VitalMedic

01/03/2026

Mucus Colors and What They Mean ✔️

01/02/2026

❇️ SYNCOPE Points to Remember:

→ Transient loss of consciousness with loss of postural tone, followed by spontaneous complete recovery, caused by global cerebral hypoperfusion.

Key Characteristics

→ Sudden onset
→ Short duration
→ Complete recovery without neurological deficit
→ No post-ictal confusion (helps differentiate from seizure)

Pathophysiology

→ Temporary reduction in cerebral blood flow
→ Most often due to:
→ ↓ Cardiac output
→ ↓ Systemic blood pressure
→ Abnormal autonomic reflexes

Major Types of Syncope
🟦 Neurally Mediated (Reflex) Syncope
Definition

→ Syncope caused by abnormal autonomic reflexes leading to vasodilation and/or bradycardia.

Mechanism

→ Trigger activates afferent pathways
→ Brainstem reflex activation
→ ↑ Vagal tone
→ ↓ Sympathetic tone
→ Bradycardia + vasodilation
→ ↓ Blood pressure and cardiac output
→ Cerebral hypoperfusion → syncope

Common Triggers

→ Emotional stress (fear, pain)
→ Prolonged standing
→ Heat exposure
→ Carotid sinus stimulation
→ Situational (cough, micturition, defecation)

Clinical Features

→ Prodrome common:
→ Lightheadedness
→ Nausea
→ Sweating
→ Blurred or tunnel vision
→ Gradual onset

Common Types

→ Vasovagal syncope
→ Situational syncope
→ Carotid sinus syndrome

Management

→ Avoid triggers
→ Physical counter-pressure maneuvers
→ Adequate hydration and salt intake
→ Midodrine (refractory cases)
→ Pacemaker only in selected severe cardioinhibitory cases

🟩 Orthostatic Hypotension
Definition

→ Syncope due to failure of autonomic compensation on standing.

Diagnostic Criteria

→ Systolic BP ↓ ≥ 20 mmHg
→ Diastolic BP ↓ ≥ 10 mmHg
→ Occurs within 3 minutes of standing

Mechanism

→ Standing → venous pooling in legs
→ Impaired vasoconstriction
→ Inadequate baroreflex response
→ Reduced cerebral perfusion

Causes

→ Autonomic failure (neurogenic)
→ Volume depletion
→ Medications (antihypertensives, diuretics, antidepressants)

Clinical Features

→ Dizziness on standing
→ Visual dimming
→ Syncope shortly after posture change

Diagnosis

→ Orthostatic vital signs
→ Tilt-table testing

Management

→ Review medications
→ Increase fluids and salt
→ Compression stockings
→ Midodrine
→ Fludrocortisone

🟥 Cardiac Syncope
Definition

→ Syncope due to primary cardiac disease causing sudden reduction in cardiac output.

Mechanism

→ Abrupt drop in cardiac output
→ Immediate cerebral hypoperfusion
→ High risk of sudden death

Causes
Arrhythmias

→ Bradycardia
→ AV block
→ Ventricular tachycardia
→ Long QT syndrome
→ Brugada syndrome

Structural Heart Disease

→ Valvular stenosis
→ Cardiomyopathy
→ Myocardial ischemia
→ Outflow tract obstruction

Clinical Features

→ Sudden onset
→ No prodrome
→ Occurs during exertion or while supine
→ High recurrence risk

Management

→ Pacemaker (bradyarrhythmias)
→ Catheter ablation
→ Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD)
→ Surgical or interventional repair of structural disease

🚨 Red Flags for High-Risk Syncope

→ Syncope during exertion
→ Syncope while supine
→ Known heart disease
→ Family history of sudden death
→ Abnormal ECG

01/01/2026

12/27/2025

Pancreatitis doesn’t stay in the pancreas. It unleashes a chain reaction—lungs, liver, kidneys, heart… every organ becomes a casualty. This is why early recognition isn’t optional—it’s lifesaving. 🔥⚠️🩺

This intense and visually packed illustration reveals the terrifying chain reaction that unfolds during acute pancreatitis—a disease that begins in one organ but quickly ignites a systemic firestorm throughout the entire body. What starts as local inflammation rapidly becomes a full-body catastrophe.

