OVERVIEW

Diagnosis and Management of Acute Gastroenteritis in the Emergency Department (Pharmacology CME) is organized by EB Medicine.

Publication Date: March 01, 2020
CME Expiration Date: April 02, 2023

Description:
Acute gastroenteritis is a common complaint in the ED, and we know that in 79% of the cases, a causative organism is never found. Neither patients nor emergency clinicians want unnecessary testing or antibiotics. Nonetheless, there are certain conditions and circumstances that warrant more than just reassurance and advice to drink more fluids:
• Is it possible to have aged without vomiting and/or diarrhea?
• What are the high-risk criteria for AGE?
• What is the most likely cause of “traveler’s diarrhea?” Are antibiotics helpful?
• Even if 70% of AGE cases are caused by viruses, is there anything an emergency clinician should do?
• What does blood in the stool indicate?
• If a patient reports AGE, having recently eaten fish, how can you rule out ciguatera or scombroid fish poisoning?
• When and why is stool testing helpful? When is it useless?
• What are the special guidelines around diagnosing and treating Clostridium difficile infection?
• When are antibiotics helpful? Which ones should you choose?
• Do antiemetics, antimotility agents, and probiotics work? Do proton-pump inhibitors and H2-blockers increase the likelihood of infection?