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Do the residents in the emergency department appropriately manage patients with acute asthma attack? A study of self-criticism

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Abstract

The objective of this study was to investigate the management of patients with asthma attack admitted to the emergency department (ED) in terms of compliance with international guidelines. The records of patients with asthma who were admitted to a university-based ED between December 2001 and December 2002 were evaluated. A total of 72 cases with available data were evaluated retrospectively. Twenty-six patients (36.1%) were admitted more than once during the study period. The number of multiple admissions ranged from 2 (15 patients, 20.0%) to 11 (2 patients, 2.8%). Peak expiratory flow (PEF) measurements were recorded in 17 patients (23.6%) on presentation. Pulse and respiratory rates were recorded in 70 (97.0%) and 67 patients (93.0%), respectively. Thirty-four patients (47.2%) underwent chest x-ray; results were normal in most patients. Salbutamol was the most commonly used drug as first-line therapy. Ipratropium bromide (inhaled) and systemic corticosteroids were added to the salbutamol in 47 (65.2%), 42 (58.4%), and 32 patients (44%), respectively. Pulmonologists were consulted in only 7 cases (9.7%). Thirty patients (43.4%) were prescribed corticosteroids on discharge. The role of functional parameters in determining asthma severity and monitoring treatment effects should be emphasized in clinical practice. Finally, more prevalent use of management guidelines will help determine their usefulness.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonary Medicine, Mustafa Kemal University Medical School, Hatay, Turkey

    Sebahat Akoglu MD

  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, Dokuz Eylul University Medical School Inciralti, 35340, Izmir, Turkey

    Hakan Topacoglu MD, Ozgur Karcioglu MD & Arif Hikmet Cimrin MD

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  1. Sebahat Akoglu MD
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  2. Hakan Topacoglu MD
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  3. Ozgur Karcioglu MD
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  4. Arif Hikmet Cimrin MD
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Akoglu, S., Topacoglu, H., Karcioglu, O. et al. Do the residents in the emergency department appropriately manage patients with acute asthma attack? A study of self-criticism. Adv Therapy 21, 348–356 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02850099

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