More U.S. adults over the age of 65 visited an emergency department because of an infectious disease than for myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure combined, according to a new study.
Based on a nationwide ED sample, adults over 65 visited the ED just over 3.1 million times in 2012 due to infectious diseases (ID), more than three times the estimated amount for myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure. The most common diagnoses were lower respiratory infections (26.2%), urinary tract infections (25.3%), and septicemia (18.9%).
Of the 3.1 million cases brought to the ED, nearly 1.8 million cases were hospitalized, with septicemia the most common cause for hospitalization, accounting for 32.2% of ID-related hospitalizations, followed by lower respiratory infections. Septicemia was also the most common cause of mortality, accounting for 74.7% of the nearly 124,000 deaths.
“These observations underscore the importance of integrated strategies aimed at reducing ID-related morbidity and health care use of elderly adults as a national priority for research, health policy, and community action,” Dr. Tadahiro Goto of the University of Fukui (Japan) Hospital and his associates concluded.
Find the full study in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society (2015 Dec 23. doi: 101111/jgs.13836).