[National survey on cardiovascular emergencies. Modalities of admission to cardiologic intensive care units (Paris excluded)].
In a national investigation carried out between December 10, 1985 and March 31, 1986, the modalities of admission of 19 Cardiology Intensive Care Units (Paris excluded) of 738 cardiovascular emergency patients were evaluated. Detail of the pre-medical phase duration and of the dispatching phase duration was obtained for each patient. Each of these two phases was then analyzed according to the geographical location of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU), to the symptoms experienced by the patient, to the type of medical aid initially sought (general practitioner, cardiologist, "emergency doctor") and to the medical itinerary followed. The median duration of the pre-medical phase was 1 h 45 min, that of the dispatching phase 2 h, 15 min and that of the total time elapsed before admission 5 hours, there being no clear-cut differences due to the location of the ICU. The duration of the pre-medical phase was essentially determined by the awareness of a vital risk or otherwise, or by the relation established by the patient between his symptoms and a possible heart disease. The median duration of the dispatching phase was about 2 hours when only one doctor intervened and 4 h, 35 min when a second doctor was consulted. The role of the cardiologist in the dispatching of these cardiovascular emergency cases was very limited (7 p. 100 of the patients) and not very expeditive, the median duration of admission being 6 h, 30 min when he intervened initially and 12 hours when he intervened at the request of the patient's general practitioner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003325:Coronary Care Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008952:Mobile Health Units / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010343:Patient Admission; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors
Enquête nationale sur les urgences cardio-vasculaires. Modalités d'admission en unité de soins intensifs cardiologiques (à l'exclusion de Paris).