[Pulmonary emergency medicine at Okinawa Chubu Hospital, including care of patients with primary, secondary, and tertiary emergency problems].
In the emergency department of Okinawa Chubu Hospital, 32,088 patients were seen between November 1992 and October 1993. Of these patients, 19,306 were over 16 years old. About 20% of the patients seen in the emergency department had pulmonary diseases. In decreasing order of frequency, the five most commonly seen conditions were: upper respiratory tract infections (19%), bacterial pneumonia (12%), acute bronchitis, acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and chest trauma. Medical (i.e. nonsurgical) treatment was required by 10,034 patients. Thirty five percent of those had pulmonary disorders, and the mortality rate was 0.9%. A total of 747 patients were hospitalized, and 65 were admitted to the intensive care unit. Of those admitted to the intensive care unit, 9% died of respiratory problems. Surgical treatment was required by 5587 patients. Only 5.1% of them had pulmonary problems, and the mortality rate was 3.5%. However, the mortality rate among the 25 patients admitted to the intensive care unit for surgical pulmonary problems was 8%. Among patients with medical problems who were hospitalized via the emergency department, 36% had pulmonary disorders (mainly pneumonias, asthmatic attacks, acute bacterial bronchitis, and acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), but only 7% of patients with surgical problems had chest trauma (mainly due to traffic accidents of falls).
Kyan
Y
Y
Pulmonary Disease Division, Okinawa Chubu Hospital, Okinawa, Japan.
Miyagi
S
S
Kourakata
H
H
Watanabe
T
T
Uza
T
T
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006760:Hospitalization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008875:Middle Aged; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000145:classification / Q000453:epidemiology