Overheard In The Emergency Room

Dr Adrian Cois MD
  • 5.0 (1)
  • Medicine
  • Updated Daily

An emergency physician steps out of the resuscitation bay to talk about what really keeps you out of it. Each episode breaks down food, movement, sleep, stress, and the systems around us into clear, practical steps for living a longer and better life. No shame, no biohacking gimmicks - just evidence, stories from the ER, and habits you can actually stick with.

  1. 5d ago ·  Bonus

    Quick Hits: How an ED Doctor Reads a Medical Paper

    Quick Hits Episode 6. A listener wrote in asking for a framework to read a medical paper — and it could not be timelier. Misinformation has now been ranked the most severe short-term risk facing the world by the World Economic Forum, ahead of armed conflict and cyber attacks. One in four Gen Z respondents turns to TikTok for medical advice, and viral medical content is consistently more likely to be wrong than non-viral content. In this episode, Dr Cois walks through the three-question framework that every medical student is taught — and that he still uses today on every paper he reads. Then he pressure-tests it by walking you through three different studies that have tried to answer the same question: does saturated fat raise your cardiovascular risk? A human-and-overfeeding mechanism study, an umbrella review of cohort data, and a Cochrane meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials — same question, three different weights of evidence, one converging answer. If you have ever wanted to push back on the loudest voice in the room without needing a medical degree, this is your playbook. Key Takeaways •  Misinformation is the #1 short-term global risk; thefirehose is not slowing down •  Three-question framework: study type and journal,funding and authors, PICO •  PICO unpacks to Population, Intervention, Comparator,and Outcome •  The body of evidence is what matters — convergenceacross study designs is the signal •  Five red flags: single studies, surrogate outcomes, relative risk without absolute risk, cherry-picking, and conclusions that don’t match the data •  Your homework: track one social-media health claim back to the paper and run the PICO Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and does not provide medical advice or establish a physician patient relationship. Always consult a qualified clinician for personal health questions.

    11 min

  2. Jun 12 ·  Bonus

    Quick Hits | Why the Same Drug Can Cost $90 or $9 at the Same Pharmacy — A Doctor Explains

    My pharmacy tried to charge me $90 for a generic nausea medication. Five minutes later, with a coupon I signed up for in the aisle, I paid $9. Same drug. Same store. Same five minutes. If that sounds impossible — or like a trick — this episode is for you. In Quick Hits Episode 5, I walk you through exactly how prescription drug pricing works in America, who is actually setting the price you pay (hint: not your insurance company, not the pharmacy), and the three-step habit you can use every single time you fill a script. This is one of those moments where a small amount of knowledge gives you real power. •  There is no single “real” price for your medication. Multiple negotiated prices exist, and which one you pay depends entirely on which contract you invoke at the counter. •  Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) — not your insurance company — do most of the actual price-setting. Three companies control 79% of all U.S. prescription drug claims. •  The “cash price” is almost never the real price. It’s a sticker price designed for patients who don’t know to ask for anything else • GoodRx isn’t cash. It’s a different PBM’s contract you can piggyback on. • Three habits, every prescription: Ask the cash price. Compare on GoodRx and Cost Plus Drugs. Choose the lowest legitimate option. •  The February 2026 PBM reforms are a real step forward — but none of it changes what you pay today. Disclaimer This podcast is for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or pharmacist regarding your specific situation.

    12 min

  3. Jun 5 ·  Bonus

    Overhead Journal Club - SALT-ED Trial

    Welcome to Overheard Journal Club. In this new short-form series, ED physician Dr Adrian Cois takes a single paper that's changed how he practises and breaks it down conversationally — PICO, results, critical appraisal, and the practical "so what do I do with this on my next shift" synthesis. First up: SALT-ED. Self and colleagues, NEJM 2018. A pragmatic crossover trial in 13,347 noncritically ill adults asking whether balanced crystalloids beat normal saline as the default IV fluid in the emergency department. The answer reshaped Adrian's reflex — and gave him his favourite pharmacology joke. In this episode: why "normal" saline carries a supraphysiologic chloride load, how the pragmatic crossover design hit 88% adherence without blinding, what the MAKE30 composite outcome actually means, and the short list of hard indications for which saline still earns its place on the IV pole. Key takeaways •  In noncritically ill adults receiving IV fluids in theED, balanced crystalloids reduce major adverse kidney events at 30 dayscompared with saline (NNT 111). •  The mechanism is the supraphysiologic chloride load insaline, which causes hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. •  Default to lactated Ringer's. Reserve saline for hyperkalemia, traumatic brain injury, hyponatremia, and drug compatibility issues — and even then, keep volumes modest. Disclaimer Educational content only. Not medical advice. Does not establish a physician-patient relationship. Always discuss management decisions with a qualified clinician.

