Articles: emergency-services.
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J. Nerv. Ment. Dis. · Jul 1989
Alcohol and substance abuse among schizophrenic patients presenting to an emergency psychiatric service.
To obtain information regarding patterns of alcohol and substance use, portions of the Diagnostic Interview Schedule (DIS) were administered to 53 schizophrenic patients who presented to the crisis service of an emergency room in a major general hospital. The number of individuals in the sample qualifying for a lifetime diagnosis of an alcohol abuse-related disorder was quite high (47%), and there was a strong correlation between disorders of alcohol abuse and the use of other drugs. ⋯ Individuals who qualified for a diagnosis of an alcohol-related disorder were compared with those who did not on a variety of diagnostic and demographic variables. The authors conclude by suggesting that the high-risk rates of drug use-related disorders reported in this sample may be due to the preferential use of emergency services by schizophrenic patients with alcohol and drug abuse-related disorders.
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Not all patients presenting to the emergency department with psychiatric complaints need psychiatric referral. Specific guidelines are therefore essential to aid in the appropriate screening of such patients and to expedite diagnosis and treatment.
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The British Crime Surveys have demonstrated that police-derived crime statistics are an unreliable indicator of the true number of violent offences in society. We therefore investigated police recording of consecutive victims of violence who sought treatment in a large Accident and Emergency (A & E) Department. Of victims assaulted within the boundaries of the inner-city Police Division, only one quarter were recorded by the police, though half claimed police awareness of the incident. ⋯ Proportionately more female victims were recorded, compared to males. A & E data provide a useful insight into the efficiency and effectiveness of inner-city policing. Victims Support Schemes should liaise with A & E Departments as well as with the police.
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Studies of adults suggest that metered-dose inhalers with spacers are as effective as hand-held nebulizers for bronchodilator delivery. We studied 13 children with acute asthma. ⋯ After titration, respiratory rate decreased by 12%, heart rate increased by 2%, and breath sounds improved in 92% of the patients. We concluded that the metered-dose inhalers with spacers are an effective device for the treatment of asthma in the pediatric emergency department and that the use of metered-dose inhalers with spacers with titration can achieve significant bronchodilation in the treatment of patients with acute asthma.