Podcasts about prochlorperazine

In this episode of PEM Currents: The Pediatric Emergency Medicine Podcast, we take a structured, evidence-based approach to the acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents. From confirming the diagnosis and screening for concerning features to optimizing outpatient therapy and executing a protocolized emergency department strategy, this episode walks through what works. We review the role of NSAIDs and triptans, clarify how IV fluids and ketorolac fit into care, and provide a stepwise framework for dopamine antagonists, valproate bridge therapy, DHE protocols, steroids, discharge planning, and admission decisions. Practical dosing, reassessment timing, and family-centered communication strategies are emphasized throughout. Learning Objectives Recognize the clinical features of pediatric migraine and distinguish it from secondary causes of headache. Implement a stepwise, evidence-based emergency department approach to acute pediatric migraine, including appropriate medication selection and timing of reassessment. Develop safe discharge and follow-up plans by defining treatment endpoints, minimizing medication overuse, and identifying patients who require referral or inpatient management. References 1. Oskoui M, Pringsheim T, Holler-Managan Y, et al. Practice Guideline Update Summary: Acute Treatment of Migraine in Children and Adolescents: Report of the Guideline Development, Dissemination, and Implementation Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the American Headache Society. Neurology. 2019;93(11):487-499. doi:10.1212/WNL.0000000000008095. 2. Patterson-Gentile C, Szperka CL. The Changing Landscape of Pediatric Migraine Therapy: A Review. JAMA Neurology. 2018;75(7):881-887. doi:10.1001/jamaneurol.2018.0046. 3. Bachur RG, Monuteaux MC, Neuman MI. A Comparison of Acute Treatment Regimens for Migraine in the Emergency Department. Pediatrics. 2015;135(2):232-238. doi:10.1542/peds.2014-2432. 4. Ashina M. Migraine. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2020;383(19):1866-1876. doi:10.1056/NEJMra1915327. 5. Richer L, Billinghurst L, Linsdell MA, et al. Drugs for the Acute Treatment of Migraine in Children and Adolescents. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. 2016;4:CD005220. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD005220.pub2. Transcript This transcript was generated using Descript automated transcription software and has been reviewed and edited for accuracy by the episode's author. Edits were limited to correcting names, titles, medical terminology, and transcription errors. The content reflects the original spoken audio and was not substantively altered. And today we're gonna talk about the acute treatment of migraine headache in children and adolescents. This is bread and butter for the PED, requires precise diagnosis and evidence-based treatment. We're gonna talk about making that diagnosis, red flags, outpatient and ED treatment, as well as some second-line agents, admission decisions, and a whole lot more. So migraine in children is defined by three criteria, and at least five attacks lasting two to 72 hours. So you gotta have at least two of the following: pulsating or throbbing quality, moderate to severe intensity, aggravation by routine activity, and a unilateral location. Although in children, it's often bilateral, plus at least one of nausea or vomiting and photophobia and/or phonophobia. In children headaches are frequently bilateral, bifrontal, bitemporal. The duration might be shorter than adults, especially in kids under second or third grade. And you may have to infer whether or not they have photophobia from their behavior. Like does the child close their eyes or wanna go into a dark room? In the emergency department, we're often diagnosing based on pattern recognition plus exclusion of dangerous secondary causes. Or even more often than that, the patient comes in and says, I've got a migraine. Before I move on to treatments, let's talk about some red flags where you might wanna pause and not just jump to migraine therapy. And the mnemonic SNOOP can be helpful here. And it stands for S for systemic symptoms such as fevers, myalgia, weight loss, or another S, secondary risk factors such as an immune deficiency, cancer, pregnancy, N for neurologic signs, papilledema, focal deficit, confusion, seizures. O onset sudden, or thunderclap. Migraines are often a little more gradual than that. The other O is older age, or technically younger age too, younger than five years or older than 50. Hopefully those patients are not coming into the pediatric emergency department. And then pattern changes, these new symptoms in a previously stable pattern. Don't ignore that. And precipitants, you know, is it worse with Valsalva, position change, or under significant exertion? If these signs are present, you'll probably wanna take a pause and just not throw migraine treatment at the patient. If they're stable, MRI is the preferred imaging modality, but a very sick patient, it'd be okay to get a head CT. If you've got a normal neurologic exam, there's no red flags. Again, you don't need routine imaging for migraine headaches. So let's talk about treatment. So hopefully patients have actually started to treat their headache before they arrive in the emergency department. If they haven't, it's a good idea to have some triage protocols in place. So ibuprofen, 7.5 to 10 milligrams per kilogram, 10 milligrams per kilogram is superior to placebo and it's superior to acetaminophen at two hours. So