P A Cunningham1. 1. Accident and Emergency Department, Westmead Hospital, NSW.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: A common clinical problem in hospital emergency departments in the patient who presents after receiving an electric shock from the 240 volt domestic supply and who is asymptomatic with a normal electrocardiogram. This paper examines the need to monitor these patients. DESIGN: The medical records of all patients with electrical injuries who were admitted to Westmead Hospital in a 10-year period were retrospectively studied, and the management policy for this type of problem was surveyed in 36 hospitals around Australia. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The 70 admissions in the retrospective study and the bulk of evidence in the literature support what appears to be the most common current policy in Australian emergency departments --that is, to discharge patients who have had 240 volt electric shock provided that they are asymptomatic and have a normal electrocardiogram.
OBJECTIVE: A common clinical problem in hospital emergency departments in the patient who presents after receiving an electric shock from the 240 volt domestic supply and who is asymptomatic with a normal electrocardiogram. This paper examines the need to monitor these patients. DESIGN: The medical records of all patients with electrical injuries who were admitted to Westmead Hospital in a 10-year period were retrospectively studied, and the management policy for this type of problem was surveyed in 36 hospitals around Australia. RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS: The 70 admissions in the retrospective study and the bulk of evidence in the literature support what appears to be the most common current policy in Australian emergency departments --that is, to discharge patients who have had 240 volt electric shock provided that they are asymptomatic and have a normal electrocardiogram.
Authors: Steen Møller Hansen; Sam Riahi; Søren Hjortshøj; Rikke Mortensen; Lars Køber; Peter Søgaard; Christian Torp-Pedersen Journal: BMJ Open Date: 2017-08-28 Impact factor: 2.692