Join Dr. Kelly Heidepriem and pharmacist Dr. Kyle Dvoracek as they dive into the growing concern around xylazine, also known as "Tranq," a potent substance increasingly being found in illicit drugs. In this discussion, they’ll unpack the latest developments surrounding this dangerous drug, its effects on the body, and what clinicians need to know to recognize and respond to cases of xylazine exposure. From its rising prevalence to its impact on treatment protocols, this discussion offers essential insights for healthcare professionals navigating the complexities of this emerging threat. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

The opioid epidemic is an ongoing crisis that devastates individuals and communities across the U.S. But did you know opioid use disorder dates back to the early 1800s? In this conversation, we’ll explore the history of this public health issue and then shift focus to how clinicians and lawmakers can collaborate on harm reduction and effective treatment strategies for OUD. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

Three months after Dr. Beth Weinstock’s 20-year-old son, Eli, tragically died in 2021, the coroner revealed that his body contained both kratom, a legal herbal supplement, and fentanyl—something Eli never intended to ingest. His death highlights the deadly rise of fentanyl, which contributed to over 107,000 drug overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2022, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl involved in 67% of those cases. In this conversation, Dr. Sol Behar and Neda Frayha speak with Dr. Weinstock, a Family Medicine physician and founder of BirdieLight, to discuss Eli’s story, the fentanyl crisis, and practical harm reduction strategies clinicians can use to prevent further loss. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in emergency medicine is here, particularly in the last several months and all of us will have our careers impacted by AI soon. There is a lot of computer science and jargon to understand, and Drew and Cam will help break down some of this nomenclature. Computers/AI are good at generating probabilities. But, making a diagnosis about a patient in front of you is more than understanding/predicting probabilities and is based on an understanding of human values and cause/effect. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

What do you do with the patient who arrives in the ED with an unreasonable request? DeLaney, Drew, and Andy discuss how to best handle this all-too-common occurrence. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

The terms vocation and profession are both commonly used to describe the practice of medicine. While these terms may seem interchangeable, there are subtle differences in their definitions that can make a big difference. DeLaney covers how we describe our lives in the emergency department and how what we say may make a difference. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

Drs. Matt Delaney and Kelly Heidepriem review a real-life urgent care case on testicular torsion and discuss the known malpractice data on torsion, ways to reduce our legal risk, and how this can be an easy miss by anyone. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

We so frequently see patients in the Urgent Care with complaints about their ears - everything from pain, to fullness, to hearing loss to “I’m all plugged up!”. Today Brett talks with Dr. Matthew DeLaney to cover strategies we can use to get these patients some relief. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

Ketorolac is our go-to UC workhorse for MSK pain, kidney stones, and so much more. But are you giving the right dose? We’ll dive into the literature. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts

Parul and Sol review neuroendocrine causes of obesity, including some syndromes associated with obesity. Explore Our Podcasts: hippoed.com/podcasts