that's what we would use. Early treatment's critical. So ideally within the first hour of onset. So that's why triage protocols help. We'll give kids 10 mg per kg of ibuprofen and like 30 ounces of Gatorade. Blue is often the first Gatorade choice, though that's not an evidence-based statement. You can also use naproxen, but most of the studies are on ibuprofen. If NSAIDs fail, many adolescents and some older children will be prescribed triptans. The best evidence currently supports sumatriptan plus naproxen or zolmitriptan nasal spray. Rizatriptan is FDA approved down to age six. Adolescents respond to these agents better than younger children, and the route matters. The nasal formulations help when nausea is prominent. Families should be counseled to treat early, use weight-appropriate dosing, and avoid using acute medications more than 10 days per month. Often patients will have already taken an NSAID and a triptan before they get to the ED, and that's where we get into the treatment of refractory migraine. Now this is most of the patients that I will see, and before we push medications, let's briefly review ED treatment goals. You either want the patient headache free. Back to their baseline or mild descending pain. So a pain score of one to three. If you don't reach one of those endpoints and it's not agreed upon with the patient and their family, you've not completed treatments. You should do a reassessment within one hour after each intervention. And let's face it, if you're not reassessing within an hour and defining treatment goals, you're not practicing protocolized migraine care. So in the emergency department, many of you may be familiar with the migraine cocktail. So what is that? In general, it's a dopaminergic agent such as prochlorperazine or metoclopramide plus ketorolac, plus IV fluids. Let's take a look at all three of those components and see if you can guess which one is actually the one that can abort the migraine. So fluids are commonly given in pediatric migraine, but they alone do not treat it. They're helpful. Many patients have been throwing up or a bit dehydrated, but there are small randomized trials that show essentially no meaningful pain reduction in patients that get IV fluids alone. Well, what about ketorolac? Toradol, like that's the first thing you give to a kid with a kidney stone, right? It does help, but it's really adjunctive. So the main first-line agents for refractory or status migrainosus in the emergency department are the dopamine antagonists, and the first-line treatment for most patients is prochlorperazine or Compazine. The dose is 0.15 milligram per kilogram IV. The max is 10 milligrams. This is the backbone of ED migraine care. And why do they work? Well, migraines aren't just some random vascular headache. This is an inherited disorder with central pain pathways gone awry. Dopamine plays a large role in that pain, nausea, hypersensitivity, amplification of symptoms and more that, frankly, I won't get into this podcast because molecules hurt my head. The dopamine antagonists treat the headache, they reduce the nausea, and they just tamp down this process. Overall, the response rates approach 85%. Some studies have suggested that the response rate is about 77% at an hour and 90% at three hours. If you add the ketorolac and IV fluids, you get your response rate up to about 93 to 94%. These agents really do work well together. There have been randomized trials comparing IV prochlorperazine versus ketorolac. 85% of prochlorperazine patients achieved headache relief versus only 55% of ketorolac patients. So ketorolac helps, but really it's the prochlorperazine. Metoclopramide, or Reglan, is used in a lot of centers as well. There are some smaller studies in children and adolescents that show that prochlorperazine is more effective, but if kids have an adverse reaction, more on that in a moment, or they prefer metoclopramide because they've responded to it in the past, it's okay to go with it as well. Right. So what does it actually look like when you give the migraine cocktail to a patient? I think it's important to explain to patients and families what to expect, and if this is a teenager, I'm talking to them directly. I mean, they're getting the medication first and foremost. I tell them that the most effective way to treat their headache is with an IV. This often causes lots of angst, even in older teenagers. The medication just does not get to the brain as effectively and fast enough if you take it by mouth. Many patients who get the dopaminergic agents, so prochlorperazine, will invariably feel jittery or anxious or like they gotta move or like they got ants in their pants. I tell them to expect this so they're not surprised and worried when it happens. I tell them that once they start feeling that way, it means the medicine is probably working. They need to hit the nurse button and we're gonna get them up and have them take a walk. This fixes it for the majority of patients just getting up and moving. In adult centers, even with the initial administration of the prochlorperazine or as sort of a reflexive response to any of those symptoms, they just give a slug of IV Benadryl. There's some studies in adolescents especially that this may decrease the effectiveness of the IV agents you're giving in the first place, and it may also increase return rates to the ED. So I will use IV diphenhydramine if getting up and moving around isn't working, or if the distress is significant, or if the patient clearly indicates they've needed it in