Emergency medicine journal : EMJ
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Although it has been suggested that the increase in older population contributes to overcrowding in emergency departments (EDs), there are limited data defining this relationship. This study examines whether patients' mean age per day affects length of ED stay. ⋯ The increase in older patients visiting the ED has a direct significant negative effect on overcrowding in the ED.
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Emergency electrical intervention for patients in the form of defibrillation, cardioversion and external cardiac pacing can be life saving. Advances in medical technology have enabled electrical intervention to be delivered from small, portable devices. With the rising use of air transport for patients, electrical intervention during aeromedical transfer has an increasing incidence. Our aim was to describe the incidence of electrical intervention in a cohort of critically ill patients undergoing aeromedical transfer and review the risks associated with electrical intervention. ⋯ Electrical intervention in a transport environment brings unique challenges, particularly during aeromedical transport. Our study in a European model shows that there is a small but significant incidence of electrical intervention required during aeromedical flight for critically ill patients. There are potential safety issues with electrical intervention in aeromedical flight; therefore, any service involved in the transport of critically ill patients needs to have a robust procedure in place to deliver this safely.
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Few studies have looked at how obesity affects injury outcomes among vehicle occupants involved in traffic collisions. ⋯ Findings from this study suggest that obese vehicle drivers are more likely to die from traffic collision-related injuries than non-obese occupants involved in the same collision. Education is needed to improve seat belt use among obese people, as is research to understand the potential role of comorbidities in injury outcomes.