Abstract
Aims: Diabetes is associated with several acute, life-threatening complications yet there are limited data on the utilisation of prehospital services for their management. This study aimed to examine the utilisation of emergency medical services (EMS) for prehospital hypoglycaemia, including patient characteristics and factors related to hospital transportation. Methods: An observational study of patients requiring EMS for hypoglycaemia across Victoria, Australia over three years was conducted. Pre-specified data including patient demographics, comorbidities, examination findings and transport outcomes were obtained. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with transportation. Results: During the study period, 12,411 hypoglycaemia events were attended by paramedics for people with diabetes. The majority were individuals with type 1 diabetes (58.8%), followed by type 2 diabetes (35.2%) and unspecified diabetes type (5.9%). Thirty-eight percent of patients were transported to hospital by EMS following hypoglycaemia. Factors associated with transport by EMS included extremes of age (. 75. years), female gender, type 2 diabetes, event at a nursing home or hospital/community clinic, presence of comorbidities and time of day. Conclusions: Examination of the utilisation of EMS for hypoglycaemia has identified a previously unquantified need for emergency care for people with diabetes as well as factors related to hospital transportation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1081-1086 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Journal of Diabetes and its Complications |
| Volume | 30 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2016 |
Keywords
- Diabetes
- Diabetic complications
- Diabetic emergencies
- Emergency Medical Services
- Hypoglycaemia
- Prehospital
Cite this
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Utilisation of emergency medical services for severe hypoglycaemia : An unrecognised health care burden. / Villani, Melanie; Nanayakkara, Natalie; Ranasinha, Sanjeeva; Tan, Chin Yao; Smith, Karen; Morgans, Amee; Soldatos, Georgia; Teede, Helena; Zoungas, Sophia.
In: Journal of Diabetes and its Complications, Vol. 30, No. 6, 08.2016, p. 1081-1086.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - Utilisation of emergency medical services for severe hypoglycaemia
T2 - An unrecognised health care burden
AU - Villani, Melanie
AU - Nanayakkara, Natalie
AU - Ranasinha, Sanjeeva
AU - Tan, Chin Yao
AU - Smith, Karen
AU - Morgans, Amee
AU - Soldatos, Georgia
AU - Teede, Helena
AU - Zoungas, Sophia
PY - 2016/8
Y1 - 2016/8
N2 - Aims: Diabetes is associated with several acute, life-threatening complications yet there are limited data on the utilisation of prehospital services for their management. This study aimed to examine the utilisation of emergency medical services (EMS) for prehospital hypoglycaemia, including patient characteristics and factors related to hospital transportation. Methods: An observational study of patients requiring EMS for hypoglycaemia across Victoria, Australia over three years was conducted. Pre-specified data including patient demographics, comorbidities, examination findings and transport outcomes were obtained. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with transportation. Results: During the study period, 12,411 hypoglycaemia events were attended by paramedics for people with diabetes. The majority were individuals with type 1 diabetes (58.8%), followed by type 2 diabetes (35.2%) and unspecified diabetes type (5.9%). Thirty-eight percent of patients were transported to hospital by EMS following hypoglycaemia. Factors associated with transport by EMS included extremes of age (. 75. years), female gender, type 2 diabetes, event at a nursing home or hospital/community clinic, presence of comorbidities and time of day. Conclusions: Examination of the utilisation of EMS for hypoglycaemia has identified a previously unquantified need for emergency care for people with diabetes as well as factors related to hospital transportation.
AB - Aims: Diabetes is associated with several acute, life-threatening complications yet there are limited data on the utilisation of prehospital services for their management. This study aimed to examine the utilisation of emergency medical services (EMS) for prehospital hypoglycaemia, including patient characteristics and factors related to hospital transportation. Methods: An observational study of patients requiring EMS for hypoglycaemia across Victoria, Australia over three years was conducted. Pre-specified data including patient demographics, comorbidities, examination findings and transport outcomes were obtained. Logistic regression was used to assess factors associated with transportation. Results: During the study period, 12,411 hypoglycaemia events were attended by paramedics for people with diabetes. The majority were individuals with type 1 diabetes (58.8%), followed by type 2 diabetes (35.2%) and unspecified diabetes type (5.9%). Thirty-eight percent of patients were transported to hospital by EMS following hypoglycaemia. Factors associated with transport by EMS included extremes of age (. 75. years), female gender, type 2 diabetes, event at a nursing home or hospital/community clinic, presence of comorbidities and time of day. Conclusions: Examination of the utilisation of EMS for hypoglycaemia has identified a previously unquantified need for emergency care for people with diabetes as well as factors related to hospital transportation.
KW - Diabetes
KW - Diabetic complications
KW - Diabetic emergencies
KW - Emergency Medical Services
KW - Hypoglycaemia
KW - Prehospital
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84966644119&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2016.04.015
DO - 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2016.04.015
M3 - Article
VL - 30
SP - 1081
EP - 1086
JO - Journal of Diabetes and its Complications
JF - Journal of Diabetes and its Complications
SN - 1056-8727
IS - 6
ER -