the past. So if after the migraine cocktail, the patient has met their pain goals and the reassessment is favorable, they can go home to outpatient follow-up. How about if the headache got better, but not all the way? It's usually when the initial migraine cocktail didn't achieve the pain endpoints fully, like it helped partially. If the dopamine blockade didn't do anything, valproate is unlikely to rescue the case. And so valproate works on GABA and it stabilizes some of these pain processes, but the dopaminergic agent needs to have done something first for valproate to work. Per the most common protocol, you give an initial dose of IV valproate, then you discharge the patient home on Depakote ER. So oral valproic acid under 10 years old or under 50 kilograms, 250 milligrams PO twice a day for two weeks, or older than 10 or greater than 50 kilos, 500 milligrams twice a day for two weeks. This is the extended release and it's most helpful if you give the first oral dose in the emergency department. So that's why it's very important to build this protocol in advance. If you don't have IV valproate, then don't just give the patient oral valproate, and definitely don't prescribe an oral course for discharge. All right, well, what about DHE? Dihydroergotamine for refractory or status migrainosus? Generally, this is only given at pediatric centers where you have neurology coverage. It's contraindicated if you've had another dose of DHE within 14 days, or you've had any triptan of any sort within 24 hours, and you must obtain a pregnancy test in adolescent females before giving it. The dosing for less than 30 kilograms is 0.5 milligram. At least 30 kilograms is one milligram. You give 50% of the dose over three minutes, then the remaining 50% over 30 minutes. If this is gonna work, the patients are gonna start feeling wretched at first. They're gonna get very nauseous and they're gonna vomit. They're gonna have flushing, and you'll see transient hypertension. Most of that resolves within the hour in most centers. If you're committing to DHE, you're kind of bringing the patient into the hospital anyway, though some facilities will have DHE done in the emergency department with close outpatient follow-up. Either way, it's really best practice to involve child neurology if you're giving DHE. Alright, well what about steroids? They give those in grownups too, right? Steroids really only have a role for recurrence prevention in children. So for kids that have a history of returning within 72 hours for rebound headache, you can give dexamethasone 0.6 milligram per kilogram IV dose, the max of 10 milligrams. You do not discharge them home on a steroid prescription or a Medrol dose pack or something else, and this can cut the recurrence risk down a bit. There's other therapies out there like magnesium and ketamine. There's just not enough evidence there. And the purpose of this episode is to discuss the therapies that have good evidence behind them and should be part of protocols across the country. Some patients are unfortunately not responsive to emergency department therapy and need admission. The main inpatient therapy is the DHE protocol. If they're not DHE eligible, they haven't tolerated it well or it's unavailable, admission's unlikely to help them unless they just need some IV fluids to help them get back up on their feet. You should consult neurology if the headache goals are not met after maximizing ED therapy for advice. And we should definitely avoid opioids. They don't treat patients with migraines. They increase recurrence risk. They increase revisit rates. Again, the dopamine antagonist prochlorperazine, it's superior for sustained relief when families ask about them, and fortunately they're asking about opioids far less. We use medications that treat the migraine pain pathways and signaling. We don't just wanna mask the pain. All right, so that's all I've got on the acute management of migraine headaches, especially in the emergency department. Remember that migraine care in the ED should be protocolized and evidence-based. IV fluids are supportive. Prochlorperazine is the first line, or you can use metoclopramide as well. Ketorolac is an adjunctive therapy. Valproate is next line. If you've gotta escalate, and DHE is specialized therapy, you can start in the ED, but most of these patients are getting admitted. Dexamethasone or steroids in children can reduce recurrence risk, but they're not really part of the acute management. You should definitely define the endpoints and structurally and systematically reassess patients at an hour. The goal is to get them feeling better to a defined endpoint and to restore function. There is evidence-based pediatric emergency migraine care. You should understand that, plus how to explain why these agents are being given and some of the side effects to patients and families. I find that that approach increases your likelihood of buy-in and success. Alright, so that's it for this episode on the Acute Management of Migraine Headaches in Children and Adolescents. I hope you found it helpful and I can pretty much guarantee that you're gonna see a patient with a migraine on your next shift. If you've got any feedback or comments, send them my way. If you like this episode, leave a review on your favorite podcast site. It helps more people find the show. Or recommend it to a colleague. If there's other topics that you'd like to hear, send them my way for the Pediatric Emergency Medicine podcast. This has been Brad Sobolewski. See you next time.    

