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The need for cardiac monitoring after electrical injury
Author(s) -
Cunningham Paul A
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1991.tb121321.x
Subject(s) - asymptomatic , medicine , emergency department , medical emergency , emergency medicine , shock (circulatory) , medical record , retrospective cohort study , surgery , nursing
Objective A common clinical problem in hospital emergency departments is 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 1a‐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.