Emergency Medical Help Research Articles

FDA warns against accidental overdose on fentanyl patches by children

“Accidental exposure to medication is a leading cause of poisoning in children,” the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warned in a September 2024 announcement about fentanyl skin patches. “Young children, in particular, have died or become seriously ill after being exposed to a skin patch containing fentanyl, a powerful opioid pain reliever. If you suspect that a child has been exposed to a fentanyl patch, call 911 and seek emergency medical help immediately.

Postoperative complications for complicated malignant tumours of the stomach

Objective — to determine the frequency and structure of postoperative complications for malignant tumours of the stomach accompanied by gastrointestinal bleeding. Materials and methods. The study analysed the treatment outcomes of 101 patients with a malignant tumour of the stomach complicated by bleeding (84 cases), perforation (6 cases), or stenosis (19 cases, with 8 of them having both stenosis and bleeding). These patients underwent inpatient treatment at the Kyiv City Centre for Gastrointestinal Bleeding and the Kyiv City Clinical Hospital of Emergency Medical Help between 2015 and 2020. Out of the patients, 78 (77.2%) had histologically confirmed cancer, 11 (10.9%) had GIST, and 12 (11.9%) had malignant lymphoma. Results. During the peak period of ongoing and recurrent bleeding, 5 (6%) patients required emergency surgery, including 2 (40%) radical and 3 (60%) non‑radical procedures. After proper preoperative preparation and a comprehensive follow‑up assessment, 58 (57.4%) patients underwent radical surgical interventions for stomach cancer complicated by acute gastrointestinal bleeding in the early delayed period. In the early postoperative period, 4 (15.4%) patients experienced complications after 26 radical gastrectomies combined with jejunogastroplasty. In the delayed period, early postoperative complications occurred in 9 (28.1%) patients after 32 radical gastric resections. The total postoperative mortality after emergency surgical interventions was 20.0%. The total postoperative mortality in the early‑term period was 5.7% (5 patients out of 88), which is 3.5% less compared to emergency operations (the difference is statistically significant, p ≤0.05). Conclusions. When urgent surgical interventions are carried out at the peak of ongoing and recurrent bleeding, the mortality rate from postoperative complications is 3.5 times higher than when operations are performed in the early delayed period after adequate preparation and comprehensive patient monitoring. The death rate after radical operations is 2.1 times lower than that after palliative and symptomatic operations. As the operations conducted during the peak bleeding period are associated with high postoperative mortality, we believe that they pose a high risk to patients with malignant tumours of the stomach.

КЛИНИЧЕСКИЙ СЛУЧАЙ ТОКСОКАРОЗА ВЗРОСЛОГО С ОТЁКОМ ГОРТАНИ И АНГИООТЕКАМИ

Introduction. Toxocariasis is a parasitic disease caused by the migration of the larvae of canids roundworm (T. canis). It is characterized by a long-term relapsing course and multiple organ lesions of an immunological nature. The core pathogenetic factor is sensitizing the body by Toxocara exo- and endoantigens formed after the larvae are destructed, which leads to the development of immediate and delayed allergic reactions. The aim of study was to review the scientific literature on toxocariasis, and to present a clinical case report of cutaneous form of toxocariasis in a 36-year-old man complicated by angioedema. Material and Methods. Review of foreign publications on this helminthiasis in the PubMed databases. Clinical case of patient E., 36 years old, with the development of a complicated cutaneous form of toxocariasis of the angioedema type. Results and Discussion. During the instrumental and laboratory studies, antibodies to Toxocara canis were detected (titer in dynamics 1:6400 and 1:400) in the patient. Noteworthy was a severe allergic reaction, which manifested itself as itching maculopapular confluent rash resembling angioedema. A peculiarity of the course of the disease was the manifestation of rash and swelling of the larynx with each meal, which required calling emergency medical help. Laboratory testing of the patient’s blood did not show eosinophilia or any other deviations of the core blood parameters in the general blood test from the reference values. Conclusions. Toxocariasis often imitates the clinical manifestations of various diseases, such as ARVI, eye damage, neurological disorders (eosinophilic meningoencephalitis), enlargement of peripheral lymph nodes, liver and spleen, and allergic reactions in form of urticaria and angioedema, which causes difficulties diagnosing it correctly. Lack of physicians’ alertness regarding allergic reactions in adults accompanied by skin manifestations may lead to an incorrect etiological diagnosis. Thus, we remind clinicians that this helminthiasis may occur in adults in cutaneous form with the development of angioedema.

