergency department
• Describe the consequence of expedited partner therapy
• Consider the novel aspects of managing STDs in special populations, including pregnant patients
Prescribe suitable treatment medication regimens for STDs