Articles: emergency-services.
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Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) infections continue to increase in the United States. Advancement in technology with point-of-care (POC) testing can improve the overall treatment of sexually transmitted infections (STI) in the emergency department (ED) by shortening the time to test result and administration of accurate treatment. The purpose of this study was to assess if the POC test reduced the rate of overtreatment for CT and/or NG compared to the standard-of-care (SOC) test. ⋯ POC testing facilitated the return of results prior to patients being discharged from the ED. Compared to standard testing, POC improved appropriateness of CT and NG treatment by reducing the rates of overtreatment.
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Inefficient supply chain management within the US healthcare industry results in significant financial and environmental impact. Unopened medical supplies may routinely be discarded in the Emergency Department (ED), contributing as a source of unnecessary medical waste. ⋯ This study demonstrates that the disposal of unopened medical supplies contributes a significant source of financial and environmental waste in the ED setting. The results continue to support the trend of procedure kits generating significant environmental and financial waste.
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Recognized risk factors for acetaminophen overdose include alcohol, opioids, and mood disorders. The aim of this study is to assess additional risk factors for acetaminophen overdose evaluated in the emergency department (ED). ⋯ In addition to previously recognized risks, our study demonstrated that cannabis use and hematologic/oncologic comorbidities were more common among acetaminophen-overdose ED visits. These new findings are concerning because of rapid legalization of cannabis and the increasing incidence of cancer worldwide. Additional investigation into these risks should be a priority for clinicians, policymakers, and researchers.
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Pediatric emergency care · Sep 2024
Emergency Department Sepsis Triage Scoring Tool Elements Associated With Hypotension Within 24 Hours in Children With Fever and Tachycardia.
Pediatric sepsis screening is becoming the standard of care for children presenting to the emergency department (ED) and has been shown to improve recognition of severe sepsis, but it is unknown if these screening tools can predict progression of disease. The objective of this study was to determine if any elements of a sepsis triage trigger tool were predictive of progression to hypotensive shock in children presenting to the ED with fever and tachycardia. ⋯ Among children who present to a pediatric ED with fever and tachycardia, those with prolonged capillary refill at triage or severe cerebral palsy were more likely to progress to decompensated septic shock, despite routine ED care.
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Ulus Travma Acil Cerrahi Derg · Sep 2024
Management of antimicrobial therapy in emergency department admissions and hospitalizations for firearm injuries: A single-center experience.
Firearm injuries (FI) remain a significant cause of morbidity and mortality globally. Antibiotic use, supported by guideline recommendations for preventing post-injury infections in FI cases, encounters uncertainties regarding the selection of anti-microbial agents and associated outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Injury Severity Scores (ISS) for FI cases presented to the emergency department. ⋯ In conclusion, for cases of firearm injuries, we believe empirical antimicrobial therapy should be initiated with narrow-spectrum agents such as beta-lactam + beta-lactamase inhibitor or third-generation cephalosporin + nitroimidazole in the mild group, considering the lack of Pseudomonal activity.