Problems and Prospects in Development of Emergency Medical Help Center in OSH, Kyrgyzstan

This article is presenting an analysis of emergency medical center work in Osh city, Kyrgyzstan for a five-year period. Ambulance crew visits indicators from 2016 to 2020 were studied in the Kyrgyz Republic, and in Bishkek and Osh cities, visit numbers monitoring in Emergency Medical Help Center in Osh carried out with a delay of more than 20 minutes, was carried out using statistical test forms from 2016 to 2020 years and proposed measures to improve emergency quality in medical help providing to a population in Osh city. Statistical and analytical methods were used including dynamic analysis of time series, correlation and regression analysis, data processing carried out using application programs. Comparison of average Republican indicator of load on ambulance crews revealed teams load in Osh city 46443 calls, with 68100 calls exceeding the average Republican indicator by 35%, and shows the overload of EMH service mobile teams in Osh. Keywords: emergency medicine, paramedic, mobile teams, trips, optimization, lateness.

Experience in treatment of glial tumors using the CyberKnife device

The study objective is to determine the effectiveness of stereotactic radiotherapy in treatment of glial cerebral tumors.Materials and methods. Results of using stereotactic radiotherapy in treatment of recurrent cerebral gliomas in 30 patients and primary glial tumor in 1 patient who couldn’t receive traditional radiotherapy were analyzed. Treatment was administered both to adults (n = 22) and children (n = 9). Prior to treatment all patients underwent pre-radiotherapy preparation in the form of contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance topometry of the brain, computed tomography with topometry, as well as positron emission tomography/computed tomography with amino acids (n = 21).Results. During treatment 2 patient developed grade II toxic reactions requiring emergency medical help. In 29 patients, treatment did not cause any complications. At the time of article preparation, 7 patients were alive; maximal follow-up period was 55 months, median follow-up duration was 8 months.Conclusion. Stereotactic radiotherapy can be used for disease stabilization. The results show effectiveness and safety of stereotactic radiotherapy as a salvage method of local treatment in patients with recurrent glial tumors of the brain.

Heart Disease in Women

All women face the threat of heart disease. Knowing the symptoms and risks unique to women, as well as eating a hearthealthy diet and exercising, can help protect you. Heart disease is often thought to be more of a problem for men. However, it’s the most common cause of death for both women and men in the United States. Because some heart disease symptoms in women can differ f Heart attack symptoms for women. The most common heart attack symptom in women is the same as in men some type of chest pain, pressure or discomfort that lasts more than a few minutes or comes and goes. But chest pain is not always severe or even the most noticeable symptom, particularly in women. Women often describe it as pressure or tightness. And, it’s possible to have a heart attack without chest pain. Women are more likely than men to have heart attack symptoms unrelated to chest pain, such as: Neck, jaw, shoulder, upper back or abdominal discomfort, Shortness of breath, Pain in one or both arms, Nausea or vomiting, Sweating, Lightheadedness or dizziness, unusual fatigue, Indigestion. These symptoms may be vague and not as noticeable as the crushing chest pain often associated with heart attacks. This might be because women tend to have blockages not only in their main arteries but also in the smaller ones that supply blood to the heart-a condition called small vessel heart disease or coronary microvascular disease. Women tend to have symptoms more often when resting, or even when asleep, than they do in men. Emotional stress can play a role in triggering heart attack symptoms in women. Because women don’t always recognize their symptoms as those of a heart attack, they tend to show up in emergency rooms after heart damage has occurred. Also, because their symptoms often differ from men’s, women might be diagnosed less often with heart disease than men are. If you have symptoms of a heart attack or think you’re having one, call for emergency medical help immediately. Don’t drive yourself to the emergency room unless you have no other options. Rom those in men, women often don’t know what to look for

Prodromal symptoms of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest among patients calling emergency and non-emergency medical help services