At the center of the chaos is the pancreas, shown inflamed, swollen, and under attack by its own digestive enzymes. When gallstones obstruct the common bile duct, bile and pancreatic juices back up like a dammed river, triggering premature trypsin activation—the event that flips the switch from normal digestion to autodigestion. The pancreas begins dissolving itself from within.

As tissue damage intensifies, digestive enzymes like amylase and lipase leak into the bloodstream, along with a toxic mix of inflammatory molecules, cytokines, and DAMPs. These biochemical alarms travel through venous and lymphatic circulation, hitting distant organs like warning shots.

The liver—a detox powerhouse—is instantly overwhelmed. Enzymes surge through the portal vein, triggering acute-phase responses and elevating AST and bilirubin. The liver becomes a frantic processing center drowning in inflammatory debris.

Next, the gut is hit. Barrier function collapses. Bacteria and PAMPs translocate into the bloodstream, increasing the risk of sepsis. Ileus sets in. The digestive tract becomes a battlefield of stagnation and infection.

The cardiovascular system responds violently. Vessels become leaky. Fluid escapes into tissues. Blood pressure plummets. Hemoconcentration and shock follow as the heart struggles to maintain circulation in the face of severe inflammation.

The lungs are not spared. Pulmonary edema forms as fluid seeps into alveoli. Hypoxia sets in. ARDS may follow. What began in the pancreas now steals oxygen from the entire body.

Finally, the kidneys—victims of low perfusion and inflammatory overload—shut down. Acute kidney injury turns into renal failure, compounding the already devastating cascade.

This image shows the terrifying truth: pancreatitis is not just abdominal pain—it is a multi-organ assault. Recognizing it early can save lives. Missing it can be fatal.

📌Disclaimer: Image Credit to the Rightful Owner.

12/26/2025

12/26/2025

🤧 Grippe ou rhume: comment les distinguer?

Grippe (influenza): début soudain, fièvre 38-40 °C, fatigue intense, courbatures, maux de tête, toux.

Rhume: symptômes plus légers et progressifs (nez qui coule, congestion, mal de gorge, éternuements, fatigue légère, fièvre rare).

ℹ️ Les symptômes de la grippe et de la COVID-19 peuvent se ressembler. Peu importe le virus, si vous avez des symptômes, restez à la maison, reposez-vous, hydratez-vous et portez un masque près des personnes vulnérables.

📞 Des questions sur vos symptômes? Info-Santé 811 peut vous guider.

👉 Comparatif complet: https://www.quebec.ca/sante/problemes-de-sante/grippe-rhume-et-gastro/differences-entre-la-grippe-et-le-rhume

12/26/2025

You’ve pushed benzos.
You’ve pushed more benzos.
The seizure keeps going.

Ketamine isn’t magic, but it works differently. NMDA blockade matters when GABA meds stop working in prolonged seizures.

Field data shows seizure control in up to two thirds of refractory cases. IM or IV. No fridge. No airway crash like other sedatives.

More information here: https://ow.ly/tvYu50XMFbK

**And yes, more studies are underway. Medicine is never done debating itself.

12/26/2025

Good job guys !

CORNWALL SD&G PARAMEDIC SAVED BY OFF-DUTY COLLEAGUES

A workout at a local gym turned into a fight for life when 26-year-old paramedic Ashan Gabrielpillai suffered sudden cardiac arrest while off duty on October 22. In a rare twist, four off-duty Cornwall SDG Paramedic Services colleagues were also there and jumped into action within seconds.

CPR began immediately, and the gym’s automated external defibrillator, serviced just two days earlier, delivered two shocks before an ambulance crew, a student, and two supervisors arrived. Working with Cornwall Fire Services and Cornwall Police, the team stabilized Ashan and rushed him to hospital. He survived – and is now doing well.

“As Chief of Paramedics, I couldn’t be prouder of our team and partners. Their quick, compassionate response shows what training and teamwork can achieve. We’re grateful for Ashan’s recovery and for the commitment of everyone involved,” said Chief of Paramedics Bill Lister.

By: Jason Setnyk (Seaway News)

12/26/2025