Emergency physicians report infrequent use of alpha-blockade for the treatment of ureteral stones.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to determine how frequently tamsulosin is used by emergency physicians (EPs) for the treatment of patients with ureteral stones, and examine factors influencing its use.


METHODS
We distributed online and paper surveys to 240 EPs in five states in the United States. Surveys asked the length of time in practice, the type of hospital setting, and the self-reported frequency of tamsulosin use by quartile.


RESULTS
A total of 103 EPs (43%) responded to the survey. The majority (60%, 95% CI 51% to 69%) reported the use of tamsulosin in fewer than 25% of patients presenting with ureteral stones, and many (27%, 95% CI 20% to 36%) had not heard of the use of tamsulosin for urinary-stone passage. Practice in a county hospital was associated with infrequent tamsulosin use (p=.02).


CONCLUSIONS
Despite evidence that alpha-blockade may be beneficial to patients presenting to the emergency department with ureteral stones, this approach is still used inconsistently by EPs.
Chan
Cindy W
CW
Department of Emergency Medicine, Advocate Christ Medical Center, Oak Lawn, IL 60453, USA.
Tekwani
Karis L
KL
Watts
Hannah F
HF
Kulstad
Erik B
EB
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077409:Tamsulosin; D014481:United States; D014514:Ureteral Calculi / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D013449:Sulfonamides; D000077409:Tamsulosin