ABSTRACT
Angioedema (AE) is a problem that all doctors inclusive of emergency room physicians and the otolaryngologists are often asked to treat. We present a six-year experience with this disorder. In this series, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) were related to 60% of admissions for angioedema. Lip and tongue swelling was the most common manifestation. The discontinuation of ACEI therapy and supportive management are the recommended approaches to treatment and prevention of unfavourable outcomes. The authors strongly recommend medic alert bracelets for all patients with this disorder. The use and side effects of ACEI therapy in our population which is predominantly of African descent warrants further investigations.
El angioedema (AE) es un problema que todos los doctores incluyendo los médicos y otolaringólogos de las salas de emergencia se ven a menudo en la necesidad de tratar. A continuación presentamos una experiencia de seis años de enfrentamiento a esta afección. En esta serie, inhibidores de enzimas convertidoras de angiotensina (IECAs) se relacionaron con el 60% de los ingresos por angioedema. La hinchazón de los labios y la lengua fue la manifestación más común. La suspensión de la terapia con IECA y el tratamiento de apoyo son los métodos que se recomiendan para el tratamiento así como para la prevención de resultados desfavorables. Los autores recomiendan enfáticamente brazaletes de alerta médica para todos los pacientes con esta afección. El uso y los efectos colaterales de la terapia con IECA en nuestra población predominantemente de ascendencia africana merece investigación ulterior.
Subject(s)
Humans , Male , Female , Child, Preschool , Adult , Middle Aged , Aged , Aged, 80 and over , Angioedema , Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/adverse effects , Angioedema , Retrospective Studies , Risk Factors , Time Factors , Hospitals, University , Jamaica , West IndiesABSTRACT
The objective of the study was to examine the clinical and demographic features of patients with hip fractures presenting to the Accident and Emergency Department, the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). The study involved all patients with hip fractures registered in the Trauma Registry at the UHWI between January 1, 1998 and December 31, 2001. They were assessed retrospectively for age, gender, associated extrinsic and intrinsic factors, cause of the fall, location when fracture occurred and the site of the femur that was fractured. One hundred and fifty-two persons were identified There were one hundred and eleven women and forty-one men. Seventy-eight per cent of the falls occurred in the over sixty-five-year age group. Ninety per cent of the patients had a fall associated with their fracture. Most of the falls occurred at the patients' homes. This study indicated that falling at home was the commonest associated factor for the occurrence of hip fractures and preventive measures may lead to reductions in the frequency of hip fractures seen in the emergency room