Cardiac arrest: run the ACLS code Cardiac · 7 min
Survival is bought by high-quality, uninterrupted compressions and early defibrillation — everything else is secondary.
Anaphylaxis: recognize & rescue Multisystem · 6 min
Epinephrine IM into the lateral thigh is the only first-line treatment — give it early, don't wait for shock.
Sepsis & septic shock: beat the clock Infectious & Sepsis · 7 min
Early recognition plus the hour-1 bundle — cultures, lactate, fluids, antibiotics — drives survival.
Acute ischemic stroke: time is brain Neuro · 7 min
Establish last-known-well, scan fast to exclude bleed, and reperfuse the eligible patient before neurons die.
STEMI / ACS: reperfuse the heart Cardiac · 7 min
12-lead in 10 minutes and rapid reperfusion (door-to-balloon ≤90 min) save myocardium and lives.
DKA: fluids, insulin, potassium Endocrine · 7 min
Treat the dehydration and acidosis methodically — and never push insulin into a low potassium.
Hyperkalemia: stabilize, shift, remove Renal & Lytes · 6 min
When the ECG changes, give calcium first to protect the heart — then shift and remove the potassium.
Hypoglycemia: treat the brain fast Endocrine · 5 min
Low glucose starves the brain — give sugar immediately, recheck, and find why it happened.
Status epilepticus: stop the seizure Neuro · 6 min
A seizure lasting ≥5 minutes is an emergency — give a benzodiazepine fast, then load an antiepileptic.
Opioid overdose: reverse the breathing Multisystem · 5 min
Pinpoint pupils plus depressed breathing — support ventilation and titrate naloxone to respirations, not to full wakefulness.
COPD exacerbation: controlled oxygen Respiratory · 6 min
Open the airways and support ventilation — but titrate oxygen to 88–92%, not to 100%.
Asthma exacerbation: open the airways Respiratory · 6 min
Bronchodilators, oxygen, and early systemic steroids — and respect the quiet chest as a danger sign.
Upper GI bleed: resuscitate then scope GI · 6 min
Stabilize hemodynamics and transfuse to a sensible target while teeing up urgent endoscopy.
Pulmonary embolism: support and anticoagulate Respiratory · 6 min
Sudden dyspnea, hypoxia, and tachycardia — anticoagulate most, but reach for thrombolysis when the patient is in shock.
Hypertensive emergency: lower it carefully Cardiac · 6 min
Severe BP with end-organ damage needs IV titratable drugs — but lower it gradually, not crash it.
Flash pulmonary edema: unload the heart Cardiac · 6 min
Sit them up, give oxygen/NIV, and reduce preload/afterload — they're drowning in their own fluid.
Shock: recognize the four types Multisystem · 7 min
Shock is failed tissue perfusion — name the type (hypovolemic, cardiogenic, distributive, obstructive) and the fix follows.
Transfusion reaction: stop and assess Heme & Onc · 6 min
At the first sign of a reaction, STOP the transfusion, keep the line open with saline, and assess — that single move can be lifesaving.