Abstract Background Early identification of individuals at risk of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) remains difficult. Little is known about symptoms presented when contacting a medical helpline prior to OHCA. Aim To examine the registered prodromal symptoms when patients phoned to seek medical help prior to OHCA. Methods OHCA patients (≥18 years) were identified from the Danish Cardiac Arrest Registry (2014–2018) and linked with calls to the non-emergency (1813-Medical Helpline) and Emergency Medical Services 1–1-2 (112). We examined (1) symptoms registered within 30 days before OHCA, categorized into eight groups and stratified by time-period and call-type; (2) hospital diagnoses and medical prescriptions according to symptom groups within 180 days before these calls. Results Among 974 OHCA patients who called in total within 30 days before OHCA, 816 OHCA patients (males 57%, median age 76 years [Q1-Q3: 65–84]) had a registered symptom and some of them called more than once (1,145 calls by 816 patients). Overall, the most reported group of symptoms was “Other” (29%), containing a diverse group of prodromal symptoms registered by the caregiver that did not fit into the other categories (Figure), followed by breathing problems (15%). When stratified by time-period (Figure) the most common symptom group remained “Other”. This was followed by symptoms related to the Central Nervous System (CNS)/Unconsciousness (17%) for the time-period within 0–7 days before OHCA, and by breathing problems (19%) and trauma/exposure (17%) for the time-period within 8–30 days before OHCA (Figure). When stratified by call-type, most patients (60.8%) called the 1813-Medical Helpline, where “Other” (35%) and abdominal/back/urinary (14%) symptom groups were the most common. While breathing problems (24%) and CNS/Unconsciousness (21%) were highly reported among calls to 112. Within 180-days before contact with the medical helpline, independently of the symptom group presented, respiratory-related hospital diagnoses and antibiotic medications were common. Conclusions Patients with OHCA who called emergency and non-emergency medical helpline 30 days before OHCA had diverse prodromal symptoms; the largest category were “Other” symptoms, followed by breathing-related symptoms. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding sources: Public grant(s) – EU funding. Main funding source(s): European Union's Horizon 2020 under the ESCAPE-NET program;Helsefonden Figure 1. Classification of the prodromal symptoms among patients that called for medical assistance. Stratified by the time-period within 0–7 days and 8–30 days before OHCA. The number of calls within 0–7 days before OHCA = 471 (399 patients), and the number of calls within 8–30 days before OHCA = 674 (500 patients).

Dizziness and vertigo in atertiary ENT emergency department

Although vestibular symptoms are amongst the most frequent reasons for seeking emergency medical help, many patients remain undiagnosed. In this cross-sectional study, we investigated the spectrum of vertigo and dizziness in atertiary ear, nose, and throat (ENT) emergency department (ED). Furthermore, we investigated the attendant symptoms, clinical signs, and the diagnostic tests performed. We screened all ED reports from 01/2013 to 12/2013 for adult patients with vestibular symptoms referred to the ENT department. In total, we found 2596 cases with reported vestibular symptoms in the ED as amain or accompanying complaint. Of these, 286 were referred to the ENT specialist directly (n = 98) or via other major medical specialties (n = 188). Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) was the most frequent diagnosis in our study (n = 46, 16.1%), followed by vestibular neuritis (n = 44, 15.4%), otitis media (n = 20, 7%), and 9patients (3.1%) had an ischemic stroke or atransient ischemic attack. In 70 (24.5%) cases, dizziness was not further specified. BPPV is the most frequent diagnosis seen in the ED; however, physicians need to document nystagmus more precisely and perform diagnostic tests systematically, in order to make an accurate diagnosis. To avoid misdiagnoses, ED physicians and ENT specialists should be able to recognize central signs in patients with an acute vestibular syndrome. Every fourth patient does not receive adefinitive diagnosis. Diagnostic ED workup for patients with dizziness needs further improvement.

Reformation of system of emergency medical help for injured persons on early hospital stage

Objective. To determine the key trend of reformation of the system of the emergent medical help to the injured persons on early hospital stage.
 Маterials and methods. The systemic analysis, including a bibliographical one, semantic and economic methods of investigation, as well as organization of the medical help delivery to the injured persons in USA.
 Results. The system of the emergency medical help delivery to the injured persons is based on the trauma centers net. Treatment of the injured persons, suffering severe trauma in the centers of trauma is by 40 - 60% more effective and by 50 - 60% more cost-effective, than in surgical/traumatological departments of the national Medical Health Service. The system of Emergency Medical Help for injured persons on early hospital stage in Ukraine demands organization of no less than 30 Centers of Trauma of the level І on the base of the University Regional Hospitals and in the cities with more than 1 million of inhabitants; approximately 200 the Level II Centers of Trauma on the base of multidisciplinary hospitals for intensive treatment of the second level and 300 the Level III trauma centers on the base of multidisciplinary hospitals for intensive treatment of the first level. Complete need for Ukraine constitutes 530 Centers of Trauma.
 Conclusion. The system for the Emergency Medical Help Delivery to the injured persons must be based on the net of the Trauma Centers of a certain level. The trauma centers organization needs some preliminary work to do: to study the traumatism indices, analysis of the regional need in medical help delivery and depicting of the National Trauma Registry. Trauma Centers in Ukraine is expedient to create on the base of the university regional hospitals, multidisciplinary hospitals of intensive therapy and hospitals of urgent medical help. Possibility of inclusion to the medical help delivery of such specialists, as a surgeon, anesthesiologist, traumatologist and neurosurgeon, constitutes an obligatory element of the trauma center organization. Financial support for the medical help delivery to the injured persons, suffering severe combined trauma, demands additional input of the nonbudget resources.

