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What happens when life-saving care collides with deeply held faith?

As Ramadan begins this month, millions of patients around the world will be fasting—and many of them will still come to the emergency department sick, unstable, and in need of urgent care. In this episode of EMERGE, we dive into the real-world challenges of caring for the fasting patient, from hypotension and sepsis to IV fluids, medications, and shared decision-making in high-acuity settings.

Joined by Dr. Laila Abubshait, we unpack common myths, high-stakes cases, and practical strategies for clinicians navigating faith, culture, and emergency medicine—without compromising resuscitation or trust. This conversation builds on our ALiEM article “Caring for the Fasting Patient” and translates it into bedside wisdom every resuscitationist and clinician can use.

This isn’t just about Ramadan. It’s about seeing the whole patient, asking better questions, and recognizing that sometimes the most powerful intervention in the ED is curiosity, humility, and listening first.

👉 Read the companion article: https://www.aliem.com/caring-for-the-fasting-pt/

🎙️ We want to hear from you—share your experiences, questions, and reflections as we continue this essential conversation.

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Thank you for being part of the EMERGE in EM community. Until next time, stay curious, keep learning, and continue to EMERGE.