Cause of death in an emergency department.
A retrospective review was done of 601 consecutive emergency department deaths. Nontrauma causes accounted for 77% of the deaths and this group had an average age of 64 years and a male to female ratio of 1.9:1. Trauma caused 23% of the fatalities and this group had a younger average age of 29 years and a male to female ratio of 4.6:1. The most common causes of nontrauma death were sudden death of uncertain cause (34%), coronary artery disease (34%), cancer (5%), other heart disease (4%), chronic obstructive lung disease (3%), drug overdose (3%), and sudden infant death syndrome (2%). The most common causes of trauma death were motor vehicle accidents (61%) and gunshot wounds (16%). The overall autopsy rate was 40%. Death certificates were often in error.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Kaweah Delta District Hospital, Visalia, CA 93291.
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D000059:Accidents / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002140:California; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000401:mortality; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006331:Heart Diseases / Q000401:mortality; D006708:Homicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013405:Suicide / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015996:Survival Rate