Correlates of seeking emergency medical help in the event of an overdose in British Columbia, Canada: Findings from the Take Home Naloxone program

BackgroundBritish Columbia (BC), Canada, is experiencing an unprecedented number of opioid overdoses mainly due to the contamination of illicit drugs with fentanyl and its analogues. Reluctance to seek emergency medical help (i.e., by calling 9-1-1) has been identified as a barrier to optimal care for overdose victims. This study aimed to identify the correlates of seeking help during an overdose event when naloxone was administered via BC’s Take Home Naloxone (THN) program. MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, we reviewed administrative records (from July 2015 to December 2017) about overdose events submitted by THN participants when they received their replacement naloxone kits (n = 2350). The primary outcome of the study was reported calling 9-1-1 and modified Poisson regression models were built to investigate the factors associated with help-seeking during an overdose event. ResultsMost overdose victims were men (69.0%) and >30 years old (61.5%). Overall, participants reported calling 9-1-1 in 1310 (55.7%) overdose events. In the multivariable model, the likelihood of calling 9-1-1 was significantly and positively associated with the overdose victim being male and receiving rescue breathing. The likelihood of calling 9-1-1 was significantly and negatively associated with the overdoses occurring in private residences and health regions other than Vancouver Coastal which delivers services to mostly urban residents. ConclusionOverall, medical help was sought for 55.7% of overdoses where naloxone was administered. Overdoses occurring among male victims as well as those receiving higher doses of naloxone and mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing were associated with a higher likelihood of help-seeking by responders. Future interventions need to encourage people who witness an overdose to seek emergency medical help.

Implementation of an Alcohol Medical Amnesty Policy at an Urban University With a Collegiate-Based Emergency Medical Services Agency

PurposeMedical amnesty policies (MAPs) at universities attempt to encourage students to seek emergency medical care by reducing disciplinary sanctions. This study analyzed how a MAP affected requests for emergency medical help to a collegiate-based emergency medical services (CBEMS) agency for alcohol-related issues. MethodsThis before-and-after study analyzed CBEMS call data for the 6 semesters prior to and after MAP implementation. Extracted data included patient demographics, dispatch time, and requests for advanced life support (ALS) resources. ResultsFollowing MAP introduction, increases were observed in alcohol-related calls/day in the fall semesters (0.84 vs. 0.93; p < 0.01). The median time of calls decreased; 1:20 a.m. versus 12:59 a.m. (median difference 21 minutes, p < 0.001). Finally, ALS was requested less often (9.0% vs. 3.7%; odds ratio 0.39; p < 0.01). ConclusionsMAP implementation at a university with a CBEMS is associated with a higher call volume, requests for service that occur earlier in the evening, and reduction in ALS requests for alcohol-related emergencies.

Role of pre-hospital and hospital emergency services in the management of stroke

Any out-of-hospital neurological deficit of less than 24hours should prompt a call for emergency medical help Urgent Medical Aid Service. Early identification of signs of stroke or transient ischaemic attack allows to guide the therapeutic approach towards intravenous thrombolysis or other alternatives. Telemedicine centres complement the network of neurovascular units.

“Caught with a body” yet protected by law? Calling 911 for opioid overdose in the context of the Good Samaritan Law

BackgroundTo address soaring opioid overdose fatality rates, 41U.S. states have passed Good Samaritan Laws (GSLs) extending legal immunity to overdose bystanders who call for emergency assistance. This study, conducted during the period that followed implementation of a GSL, aimed to characterize current factors determining the decision to call for emergency medical help (911) at the scene of an overdose with specific attention to exploring the role of the GSL as one such factor in decision-making. MethodsWe conducted 22 in-depth interviews with needle exchange program clients in Baltimore, MD. ResultsMost participants reported calling 911 or witnessing a 911 call after drug overdose, but widely remained fearful of arrest for drug or paraphernalia possession, homicide, outstanding warrants, and/or trespassing. These concerns were underpinned by a history of police maltreatment and threat, and strong distrust of police; concerns which were specifically related to perceptions of police conduct at the scene of an overdose as well as perceptions of police conduct in general. Additional considerations included: fear of losing housing, informal shelter or custody of children; encountering social stigma; and facing violent and fatal repercussions at the hands of local drug dealers. Additionally, some participants did not perceive a significant enough medical risk to call 911. Two thirds of participants were unaware of the GSL. Some believed a GSL would positively impact law enforcement behaviour and increase the likelihood of a bystander call; but due to distrust of police, others believed the GSL would have little influence on bystander decisions. ConclusionInsights from overdose bystanders during the post-implementation period of a Good Samaritan Law demonstrate persistent deterrents to bystanders calling 911 after overdose. Additional measures are needed to align policy aims with lived experiences of overdose bystanders, and to achieve overdose prevention aims.

