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Biomedical subjects

H Rosman

Publications and source records attributed to H Rosman.

23 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

The evolving pattern of digoxin intoxication: observations at a large urban hospital from 1980 to 1988.

Digoxin intoxication has been reported to be a common adverse drug reaction with an in-hospital incidence of 6% to 23% and an associated mortality rate as high as 41%. A retrospective review was conducted to assess the accuracy of diagnosis, the morbidity and mortality of digoxin intoxication, and its incidence in hospitalized patients with heart failure. We reviewed the medical records of 219 patients discharged with the diagnosis of digoxin intoxication between 1980 and 1988. Patients were classified as follows: (1) Definite intoxication--patients with symptoms and/or arrhythmias suggestive of digoxin intoxication that resolved after discontinuation of digoxin; (2) possible intoxication--patients with symptoms and/or arrhythmias suggestive of digoxin intoxication in the absence of documented resolution after discontinuation of digoxin, or the presence of other clinical illnesses that could possibly account for those findings; (3) no intoxication--patients whose symptoms or ECG abnormalities were clearly explained by other associated clinical illnesses and persisted after withdrawal of digoxin. We identified only 43 patients (20%) with definite intoxication. The majority of patients discharged with the diagnosis of digoxin intoxication (133 or 60%) were classified as possibly digoxin intoxicated, and 43 patients (20%) had no clinical evidence to support this diagnosis. To estimate the incidence of digoxin intoxication, we also reviewed the medical records of 994 patients admitted in 1987 with heart failure. Of these, 563 were receiving digoxin and in 27 the diagnosis of digoxin intoxication was made by their clinicians. Our review showed that only four were definitely intoxicated (0.8%), and the diagnosis could not be excluded in another 16 (4%).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Aged↗

The on-call experience of interns in internal medicine. Medical Education Task Force of Henry Ford Hospital.

As part of an effort to examine the structure and content of our residency program in internal medicine, we assessed interns' activities on call to identify problems with workload scheduling, supervision, or learning. Eleven interns were observed continuously during a 34-hour on-call period. Interns averaged 5.6 hours at the bedside, with 57 minutes of that time under direct supervision of a resident or attending physician. Nearly half of new patient examinations continued after midnight despite a special night admission team that evaluated all patients admitted after 11 pm. The interns averaged 21 beeps per 30 hours. They slept an average of 2.5 hours with two interruptions. They read about their patients an average of 4 minutes during the 34-hour period. Most supervision was away from the bedside (82/139 minutes). Bedside supervision occurred predominantly during rounds (45/57 minutes). Attending physicians averaged only 12 minutes of bedside interaction with the intern. Many of these findings were unanticipated. Structural defects in the training program were defined and are being addressed. Other training programs should consider similar analyses before making fundamental changes.

Clinical Competence↗

Risk identification at the time of admission to coronary care unit in patients with suspected myocardial infarction.

The in-hospital clinical course was evaluated in 2,162 consecutive patients admitted with a diagnosis of suspected myocardial infarction. Of these, 1609 patients were considered to be in the high-risk group, based on the presence of 16 clinical criteria present at the time of admission. The remaining 553 patients were classified as low risk. The overall rate of complications in the coronary care unit was greater in the high-risk group, 64%, compared to 26% in the low-risk group (p less than 0.001). Similarly life-threatening events (occurrence or recurrence of ventricular fibrillation, sustained ventricular tachycardia, complete heart block, asystole, or cardiogenic shock) were more common in the high risk-group compared to the low-risk group, 11% and 0.9%, respectively (p less than 0.001). The high-risk group required significantly more interventions, such as electrical cardioversion, temporary pacing, pulmonary artery catheterization, and intraaortic balloon counterpulsation, compared to the low-risk group (20% vs 2%, respectively; p less than 0.001). Myocardial infarction was confirmed in 892 patients in the high-risk group (55%) compared to 90 (16%) in the low-risk group (p less than 0.001). The coronary care unit mortality rate was greater in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group (8.2% vs 0.4%, respectively; p less than 0.0002). It is concluded that based on readily available clinical criteria at the time of admission, a subgroup of patients at low risk for developing life-threatening complications requiring coronary care unit interventions can be identified and admitted directly to an intermediate-care unit.

Coronary Care Units↗