Characteristics of Emergency Patients in Northern Akita City and Clinical Features of Elderly Patients With Heart Failure

Takashi Saito; Masaru Sakusabe; Chiaki Hatazawa; Tomoyasu Komagata; Yukou Sugimoto; Yoshiaki Ito; Yoshikazu Tamura; Satoru Matsuoka; Gen Abe; Akira Shoji; Tsukasa Kato; Takayuki Yamanaka; Syusaku Nirei

Return

Characteristics of Emergency Patients in Northern Akita City and Clinical Features of Elderly Patients With Heart Failure

VernacularTitle:秋田県央北部地域における高齢者救急の現況と高齢者心不全例の臨床像
Author: Takashi SAITO ¹ ; Masaru SAKUSABE ² ; Chiaki HATAZAWA ¹ ; Tomoyasu KOMAGATA ¹ ; Yukou SUGIMOTO ¹ ; Yoshiaki ITO ¹ ; Yoshikazu TAMURA ¹ ; Satoru MATSUOKA ² ; Gen ABE ³ ; Akira SHOJI ² ; Tsukasa KATO ² ; Takayuki YAMANAKA ² ; Syusaku NIREI ²
Author Information

1. Division of Emergency and General Medicine (ERGP Team), Akita Kousei Medical Center
2. Division of Cardiology, Akita Kousei Medical Center
3. Regional Healthcare Network Center, Akita Kousei Medical Center
From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine 2020;69(2):126-136
CountryJapan
Language:Japanese
Abstract: This study investigated the characteristics of emergency patients, including walk-in patients and those brought in by ambulance, who visited Akita Kousei Medical Center in the 6 months from April 2019, and the clinical features of elderly patients with heart failure. Elderly patients above 70 years of age accounted for 38.7% of emergency cases and up to 61.7% of ambulance cases. The most common diseases and disorders were orthopedic, digestive, otorhinolaryngeal, respiratory, neurological, dermatological, and cardiovascular disease, in that order. In total, 56 patients with heart failure were admitted during this period (age 83.5±8.3 years, male: female ratio, 1:1.67). Hospitalization from homes accounted for 66.1% of admissions, with the remainder from nursing homes. After treatment, 35.7% of patients moved to nursing homes and 19.6% died despite in-hospital care. Because heart failure is one of the most common conditions in elderly patients, it is pertinent to recognize the importance of quality of outpatient care to prevent hospitalization and also to preserve quality of life by focusing on alleviating overall pain and discomfort.