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Research Paper | Medical Science | Nigeria | Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024
Prevalence, Patterns and Outcomes of Medical Emergencies in a Cardiac Center in Port Harcourt, Southern Nigeria
Chibuike Eze Nwafor | Julius Edeogu | Rosemary Stanley | Blessing Enyichukwu | Jovita Agbamoro
Abstract: Background: Emergency department (ED) visits are common and can occur unexpectedly. They serve as the primary location for initial care, diagnosis, treatment, and referral are an essential part of healthcare, operating around the clock to provide acute care to those in need. As such, they play a crucial role in the healthcare system of every society. Method: This is a retrospective cross - sectional study of prevalence, patterns and outcomes of medical emergencies in a cardiac center of Goodheart Medical Consultants Hospital in Port Harcourt over a 3years period. The case notes of patients seen in the emergency department during the period under study were retrieved, relevant data extracted and analyzed descriptively. Results: A total of 1644 patients sought medical emergency care, with 861 (52.4%) being male and 783 (48.0%) being female. The mean age of the patients was 54 ?18.33 years. Cardiac emergencies were the most prevalent medical emergency, accounting for 37.1%, and the least medical emergency were the cerebrovascular disease 1.4%. The highest age group was those between 61 - 80 with 26.7%, the lowest age group was those above 80 years, with 4.5%. The treatment outcome was generally favorable, with 96% of the medical emergencies improving and being discharged home, 1.8% being referred, 2% died and 0.2% left against medical advice (LAMA). The average duration of stay in the hospital was approximately 3 days. Conclusions: The proportion of patients admitted increased with increasing age groups. Non - communicable diseases (NCDs) particularly cardiac emergency were the most common causes of admission and the major cause of death was heart failure, while for communicable diseases was Malaria. There is a need to estimate the most prevalent diseases from the pattern of admissions so that appropriate preventive strategies can be designed for the primary intervention.
Keywords: Emergency department, cardiac emergencies, Goodheart Medical Consultants Hospital, Prevalence patterns, Non - communicable diseases
Edition: Volume 13 Issue 1, January 2024,
Pages: 1424 - 1430