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/reel/DI16wk0vP5e/The Indian company Glenmark Pharmaceuticals is recalling 26 types of over-the-counter and prescription.  The company is in violation of federal standards for pharmaceutical manufacturing that yields safe and effective medications.The recalled medications are used to treat a variety of common conditions, including heart disease, high cholesterol, diabetes, epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, pain, and infections. I'm going to list the drugs that have been recalled and provide you with a link to an AARP article that provides the details regarding doses of the drugs, lot numbers, and expiration dates.Over-The-Counter:Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, cetirizinePrescription:Carvedilol, Clindamycin, Colesevelam, Diltiazem, Fenofibrate,  Fluphenazine, Frovatriptan, Gabapentin, Indomethacin, Lacosamide, Metformin, Naproxen, Nitroglycerin, Pravastatin, Prochlorperazine, Propafenone, Ranolazine, Rosuvastatin, Rufinamide, Saxagliptin, Solifenacin, Teriflunomide, Voriconazole.If you have any of these Glenmark drugs, contact your medical team to obtain alternatives.If you have questions for the company, call Glenmark at 1-877-538-8445.https://www.aarp.org/health/drugs-supplements/generic-drugs-medications-recall-april-2025.html#glenmark #recall #manufacturing #pharmaceuticals

Migraines are no longer considered a vascular headache and now considered a neurologic disorder of dysfunctional nociceptive processing.  Diagnosis is completed clinically with no lab or imaging usually needed.  Treatment includes - Antidopaminergics (Metoclopramide & Prochlorperazine) - Triptans (Sumatriptan) - Nonsteroidals (Ketorolac).  Consider steroids to lessen the risk of recurrence.  Opioids should be avoided and are last line. Most patients don't need specialist referral.  To learn more, visit https://courses.ccme.org/course/em-prep

What is the most effective agent for relieving nausea and vomiting in the ER? The answer may surprise you…Please click HERE to leave a review of the podcast!References:All references for Episode 42 are found on my Read by QxMD collection

Prochlorperazine has several potential mechanisms of action. It can block dopamine and alpha receptors as well as have anticholinergic effects. Prochlorperazine is classified as an antipsychotic and antiemetic. It is very seldom used as an antipsychotic in clinical practice and more used for its antiemetic effects. Because of the anticholinergic activity of prochlorperazine, there is potential for dry mouth, dry eyes, urinary retention, constipation, and other anticholinergic effects. Prochlorperazine does have the potential to have some alpha blocking activity. Keep an eye out for hypotension in patients who may be at risk.

