Articles: hospital-emergency-service.
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Incidental findings are unrelated to a patient's complaint, found on diagnostic imaging, such as point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Incidental findings represent potential harms to patients and may lead to increased patient anxiety and health care costs related to downstream testing and surveillance. ⋯ Incidental renal cysts are common and are more likely to be found in older adults. In our study, physicians infrequently informed patients of their incidental finding.
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Emerg Med Australas · Aug 2024
Trends in reported GHB-related presentations to Sydney emergency departments between 2012 and 2021.
In overdose, gamma-hydroxybutyrate (GHB) and its precursors can cause decreased levels of consciousness, coma and death. Here, we aim to describe reported exposure to GHB at four EDs in Sydney, New South Wales (NSW), Australia. ⋯ Increases in recorded absolute number and severity of GHB-related presentations to Sydney EDs are a major public health concern. There may also be shifts in the demographics of those with GHB-related presentations. Renewed efforts are required to understand the drivers of these increases to optimally target harm reduction approaches.
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Methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy (MACM) is a known complication of methamphetamine use; however, risk factors and outcomes of patients with MACM are not well understood. ⋯ Patients who developed MACM had traditional risk factors for heart failure and experienced significantly more ED visits, more hospitalizations, and longer hospital stays than matched controls.
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Pediatric emergency care · Aug 2024
POCUS for Infectious Enteritis-A Retrospective Case Series Analysis.
The abdominal pain associated with diarrhea can be difficult to distinguish from appendicitis. We present a case series of all children found on pediatric emergency department point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) to have right-sided bowel wall edema. ⋯ Enteritis can initially be difficult to distinguish on clinical grounds from acute appendicitis. Bowel wall edema on POCUS in a child without sonographic signs of appendicitis strongly suggests bacterial enteritis. Early POCUS demonstrating enteritis without signs of appendicitis may decrease hospital resource usage.
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Persons living with dementia (PLWD) experience frequent and costly emergency department (ED) visits, with poor outcomes attributed to suboptimal care and postdischarge care transitions. Yet, patient-centered data on ED care experiences and postdischarge needs are lacking. The objective of this study was to examine the facilitators and barriers to successful ED care and care transitions after discharge, according to PLWD and their caregivers. ⋯ ED care and care transitions for PLWD are suboptimal, and patient-level factors may exacerbate existing system-level deficiencies. Insight from patients and their caregivers may inform the development of ED interventions to design specialized care for this patient population. This qualitative study also demonstrated the feasibility of conducting ED-based studies on PLWD during their ED visit.