Comparison

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery vs EBMRef

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery

This medical reference app provides detailed information on common and rare diseases, including their description, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. It also offers guidance on managing surgical patients with coexisting conditions.

Highlights
  • Disease descriptions
  • Etiology and onset
  • Diagnosis and pathophysiology
  • Treatment and prognosis
  • Perioperative management
  • Disease-related surgical concerns
Features
Currently charting
Read full description

The Vargo Coexisting Diseases & Surgery App is a clinician-built resource designed to help anesthesia providers tailor anesthetic management to the patient’s underlying comorbidities and surgical considerations. Built from years of clinical experience, the app focuses on how coexisting diseases directly impact perioperative decision-making. Organized by major clinical systems, the app allows for rapid access to condition-specific anesthesia considerations—whether preparing for a case or managing complex patients in active clinical settings. The app is structured by major organ systems and disease categories, providing focused anesthesia guidance across a wide range of conditions: - Brain / Neuro Neurologic conditions and their impact on anesthesia management - Cardiac Hemodynamic considerations, cardiac pathology, and perioperative risk - Endocrine Diabetes, adrenal disorders, thyroid disease, and metabolic implications - Gastrointestinal GI disorders affecting anesthesia planning and intraoperative care - Hematologic Disorders Coagulopathies, anemia, and blood management considerations - Liver & Biliary Tract Hepatic dysfunction and implications for drug metabolism and coagulation - Pediatrics & OB/GYN Specialized considerations for pediatric and obstetric populations - Pulmonary Respiratory disease management and ventilation strategies - Renal Diseases Kidney dysfunction and fluid, electrolyte, and drug considerations - Congenital Heart Defects Structural cardiac conditions and tailored anesthesia approaches The app is built to provide clear, focused guidance that directly applies to clinical practice: Organized for rapid navigation by system and condition Emphasis on how disease states influence anesthetic planning Practical, case-driven considerations rather than general summaries This is a tool designed to help providers quickly answer the question: “How does this patient’s condition change my anesthetic plan?” The Vargo Coexisting Diseases & Surgery App is developed by experienced anesthesia providers who specialize in managing complex cases across a wide range of disease states. The content reflects real clinical decision-making and is continuously refined to remain relevant and practical. All future updates and additions are included with a one-time purchase. There are no subscriptions or recurring fees. Designed for every level of the anesthesia care team. Not just what to do—but the physiology driving every decision. Disclaimer: The Vargo Anesthesia Apps are intended for educational and clinical reference purposes only. These applications are designed to support clinical decision-making by trained healthcare professionals and are not a substitute for independent medical judgment, institutional policies, or current standards of care. Users are responsible for independently verifying all information, including drug dosages, calculations, and patient-specific considerations.

About

EBMRef

Access summaries of landmark medical research across specialties. Quickly find key trial details like interventions, outcomes, and clinical relevance for bedside reference. Intended for educational use, it's a supplement to, not a replacement for, professional medical advice.

Highlights
  • Landmark research summaries
  • Organized by medical specialty
  • Key trial details (name, year, interventions, outcomes)
  • Clinical relevance distilled
  • Quick bedside access
  • Educational and informational
Features
Read full description

EBMRef is a comprehensive evidence-based medicine reference for physicians, nurses, advanced practice clinicians, medical students, and other healthcare learners. Review landmark clinical trials, explore concise evidence summaries, learn essential EBM terminology, and quickly find the details that matter for clinical interpretation all in one focused reference. FEATURES • Hundreds of landmark clinical trials across medical and surgical specialties • Concise key takeaways and clinically relevant major findings • Detailed study design, population, interventions, outcomes, and limitations • Browse and filter trials by specialty, publication year, study type, and open-access status • Searchable library of evidence-based medicine terminology and concepts • Direct PubMed links for source verification • Related articles and random trial discovery • Favorites, global search, recent searches, and personal notes EBMRef connects foundational evidence-based medicine concepts with practical clinical research appraisal. Whether you are reviewing a landmark trial, comparing evidence across specialties, or checking study methods and limitations, the app makes relevant information easy to find. Created by Rishi Kumar, MD, FACC (“RK.MD”), an academic adult cardiothoracic anesthesiologist and cardiovascular ICU intensivist committed to free, open-access medical education. Learn more at https://rk.md EBMRef is intended for educational and informational purposes only. It does not provide medical advice and is not a substitute for professional judgment, diagnosis, or treatment. Clinical findings and calculations must be independently verified and interpreted in the context of the individual patient. Seek guidance from a qualified healthcare professional regarding any medical condition. Do not disregard or delay professional medical advice because of information provided by this app.

Screenshots

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery4 screens
EBMRef4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: EBMRef at Free against Coexisting Diseases & Surgery's $99.99. EBMRef also leads on rating (5.0 vs 4.6) and review sentiment (100% vs 85%). Coexisting Diseases & Surgery's advantage is chart position (#88 vs unranked) and iOS requirement (13 vs 26.0). On ratings volume, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

EBMRef is free to download; Coexisting Diseases & Surgery costs $99.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

EBMRef holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 29 and 22 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 85% of Coexisting Diseases & Surgery's written reviews are positive against 100% of EBMRef's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery ships an update monthly, EBMRef every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 29, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 5 level
Coexisting Diseases & Surgery versus EBMRef: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterCoexisting Diseases & SurgeryEBMRef
Price$99.99Free — better
Rating4.6 (29 ratings)5.0 (22 ratings) — better
Positive reviews84.6% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings29 — better22
Update frequencyMonthlyEvery 3 weeks — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
Best chart rank#88 — better—
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS13 — better26.0
Further details — not scored
Size212 MB8 MB
Age rating17+17+
DeveloperVargo Anesthesia IncRishi Kumar

Customer experience

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery

All ratings29 ratings
Positive86.2%
Neutral0.0%
Negative13.8%
Written reviews13 reviews
Positive84.6%
Neutral0.0%
Negative15.4%

EBMRef

All ratings22 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

Coexisting Diseases & Surgery

No in-app purchases

None

EBMRef

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Coexisting Diseases & Surgery free?
Coexisting Diseases & Surgery costs $99.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is EBMRef free?
EBMRef is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Coexisting Diseases & Surgery or EBMRef?
EBMRef is rated higher. Coexisting Diseases & Surgery averages 4.6 out of 5 from 29 ratings, while EBMRef averages 5.0 from 22 ratings.
Do Coexisting Diseases & Surgery or EBMRef have ads?
Neither Coexisting Diseases & Surgery nor EBMRef shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Coexisting Diseases & Surgery or EBMRef?
Coexisting Diseases & Surgery ships an update monthly, and EBMRef every 3 weeks. Most recently, Coexisting Diseases & Surgery was updated on October 29, 2026 and EBMRef on October 30, 2026.

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