Seemingly vague, but potentially dangerous... common, but possibly with consequences... ...or maybe just plain frustrating. Let's talk risk stratification, diagnosis, and management. Primary or Secondary? We can make headache as easy or as complicated as we like, but let's break it down to what we need to know now, and what the parents need to know when they go home. Primary headaches: headaches with no sinister secondary cause – like tension or migraine – are of course diagnoses of exclusion (cluster headache is exceedingly rare in children). Secondary headaches: headaches due to some underlying cause -- are what we need to focus on first. The list of etiologies is vast; here is just a sampling: How do I sort this out? Ask yourself three main questions: Is it a tumor? Is it an infection? Is it a bleed? Is it a tumor? Some historical features are high-yield in screening for signs or symptoms consistent with a space occupying lesion. Progression and worsening of symptoms over time Associated vomiting Pain only in the occiput Headache that is worse with Valsalva – ask if coughing, urinating, or defecating affects the headache Does this headache wake the child from sleep? Is it worse in the morning just after getting up? Conversely, the absence of some historical features may increase suspicion of a space-occupying lesion No family history of migraine No associated aura with the headache. Who needs neuroimaging? The short answer is, if the child has an abnormal exam finding, then obtain a non-contrast head CT in the ED.  If you’re worried enough to get imaging, then you should not feel great about sending him to an expedition to MRI. The reassuring point is that for a child with a normal neuro exam, we have time to figure this out. For the recurrent headache, outpatient MRI really is the way to go if at all possible – not only do we forgo unnecessary radiation, but MRI is more likely to reveal the cause – or rule out the concern. Medina et al. in Pediatrics reported on children with headache suspected of having a brain tumor. They stratified patients into low, intermediate, and high risk, based on clinical predictors from the history and physical. All had imaging. They then calculated probability of tumor in each group. The low risk group had a 0.01% probability of tumor. The intermediate group 0.4%, and the high-risk group had only a 4% probability of tumor. The take-home message is that in the stable patient with a normal neurologic exam and no red flags, time is on our side. The American Academy of Neurology's most recent guidelines, published first in 1994 and revised in 2004. 1. Neuroimaging on a routine basis is not indicated with recurrent headaches and a normal neurologic exam 2. Neuroimaging should be considered in children with an abnormal exam. 3. Neuroimaging should be considered in children with recent onset of severe headache, change in the type of headache, or associated features that suggest neurologic dysfunction Is it an infection? This is nothing new: if you think you need to perform a lumbar puncture, then you’re right. Go after the diagnosis when it meets your threshold for testing. The difficulty is in the child who just has a headache, plus or minus symptoms that may be viral syndrome. Dr Curtis et al. in Pediatrics did a systematic review of Clinical Features Suggestive of Meningitis in Children.  In the history, only obvious features were helpful in this study: bulging fontanel in the infant or neck stiffness in the older child.  Both increased the likelihood of meningitis by 8-fold. In the physical examination, the only reliable predictors in this study were poor general appearance or a change in behavior. You will catch those cases, because you would have tuned into meningitis early on -- especially in the unvaccinated. What about all-comers with fever and headache? The presence of a high fever (so greater than 40 °C) only conferred a positive likelihood ratio of 2.9, only marginally predictive. Reassuring is that for temperatures less than 40 °C, the LR was 1 for meningitis. In other words, a fever less than 40 °C was just as likely to be present with or without meningitis. Is it a bleed? Does this child have some underlying disorder? For example, sickle cell disease, hypertension, rheumatologic disease, or some other endocrine or metabolic disease, such as a mitochondrial disorder? In chronically ill children, consider cerebral sinus venous thrombosis, vasculitis, ischemia, or hemorrhage. Arteriovenous malformation (AVM) is the hemorrhage we fear the most. We really don’t know enough about arteriovenous malformations in the brain to say what is the typical presentation. They may be completely asymptomatic, until they rupture. Even the headache presentation is variable. Think, headache PLUS. New headache plus…vomiting. Headache plus…it’s unilateral and new for the patient. Headache plus…a new seizure. Headache plus…focal neuro deficits, that may be transient, due to a vascular steal phenomenon. Two illustrative cases of arteriovenous malformation: 1. An eleven-year-old girl presents to the ED with new headache, nausea, and vomting in the morning, then had a generalized seizure later that day, and presents with a low GCS. She was intubated, CT confirmed the AVM. She had a right frontal intraparenchymal bleed with midline shift. She underwent clot evacuation and extirpation of the intertwined arteries and veins. 