Chronic disease management in emergency department patients presenting with dyspnoea.

OBJECTIVES

Guideline recommended treatments for chronic conditions are thought to reduce ED presentations.

METHOD: We used data from 1958 ED patients with dyspnoea to describe medication use in patients with chronic conditions.

RESULTS

A total of 1233 (63.5%) patients had one or more of: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 547 (28%), asthma 454 (23%), atrial fibrillation 368 (19%) or heart failure 401 (21%). Approximately, 70% were prescribed appropriate preventative medication for their chronic condition when they presented to ED with dyspnoea.

CONCLUSION

Prescription of guideline recommended therapies for chronic conditions in patients presenting to the ED in Australasia with acute dyspnoea is similar or higher than reported previously.