Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Impact of electric scooters to a tertiary emergency department: 8-week review after implementation of a scooter share scheme.
A retrospective audit of presentations to a tertiary trauma centre reviewing the demographics of electric scooter injuries in the first 2 months of the scooter-share scheme, which was commenced in Brisbane in November 2018. ⋯ The findings characterised injury patterns and costs associated with electric scooters in our ED. Given the increasing popularity of electric scooters as an alternate form of transportation, our study may help to inform public policy for future injury prevention.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Beta-blocker use is an independent risk factor for thunderstorm asthma.
To identify risk factors for thunderstorm asthma (TA) in subjects ≥15 years of age from information available in routine clinical records. ⋯ Oral beta-blocker medications, younger age and Asian-born heritage are risk factors for TA. Further study is required to explore the potential association between beta-blockers and TA.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Influence of cognitive impairment on pain assessment and management in the emergency department: A retrospective cross-sectional study.
To quantify the impact of cognitive impairment on pain assessment and management practices in the ED. ⋯ Pain is inadequately and inappropriately assessed for elderly patients with a cognitive impairment in the ED, resulting in delays in initiation of pain management.
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Emerg Med Australas · Dec 2019
Picking the low-hanging fruit: Why not choose oral antibiotics for skin and soft-tissue infections in the emergency department.
Skin and soft-tissue infections are a common presentation to EDs in Australasia. In the absence of sepsis or decreased oral absorption, substantial supportive data exists that shows oral antibiotics are non-inferior to intravenous antibiotics for uncomplicated skin and soft-tissue infections. ⋯ This perspective reviews the relevant literature, discusses barriers to the implementation of this more parsimonious approach and also proposes several potential solutions. It is important that ED clinicians are encouraged to use oral antibiotics for uncomplicated infections, as this would lead to similar clinical outcomes but with fewer resources for staff and patient, as well as increased patient satisfaction.