2. A nine-year old girl presented to the ED with headache for two days, constant, then one day of nausea and vomiting. On presentation, she was altered, and had slow-reacting pupils. She also underwent evacuation, and only on histopathology did they find a single, arterialized vein. Primary Headache: Presumptive Impression Tension headaches are the most common in children and adults. As in adults, the tension headache is band-like, pressure, tighetening, and often associated with muscle aches in the neck and shoulders. Find out how often they occur, and whether there is any pattern of worsening symptoms, or if the symptoms seem to be related to sleep hygiene, video games, too much digital screen time. Also, screen for lack of exercise, poor diet, stress, and all of the other good questions you usually ask. Treat the cause or counsel about lifestyle modification, and offer PO hydration and an NSAID, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen (paracetamol). Non-pharmacologic techniques like heat packs, rest, stress relief, and a little TLC always help. Be careful not to encourage overreacting to the headache – sometimes we see a pattern of headache, attention, and more headache that can take root. Also look for overuse of medications, which may be the culprit in up to 50% of chronic headaches. Taking NSAIDs 3 or more times per week is associated with medication-induced headache, or cephalalgia medicamentosa. We often fail to identify migraine headaches in children in the ED, likely for two reasons: prevalence of migraine increases with age, and children don’t present exactly like adults. Stewart et al. in Neurology, report a prevalence of migraine in children that increases with age: 3 to 7 years of age was 2%; 7 to 11 years of age, 7%; and 11 to 20 years of age, 20% Pearl: migraines are most commonly bilateral and temporal in children.  They resemble "adult" tension headaches, but are much more severe. We may not be able to sort this out in the ED.  The point here is that migraines in children are more common that we may expect, and they can interfere with school performance, with social development, or even with family dynamics and overall stress burden. Primary Headache Diagnosis: Not (Usually) "Our Thing" You noticed that we treated before we knew exactly the etiology; such is Emergency Medicine. We may not be able to make a specific, definitive primary headache diagnosis in the ED, but we should be aware of the criteria to help counsel patients and families. Tension headache is the most common, but it requires multiple, similar episodes: Migraine headache (without aura) requires less episodes, but more specific features: An aura is a fast-pass to diagnosis of migraine:   Primary Headache Management So how do we treat primary headaches? If you feel this is a mild tension headache, fluids by mouth and a simple NSAID are probably all that is needed, in addition to a heaping dose of reassurance.  Ibuprofen (10 mg/kg/dose q 6h, up to 600 mg) for a short course has the most evidence basis.  Acetaminophen (paracetamol) (15 mg/kg/dose q6 h) for a short course may also be given. Abortive treatments with the triptans may have been tried at home, but if they are coming to see us, we are past the point where triptans will be helpful. For the primary headache that is resistant to NSAIDs, IV therapy may be considered. If you’re going for IV, a nice evidence-based migraine cocktail is the following: 1. A bolus of 20 ml/kg of normal saline, up to a liter 2. Ketorolac (0.5 mg/kg; max, 30 mg) 3. Diphenhydramine (2 mg/kg; max, 50 mg) 4. Prochlorperazine (0.1 mg/kg; max, 10 mg) Dr Kaar et al. in Pediatric Emergency Care evaluated the safety and efficacy of their institution’s standardized pediatric migraine practice guideline in the emergency department, which used ths cocktail, based on the best evidence available. In their retrospective chart review, they found the average visual pain scale drop from 7.8 to 2.1 There were no adverse events reported. So, really you can treat children with migraines very similarly to adults. Other treatments on the horizon (still under investigation) in children include IV adjuncts such as magnesium, valproic acid, and dexamethasone. Aftercare and Recurrence Prevention For everyone who is going home, take just a moment to talk about the importance of sleeping well, eating well, getting exercise, limiting digital screen time, and trying to improve ways of dealing with stress. When all else fails, and the parent has “heard it all”: get them started on a headache diary. Take a piece of paper, fold it in half, and start a template for them to work on in a spiral notebook.  Start a sample entry for them, with the date and time the headache started, what it felt like, what was happening just before, what made the headache better, any dose of medications given, how long it lasted, and what the patient did after. There are even free apps that will track the headache pattern. This is the first thing a neurologist will start them on – and it’s sometimes a selling point to the parent that the time spent waiting for a referral to a neurologist is not waste – they will actually be in better shape and can move things along faster.  