American family physician
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Am Fam Physician
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Epistaxis is a common emergency encountered by primary care physicians. Up to 60% of the general population experience epistaxis, and 6% seek medical attention for it. More than 90% of cases arise from the anterior nasal circulation, and most treatments can be easily performed in the outpatient setting. ⋯ Compared with anterior epistaxis, posterior epistaxis is more likely to require hospitalization and twice as likely to need nasal packing. Posterior nasal packing is often associated with pain and a risk of aspiration if it is dislodged. After stabilization, patients with posterior packing often require referral to otolaryngology or the emergency department for definitive treatments.