OBJECTIVE: To present the demographic profile, etiology and treatment outcome of patients presenting with epistaxis in our local setting.

METHODS:

         Design:             Retrospective Study

         Setting:           Tertiary Private University Hospital

         Participants: Records of 188 patients who presented with epistaxis at the emergency room as well as in-patient admissions and referrals due to epistaxis from January 2017 to December 2017 were reviewed.

RESULTS:  There were a total of 188 patients who presented with epistaxis, with a male to female ratio of 2:1. Peak incidence was noted in young children aged 0-10 years old and again rising in adults above 60 years of age. The most common cause of epistaxis was noted to be trauma (56, 29.79%), followed by hypertension (41, 21.81%) and mucositis at (38, 20.21%). Conservative management were done in majority of the cases (187, 99.47%) with an overall success rate of 95.19% (178 out of 188).

CONCLUSION: One of the most common emergencies that people may encounter in their lifetime is epistaxis. Understanding the demographic profile, etiology, intervention and treatment outcome of patients with epistaxis is essential for the establishment of cost-effective treatment guidelines, protocols and preventive strategies. Health education remains to be a key in reducing morbidity and mortality resulting from epistaxis.