    12 min

  4. May 29 ·  Bonus

    Quick Hit: The VO2 Max Myth Social Media Won’t Tell You About

    Two vehicles. Same destination. One question: which one will you actually do? If you’ve spent any time on health and fitness social media in the last two years, you’d be forgiven for thinking the only acceptable way to train your VO2 max is to strap on a weighted vest and grind out an hour of Zone 2 cardio every day. That’s what the algorithm is selling. The data tells a very different — and far more forgiving — story. In this Quick Hit, Dr Cois walks through the two evidence backed vehicles for building cardiorespiratory fitness in the average adult: Zone 2 cardio and interval training. Both work. Each has a place. And the choice between them is far more practical than philosophical. You’ll get the conversation test for finding your Zone 2 without a heart rate monitor, a 4-week interval progression that reliably moves the VO2 max needle by 5–10 points, the under prescribed half of the exercise guideline almost nobody is doing, and the simplest predictor of whether you’ll still be exercising a year from now. Plus: a heads-up on what’s coming next — Overheard Journal Club. Key Takeaways •  VO2 max is one of the strongest predictors of long-term health we have • Roughly half of US adults don’t meet even the aerobic activity guideline • Zone 2 is a way, not the way — and it has one underrated strength • Intervals are extraordinarily time-efficient and free up space for strength training • Adherence beats optimisation — the vehicle you’ll actually do is the one that wins Disclaimer Educational content only. Not medical advice. If you are starting a new exercise program, have known cardiovascular disease, or have symptoms with exertion, consult a qualified clinician before beginning.

    10 min

  5. May 22

    Your 16-Week Roadmap to Longevity: An ED Physician's 5-Pillar Playbook

    Welcome to the Season 1 finale of Overheard in the Emergency Room.   There's no single ED case anchoring this episode. There are fourteen of them — every patien every story, every lesson we walked through across the season. And rather than introduce one more case and pretend it summarises a whole year of conversations, Dr Cois pulls everything into a single playbook. Five Tier 1 pillars - in the order that actually matters: 1. A primary care physician who knows you and screens you (the single most evidence-backed longevity intervention in the literature). 2. A whole-plant-predominant diet, with specific steps to build fibre and plant diversity. 3. Exercise across three buckets — resistance training, cardiorespiratory fitness, and incidental movement. 4. Sleep, treated like your Olympic sport, with four concrete steps. 5. Stress management as a clinical skill, practised when calm. Plus a free 16-week Recapture Your Health roadmap PDF at DrCois.com — no email gate, no upsell. If you've been with us since Episode 1, thank you. If you're new, this is a great place to start. 🩺 Educational content only. Not medical advice. Cronometer is referenced without anyfinancial relationship. Let's chase less bad days and more good decades together. • A primary care physician isthe single most evidence-backed longevity intervention — more powerful than anysupplement, peptide, or wearable. • Diet, exercise, sleep, and stress management are the four lifestyle pillars that compound across decades - work all four, not one. • Aim for 30–40 g of fiber daily, 30+ unique plant species weekly, and 80% of your plate as whole plant foods. • Exercise has three required buckets: resistance training, cardiorespiratory fitness (Zone 2 + intervals), and incidental movement. • Treat sleep like an Olympicsport. Anchor with wake time, not bedtime. • Stress management is a learnable clinical skill — practise it in calm moments so it is available in real ones. •  Pick one pillar this fortnight. Behaviour change fails when people try to overhaul everything at once. Educational content only. This podcast does not provide medical advice and does not establish a physician–patient relationship. If you have symptoms concerning for a medical condition, please seek care from a qualified clinician.

    36 min

  6. May 15 ·  Bonus

    The Sleep Mistake Every Night-Shift Worker Is Making (ER Doc Explains)

    If you work night shifts, swing shifts, or any schedule that doesn't line up with the sun, this Quick Hit is your sleep playbook. Dr Cois — emergency physician and host of Overheard in the Emergency Room — walks through the evidence-based system he uses for himself and shares with his patients. You'll learn why shift work nudges your long-term risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other chronic conditions, and exactly what to do about it. The framework: four circadian behaviours (consistent wake time, daily nervous-system regulation, meal timing, pre-shift exercise) plus three environmental levers (cool room, true darkness, noise control). Honourable mentions cover sunglasses on the drive home, alcohol, strategic napping, screen light, sleep apnea screening, and how to use wearables without letting them stress you out. For the deep dive on sleep physiology, the hormone story, and the cohort evidence, listen to Episode 4 of the main season. Key Takeaways •  Shift work raises long-term cardiometabolic and chronic disease risk — but the levers to push back are well-defined. •  Cluster your shifts into blocks rather than scattering one-off nights. •  Stop eating four hours before sleep; cut caffeine in the second half of your shift. •  Exercise hard before your shift to manufacture the morning cortisol spike your body would normally produce on a day schedule. •  Build a daily nervous-system regulation practice — the car meditation is the easiest start. •  Protect your sleep environment: cool, dark, quiet, and household-aligned. Chapter Markers Chapter timestamps are maintained on YouTube as the master version — refer to the YouTube description for a full chapter breakdown. Disclaimer Educational purposes only. This podcast does not provide medical advice and does not establish a physician-patient relationship.

    11 min

  7. May 8 ·  Bonus

    Quick Hit: What Really Happens When You Go to the ER with Stomach Pain (ER Doctor Explains)

    “Dr Cois, I’ve got abdominal pain. What will happen to me when I come to the ED?”  It’s one of the most common questions in my inbox — and one of the top 3 reasons people present to my Emergency Department. In this Quick Hit, I walk you through what actually happens when you come in with stomach pain: the conversation we have, the 4 diagnoses we cannot miss, and the bigger story most patients never hear. Inside this episode: •  How emergency physicians use the SOCRATES framework to find the diagnosis before any test is ordered •  The 4 can’t-miss diagnoses — cholecystitis, appendicitis, diverticulitis, and small bowel obstruction — and how each one classically presents •  Non-GI causes of abdominal pain we always consider,including kidney stones, UTIs, aortic emergencies, and mesenteric ischaemia •  Why most recurrent abdominal pain comes back toconstipation, reflux, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease •  A practical, week-by-week plan to safely increase yourfiber from 15 g to 40 g a day •  Why a CT scan isn’t always the right answer, and how to think about radiation risk in the ER •  The bold takeaway: if we don’t find a life threat, your next step isn’t another scan — it’s your Tier 1 habits Key Takeaways •  Most abdominal pain in the ER goes home safely •  80% of your plate should be plant foods •  Increase fiber gradually — not 15 g to 40 g overnight •  PPIs are a 2–6 week tool, not a forever medication •  Establish care with a primary care provider for any recurrent abdominal symptoms Chapter Markers Chapter timestamps available on the YouTube version of this episode — use that as the master reference. Disclaimer This episode is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have symptoms that concern you, please contact your physician or local emergency services. Closing Send your next Quick Hit question via the contact form at DrCois.com or DM @dr_cois on socials. Fewer bad days. More good decades.

    10 min

  8. May 1 ·  Bonus

    Quick Hit: What Actually Happens When You Walk into the ER with Chest Pain

    Welcome to the very first Quick Hit — a brand new bonus series from Overheard in the Emergency Room where Dr Cois tackles the questions you’ve been sending in. Short. Focused. Practical. Today: “What actually happens when I walk into the Emergency Department with chest pain?” Dr Cois walks you through the full chest pain workup — why we move so fast, what door-to balloon time means, the three body systems behind every differential (heart, lungs, GI), which tests get ordered and when, and the diagnoses your ED doctor is quietly thinking about even when they don’t mention them. Plus the most important takeaway: when to come in, and what to do after. This is a clinical overview, not a deep evidence dive — but if you’ve ever sat in an ED waiting room wondering what was actually happening, this is the inside view. For the companion blog post and free resources, visit DrCois.com.  Key takeaways: ●     Chest pain gets immediate attention becausecardiovascular disease is the #1 killer in high-income countries ●     Door-to-balloon time is the metric that drives EDurgency around chest pain ●     Three main body systems frame every workup: heart,lungs, GI tract ●     ECG, troponin, chest X-ray, and bedside echo are theworkhorses; CT angiogram is risk-stratified ●     “Musculoskeletal” and “gastritis” are essentiallydiagnoses of exclusion — follow up with your PCP ●     If chest pain is new, severe, or doesn’t fit a patternyou recognise: come in Educational content only. Not medical advice. If you are experiencing chest pain, seek emergency care immediately.

    10 min
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An emergency physician steps out of the resuscitation bay to talk about what really keeps you out of it. Each episode breaks down food, movement, sleep, stress, and the systems around us into clear, practical steps for living a longer and better life. No shame, no biohacking gimmicks - just evidence, stories from the ER, and habits you can actually stick with.

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