It also gives them some sens of control of what can be a draining situation. Summary and Mental Road Map If you were thinking meningitis or acute bleed, especially with fever or meningismus, get a CT first if you see signs of increased intracranial pressure, or if there is an abnormal neuro exam. Otherwise go straight to the lumbar puncture (LP). In the afebrile child with a normal exam, give symptomatic relief, briefly counsel them, and arrange for follow-up. In the afebrile child with an abnormal exam, obtain a CT in the ED. If negative, either admit for MRI if you are still concerned, or consider LP for idiopathic intracranial hypertension (pseudotumor cerebri). Talk with parents early about expectations, and offer them some friendly advice on prevention. Refer patients to the primary care provider or neurologist if the presentation is more involved. After a good history and physical examination in the ED that results in no red flags, we have time on our side. Help the family through the process by explaining the next steps and what can be done in the meantime. Compassion and a plan: sometimes these are our most powerful allies.   References Ajiboye N et al. Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations: Evaluation and Management. Scientific World J. 2014; vol 2014. Bachur RG, Monuteaux MC, Neuman MI. A comparison of acute treatment regimens for migraine in the emergency department. Pediatrics. 2015 Feb;135(2):232-8. doi: 10.1542/peds.2014-2432. Chiappedi M, Balottin U. Medication overuse headache in children and adolescents. Curr Pain Headache Rep. 2014 Apr;18(4):404. doi: 10.1007/s11916-014-0404-9. Curtis S, Stobart K, Vandermeer B, Simel DL, Klassen T. Clinical features suggestive of meningitis in children: a systematic review of prospective data. Pediatrics. 2010;126(5):952-60. Gonzalez LF, Bristol RE, Porter RW, Spetzler RF. De novo presentation of an arteriovenous malformation. Case report and review of the literature. J Neurosurg. 2005 Apr;102(4):726-9. Kaar CR, Gerard JM, Nakanishi AK. The Use of a Pediatric Migraine Practice Guideline in an Emergency Department Setting. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2016 Jul;32(7):435-9. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000525. Lewis DW, Ashwal S, Dahl G, Dorbad D, Hirtz D, Prensky A, Jarjour I; Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology; Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Practice parameter: evaluation of children and adolescents with recurrent headaches: report of the Quality Standards Subcommittee of the American Academy of Neurology and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society. Neurology. 2002 Aug 27;59(4):490-8. Lewis D, Ashwal S, Hershey A, Hirtz D, Yonker M, Silberstein S; American Academy of Neurology Quality Standards Subcommittee; Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society.Practice parameter: pharmacological treatment of migraine headache in children and adolescents: report of the American Academy of Neurology Quality Standards Subcommittee and the Practice Committee of the Child Neurology Society.Neurology. 2004 Dec 28;63(12):2215-24. Medina LS, Kuntz KM, Pomeroy S. Children With Headache Suspected of Having a Brain Tumor: A Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Diagnostic Strategies. Pediatrics. 2001;108(2):255-63. Richer L, Billinghurst L, Linsdell MA, Russell K, Vandermeer B, Crumley ET, Durec T, Klassen TP, Hartling L. Drugs for the acute treatment of migraine in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2016 Apr 19;4:CD005220. Stewart WF, Lipton RB, Celentano DD, Reed ML. Prevalence of migraine headache in the United States. JAMA. 1992;267:64-69. Tascu A et al. Spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage in children – ruptured lobar arteriovenous malformations: report of two cases. Romanian Neurosurgery. 2015; 29(23) 1: 85-89. This post and podcast are dedicated to Mark Wilson, PhD, BSc, MBBChir, FRCS(SN), MRCA, FIMC, FRGS for his #FOAMed generosity, candor, humility, and dedication to the care of the acutely ill and injured. Thank you. Pediatric Headache Powered by #FOAMed -- Tim Horeczko, MD, MSCR, FACEP, FAAP

This edition of PEM Currents focuses on the use of antiemetics to treat status migrainosus in the Pediatric ED. Prochlorperazine and Metoclopramide are safe and effective agents with a low incidence of self limited side effects that when given in combination with ketorolac result in over 90% of patient being headache free at 3 hours. […]

Dr. Stephanie Harman, Director of Palliative Care at Stanford University Medical Center, reviews nausea in the context of cancer, as well as the range of treatment options to manage it.

Dr. Stephanie Harman, Director of Palliative Care at Stanford University Medical Center, reviews nausea in the context of cancer, as well as the range of treatment options to manage it.