Predictors of seeking emergency medical help during overdose events in a provincial naloxone distribution programme: a retrospective analysis

ObjectivesThis study sought to identify factors that may be associated with help-seeking by witnesses during overdoses where naloxone is administered.SettingOverdose events occurred in and were reported from the five regional...

Diagnostic criteria for cutaneous injuries in child abuse: classification, findings, and interpretation.

Physical abuse of children has many manifestations. Depending on the type of force involved, specific injury patterns are produced on the body of the child, the morphology and localization of which are forensically relevant in terms of diagnostic classification as child abuse. Typical patterned bruising includes, for example, tramline bruises resulting from blows with oblong, stick-like objects. In addition to rounded or one-sided horseshoe-shaped bite injuries, injuries of different ages, clustered injuries (e.g., three or more individual injuries in the same body region), and thermal injuries are typical results of abuse. Abusive scalds are usually characterized by a symmetrical impression and localization with sharp delineation of the scald wound edges, in contrast to accidental scalding injuries with radiating splash patterns ending in tapered points. The coloration of a hematoma can help indicate the time when the injury occurred. Lack of a coherent and comprehensible explanation for accidental injury constitutes grounds for suspecting abuse. Suspicions should be raised in cases of a delayed visit to a doctor, waiting for an unusually long period before summoning emergency medical help for serious injuries to a child, and when differing versions of a purported accident are provided. Documentation of the findings is highly relevant in later reviews of the diagnosis, for instance, when new relevant facts and investigative results come to light in subsequent criminal proceedings.

Reasons for inappropriate ambulance calls by adult urban population

Aim. To study the reasons for inappropriate ambulance calls made by adult urban population. Methods. Emergency calls of 1016 patients, 917 of them - aged 18 years and older who sought emergency medical help for different reasons, registered 8:00 to 20:00 from January 1 to September 30, 2014 and served by the first author. Reasons for inappropriate ambulance calls were studied using specially designed questionnaire, which was used to carry out the survey in 298 patients in their places of residence. Results. The examination of the call cards revealed that majority of the calls - 826 (90.1%) - were productive, including emergency aid and inappropriate ambulance calls - 457 (49.9%) cases. Females made inappropriate ambulance calls more frequently compared to males - 277 (60.6%) and 180 (39.4%), respectively. Males under the age of 60 years (mean age 56.6 years) performed inappropriate ambulance calls more frequently compared to elderly males, with no such age-related difference in females. According to the survey, the reasons for seeking for emergency medical care were: «it was far to get to the outpatient clinic» (28 cases, 9.4%), «did not know the phone of the outpatient clinic» (7 cases, 2.3%), «for a timely aid and a doctor’s appointment» (16 cases, 5.4%), «because of the symptoms requiring treatment» (51 cases, 17.1%), «exacerbation of a chronic disease» (34 cases, 11.4%), «unaware of the fact that he/she should visit an outpatient clinic» (10 cases, 3.8%), «a non-working day» (17 cases, 5.7%), «known that he/she will be dismissed form an outpatient clinic» (23 cases, 7.7%), «nonresident» (11 cases, 3.7%). All of the above is the evidence of the population ignorance of the mechanisms of providing primary health care (66.1%). In addition, several patients indicated «long time is needed to get the appointment to a doctor» (25 cases, 8.4%), «not able to reach outpatient clinic» (12 cases, 4.0%), «do not trust doctors of the outpatient clinic» (45 cases, 15.1%), «the call to the outpatient clinic was not accepted» (11 cases, 3.7%) and «having problems of getting to a doctor» (8 cases, 2.7%) as the reason. In the latter cases, these reasons were indicators for malpractice of the outpatient clinics (33.9%). Conclusion. Reasons for inappropriate ambulance calls made by adult urban population, according to a survey - unawareness of the appropriate facility providing primary health care (66.1%) and outpatient clinics malpractice (33.9%).

