title: Medications prescribed in emergency departments for nontraumatic dental condition visits in the United States.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Prior research has documented factors associated with nontraumatic dental condition (NTDC) visits to emergency departments (EDs), but little is known about the care received by patients in EDs for NTDC visits.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We examined national trends in prescription of analgesics and antibiotics in EDs for NTDC visits in the United States.
  
  
  METHODS
  We analyzed data from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care survey from 1997 to 2007. We used a multivariable logistic regression model to examine factors associated with receiving analgesics and antibiotics for NTDC visits in EDs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Overall 74% received at least 1 analgesic, 56% received at least 1 antibiotic, and 13% received no medication at all during NTDC visits to EDs. The prescription of medications at EDs for NTDC visits steadily increased over time for analgesics (odds ratio=1.11/y, P<0.0001) and antibiotics (odds ratio=1.06/y, P<0.0001). In the multivariable analysis, self-pay patients had significantly higher adjusted odds of receiving antibiotics, whereas those with nondental reasons for visits and children (0-4 y) had significantly lower adjusted odds of receiving a prescription for antibiotics in EDs for NTDC visits. Children (0-4 y), adults (53-72 y), and older adults (73 y and older) had lower adjusted odds (P<0.001) of receiving analgesics.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nationally, analgesic and antibiotic prescriptions for NTDC visits to EDs have increased substantially over time. Self-pay patients had significantly higher odds of being prescribed antibiotics. Adults over 53 years and especially those 73 years and older had significantly lower odds of receiving analgesics in EDs for NTDC visits.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Services, Marquette University School of Dentistry, Milwaukee, WI 53201-1881, USA. christopher.okunseri@mu.edu
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Okunseri
authors.forename: Elaye
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Okunseri
authors.forename: Joshua M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Thorpe
authors.forename: Qun
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Aniko
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Szabo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000700:Analgesics / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D004363:Drug Utilization; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D009057:Stomatognathic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents