Comments on: Blue Beetle #31: A Medical Review

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 09:25:30 +0000

levo= norepinephrine

By: Jbird

Jbird — Sun, 12 Oct 2008 08:14:45 +0000

I’m really surprised that there hasn’t been a recent stab at a Doctor Mid-Nite series with some sort of vague attempt at medical accuracy. You’d think shows like House would push sales among pop culture nerds.

By: Comics Should Be Good! » Quick Reviews: Blue Beetle and Immortal Iron Fist

Comics Should Be Good! » Quick Reviews: Blue Beetle and Immortal Iron Fist — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:48:54 +0000

[...] Blue Beetle #31- I really like how topical writer Matthew Struges is working topical elements in to this very enjoyable teen superhero comic. He’s even able to make our hero’s deputization as a Border Patrol agent a real great piece of awkward humor at our hero’s expense. My only real problem with the script is the medical-ese, which made as much sense as Morrison and Ellis’s technobabble can. Luckily everyone’s favorite blogging doctor was around to help sort that out for me. Maybe Struges expected him to pick up the slack, but I think he was just shooting for authenticity. [...]

By: Graham

Graham — Wed, 01 Oct 2008 01:43:57 +0000

Yay, two Scotts! Medical debates by people who actually have knowledge of medicine AND comic books? This is great!

By: scott

scott — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 23:01:42 +0000

I also wanted to say this is a REALLY COOL site. I think I’m going to stay here awhile. I am enjoying your reviews.

By: » SUCK ON THAT ROBERT DOWNEY JR. Medea’s Memoirs: half-Corean dad, doc, artist who is not afraid of going to Hell

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:54:24 +0000

[...] [Third Addendum: I found this cool website that reviews comics and shows from a medical analyses and they reviewed this medical issue of Blue Beetle as well. The webmaster seemed impressed with Matt’s medical dialogue, which makes me proud as well. I did politely defend a couple points he criticized but all-in-all it’s an interesting review and site.] [...]

By: scott

scott — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 22:48:07 +0000

Hi Scott, this is Scott. I am a hospitalist and I helped the great Matt Sturges (writer of Blue Beetle) with some of the medical jargon on that page.

You obviously know your stuff and your site has a very cool concept and insightful analyses.

Good point about the apnea requiring some sort of oxygen or intubation.

I have to disagree about the epinephrine. It is not always first line, but sometimes it can be. In the ICU setting, levophed (epinephrine) and dopamine are generally the first two agents given for hypotension. In the most extreme cases, levofed tends to get hung first as often as dopamine does. This may vary in other areas but it’s been my experience in the past couple hospitals I’ve worked at.

Good call on the 2DEcho for infective pericarditis and you are correct again in your 6th footnote regarding subacute vs acute valve infection. On the other hand, if there’s little history about the time frame of the illness (like if someone just drops into your ER with fevers and hypotension), a 2DEcho would be warranted. In acute hypotension, it could also pick up other causes such as a pericardial effusion (even without tachycardia), a ventricular wall aneurysm (caused by MI or infection), a massive MI (drug use), or even a massive PE (if there’s right ventricular strain).

I’m happy that you were satisfied with most of the jargon though. It was certainly an honor to aid Matt with this as I am a big fan.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 16:59:16 +0000

I.D…I hope House turns up…speaking of which I can’t wait for your review.

By: Your Obedient Serpent

Your Obedient Serpent — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 15:44:25 +0000

I think it’s a nice touch that the “real” doctors and emergency workers get the technically accurate terminology, and it’s the Super-Doctor who spouts out all the dubious technobabble.