Crash injuries may be missed in the elderly--know the complexities.
A new study reveals that elderly victims of car crashes often are undertriaged and/ or underassessed. Take care to identify all comorbidities, because they lead to greater risk of mortality from trauma. Review all medications, especially anticoagulants and beta-blockers, which mask the patient's true condition and can lead to late complications and life-threatening conditions. Talk with your EMS leaders about the possibility of using a tightened injury severity score.
D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D000368:Aged; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D014218:Triage / Q000592:standards*; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy