scholarly journals Substance use among patients attending an accident and emergency department

2007 ◽  
Vol 24 (2) ◽  
pp. 146-147 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Patton ◽  
W. Smythe ◽  
H. Kelsall ◽  
F. B Selemo
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department

scholarly journals Prevalence of Substance Use Disorders among Patients of Accident and Emergency Department of a University Teaching Hospital

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 175-182
Author(s):  
D D Dapap ◽  
M D Audu ◽  
A Obembe ◽  
S Goar
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Substance Abuse ◽  
Substance Use ◽  
Substance Use Disorders ◽  
Drug Test ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Urine Drug ◽  
Emergency Units ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Urine Drug Test

Substance abuse and dependence are frequently encountered in emergency units of our hospitals, and it accounts for major health care problems frequently leading to accident and emergency department admission, though it is often missed or not diagnosed. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of drug abuse and dependence among patients attending Accident and Emergency Hospitals and to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of these patients with substance use disorders. A total of 200 consented participants attending the accident and emergency unit of the hospital were recruited into the study consecutively over a 2-week period. They were screened for psychoactive substance use disorders (PSUD) with Alcohol, Smoking and Substance Involvement Screening Test (ASSIST) and urine drug test (UDT) in the first phase and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) Instrument was used to make definitive diagnosis in the second stage. The result revealed that the prevalence of substance use disorders was 19.0% (13.0% for substance abuse and 6.0% for substance dependence). The study found that being male (p <0.001), widowed (p ≤0.012), and Christian (p ≤0.006) were associated with substance use disorders among patients presenting at accident and emergency units. The authors concluded that the prevalence of substance use disorders recorded in this study is higher compared to previous study conducted by Mustafa et al in Egypt with 11.5%.  The reason could be due to inclusion of biochemical test (urine drug test) in our screening, whereas only self-report questionnaires were used in their study.

Use of an accident and emergency department observation ward in the management of head injury

1993 ◽  
Vol 80 (8) ◽  
pp. 1079-1079 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. F. T. Brown ◽  
G. J. Wilkes ◽  
C. T. Myers ◽  
R. E. Maclaren
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Head Injury ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department

Hand Infections: An Audit of 160 Infections Treated in an Accident and Emergency Department

1993 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 115-118 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. STEVENSON ◽  
I. W. R. ANDERSON
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Complete Resolution ◽  
Wound Care ◽  
Duration Of Treatment ◽  
Mean Delay ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
The Mean ◽  
Careful Assessment

160 consecutive hand infections presented to an Accident and Emergency department over a four-month period. All but one were treated solely on an out-patient basis. The mean delay to presentation was three days, the mean duration of treatment was six days. Follow-up to complete resolution was achieved in 89% of cases. No patients were treated with parenteral antibiotics. The need for careful assessment, early aggressive surgery, and meticulous attention to the principles of wound care by experienced clinicians is emphasized.

scholarly journals Radiological features of body packers: An experience from a regional accident and emergency department in close proximity to the Hong Kong International Airport

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 202-210
Author(s):  
Ho Kai Patrick Tsang ◽  
Cheuk Kei Kathy Wong ◽  
Oi Fung Wong ◽  
Wing Lun William Chan ◽  
Hing Man Ma ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Hong Kong ◽  
Body Packing ◽  
Radiological Features ◽  
International Airport ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Body Packers ◽  
Solid Form ◽  
Hong Kong International Airport

Background: Body packing is a frequently used method for drug trafficking. Local information about the clinical and radiological features of body packing is lacking. Objectives: To evaluate the radiological features of body packers presenting to a hospital near to the Hong Kong International Airport and to compare the radiological features of solid form versus liquid cocaine. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study. Medical notes of 269 suspected body packers, presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department of North Lantau Hospital under the detention by the law enforcement personnel from 1st January 2015 to 28th February 2017, were reviewed. The radiological features of body packing were retrospectively evaluated. Results: Sixty-nine cases were confirmed body packers radiographically. Majority of them (81%, 56/69) were cocaine packers. Powder form cocaine (67%, 49/69) was the most popular drug packed, followed by liquid cocaine (15%, 10/69). There was a trend of increasing incidence of liquid cocaine packers. The classical ‘double condom’, ‘tic tac’ and ‘halo’ signs were present in 94%, 72.5% and 42% of cases with radiologically confirmed body packing respectively. The ‘rosette’ sign was only identified in 1 case. Three new radiological signs, the ‘bag of eggs’, ‘lucent triangle’ and ‘black crescent’ sign, were suggested to aid identification of drug packets. The classical ‘tic tac’ sign was absent in all liquid cocaine packing cases (p<0.05). The liquid cocaine packets appeared irregular with indistinct border in majority of cases (p<0.05). The solid form packets were mostly opaque to faeces while liquid cocaine had variable density (p<0.05). Most solid form packets had homogeneous content which was in contrast to the heterogeneous content in liquid cocaine (p<0.05). Conclusion: Failure in detecting drug body packing may result in medicolegal consequences. Emergency physicians need to be aware of subtle radiological signs of liquid cocaine packets in the plain abdominal radiography.

scholarly journals A Retrospective Review of Patients with Radiological Missed Fractures in an Emergency Department in Hong Kong

2003 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 215-222 ◽  
Author(s):  
VCH Ng ◽  
FL Lau
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Management Plan ◽  
Lower Limbs ◽  
X Rays ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Assessment And Treatment ◽  
Spinal Region ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department ◽  
Clinical Records ◽  
Christian Hospital

Aim To review the clinical spectrum and outcome of radiological missed fractures in the Accident and Emergency Department of United Christian Hospital (UCH) in 2002. Method In UCH, radiologists report all X-Rays taken in the Accident and Emergency Department (AED) within 48 hours. The study period was from 1st January 2002 to 31st December 2002. AED notes, relevant clinical records and all X-rays of patients with suspected missed fractures as reported by radiologists were reviewed for information on clinical features, treatments and outcomes. Results A total of 286 cases of missed fractures were found. Fourteen (4.9%) involved the skull and maxillofacial region, 83 (29.0%) involved the chest region, 53 (18.5%) involved the spinal region, 72 (25.2%) involved the upper limbs and 64 (22.4%) involved the lower limbs. Of these 286 cases, 137 (47.9%) were followed up in AED, 90 (31.5%) were referred to specialist clinics for further management, 26 (9.1%) required admission to hospital for further assessment and treatment, and 33 (11.5%) defaulted follow up. Furthermore, 87 (30.4%) of these 286 missed fractures required a change in management plan: 3 missed fractures required operative intervention (internal fixation) and 84 missed fractures required some form of external immobilisation. This group of patient did not lodge any complaint or claim. Conclusion A&E doctors missed quite a number of fractures that might result in significant morbidity. However, a reporting system by radiologists within 48 hours from discharge can pick up all these missed fractures, and may prevent complaints and litigations.

Overdose of Dologesic with a Fatal Outcome: A Case Report

2001 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 207-211 ◽  
Author(s):  
CY Man
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Department ◽  
Cardiac Arrest ◽  
Case Report ◽  
Drug Overdose ◽  
Fatal Outcome ◽  
Common Cause ◽  
Accident And Emergency ◽  
Accident And Emergency Department

Dologesic is a commonly prescribed analgesic in accident and emergency department. Yet report of overdose with this drug is not common. We report a case in which the patient developed cardiac arrest within an hour of ingestion. Dextropropoxyphene, a component of the drug Dologesic, used to be a common cause of fatalities after drug overdose in the seventies. It is highly toxic in overdose and therefore caution should be exercised when prescribing this drug.

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