Radiological findings of sexual intercourse related emergency department admissions: a first overview.

ObjectivesSexuality is an essential aspect of human function, well-being and quality of life. Many people have sex without complications. However, there are some people who need to seek emergency medical help for related health problems. The aim of this study was to present a first overview of patients who received a radiological examination related to sexual intercourse based emergency department admission.MethodsOur centralized electronic patient record database was reviewed for patients who had been admitted to our emergency department with an emergency after sexual intercourse between 2000 and 2011. The database was scanned for the standardized key words ‘sexual intercourse’ or ‘coitus’ retrospectively. For all patients identified in the electronic patient record database the radiological examinations were searched for manually in our Radiology Information System, and reviewed by three independent radiologists.ResultsOne hundred and twenty nine out of 445 (29,0%) patients received a radiological examination after immediate emergency department admission related to sexual intercourse. Fifty two out of 129 (40.3%) patients had positive radiological findings while 77 (59.7%) did not. Eighty point seven percent (n = 42) of the radiological findings were a sexual intercourse-associated pathology and 19.2% (n = 10) were considered to be incidental findings. Age and male sex positively correlated with radiological imaging workup (p<0.001, respectively p<0.037). The most common sexual intercourse-associated pathology was headache attributed to cerebrovascular insult (n = 21, 40.3%) followed by epididymitis (n = 7, 16.6%) and obstructive uropathy (n = 5, 11.6%). Of the patients with headache attributed to non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 14, 66.6%) was the most common, followed by intracerebral bleeding (n = 4, 19.0%) and one subdural hemorrhage.ConclusionsPathological findings are manifold. Cerebral imaging is the most common type of radiological imaging performed. Further prospective and standardized studies should be performed to better evaluate the significance of radiological imaging in this patient collective with the aim to gain better knowledge on what patients profit from what type of radiological imaging when presenting with a sexual intercourse related emergency.Advances in KnowledgeThe present study provides a first overview on radiological findings of sexual intercourse related emergency department admissions.

Study of the relationship social and psychological characteristics of hypertensive patients, the frequency of medical emergencies and adherence of patients to treatment

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of psychological and social characteristics of patients with hypertension often seek emergency medical help with their adherence to treatment.Material and methods. Outpatient were examined 300 patients with hypertension (100 men and 200 women) from 35 years and older (mean age 72,1±12,8 years). Duration of hypertension ranged from 4 to 36 years old. We excluded patients with symptomatic arterial hypertension. Using questionnaires, revealed frequency of calls ambulance, the extent to which medical recommendations and regularity of antihypertensive drugs by patients. Also completed questionnaires Spielberg- Hanin for the assessment of emotional status.Results. The study showed that more frequent calls in general are more common in women than men, single patients, compared to unmarried as well as retirees compared to active patients. The proportion of women callers ambulance at least 1 time per year was 29% and was significantly (p

Исследование взаимосвязи социальных и психологических характеристик больных артериальной гипертензией, частоты вызовов скорой медицинской помощи и приверженности пациентов лечению

The aim of the study was to investigate the relationship of psychological and social characteristics of patients with hypertension often seek emergency medical help with their adherence to treatment.Material and methods. Outpatient were examined 300 patients with hypertension (100 men and 200 women) from 35 years and older (mean age 72,1±12,8 years). Duration of hypertension ranged from 4 to 36 years old. We excluded patients with symptomatic arterial hypertension. Using questionnaires, revealed frequency of calls ambulance, the extent to which medical recommendations and regularity of antihypertensive drugs by patients. Also completed questionnaires Spielberg- Hanin for the assessment of emotional status.Results. The study showed that more frequent calls in general are more common in women than men, single patients, compared to unmarried as well as retirees compared to active patients. The proportion of women callers ambulance at least 1 time per year was 29% and was significantly (p<0,05) lower than that of men - 58%. Analysis of the dependence of regularity medication (drugs) on the level of personal anxiety patients showed significant differences that are typical for patients with different levels of trait anxiety.Conclusion. The findings suggest that the regularity of patients antihypertensive drugs and the extent to which medical advice is largely due to psychological characteristics examined patients.

Sexual activity-related emergency department admissions: eleven years of experience at a Swiss university hospital

PrincipalsMost people enjoy sexual intercourse without complications, but a significant, if small, number need to seek emergency medical help for related health problems. The true incidence of these problems is...