The use and impact of pathology tests in emergency department patients with mental health-related complaints: A cross sectional study.

Objective: To evaluate the use and impact of pathology tests in patients who present to the ED with mental health-related complaints. The primary objective is to measure the proportion of patients undergoing pathology tests and assess whether these tests trigger a change in management.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed all recorded mental health presentations to our regional ED between January and June 2021.

Carotid Plaque Score is Associated with 10-year Major Adverse Cardiovascular Events in Low-Intermediate Risk Patients Referred to a General Cardiology Community Clinic.

Aims: Atherosclerotic carotid plaque assessments have not been integrated into routine clinical practice due to the time-consuming nature of both imaging and measurements. Plaque score, Rotterdam method, is simple, quick, and only requires 4-6 B-mode ultrasound images. The aim was to assess the benefit of plaque score in a community cardiology clinic to identify patients at risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE).

Rapid development and implementation of a behaviour change strategy to improve COVID-19 personal protective equipment use in a regional Australian emergency department.

Objective: To identify barriers to, describe the development of and evaluate the implementation of a behavioural theory informed strategy to improve staff personal protective equipment (PPE) compliance during COVID-19 in a regional Australian Emergency Department.

Methods: Barriers to PPE use were identified through staff consultation then categorised using the Theoretical Domains Framework. The Behaviour Change Wheel was used to develop a strategy to address the barriers to PPE compliance.

Automated office blood pressure - being alone and not location is what matters most.

Objective: Measurement of office blood pressure using a fully automated sphygmomanometer that takes multiple readings with the patient resting quietly alone has been called automated office blood pressure (AOBP). Almost all AOBP research has involved the patient resting alone in an examining room, which is often impractical in a clinical setting. The possibility that valid AOBP readings can be obtained with the patient resting quietly in a waiting room was examined.

ICEBERG: Intimal Carotid Evaluation Before Echocardiography Reveals Global Vascular Risk.

Background: There is growing evidence that carotid ultrasonography provides important prognostic information about cardiovascular risk assessment. Our objective was to determine whether abbreviated rapid carotid ultrasonographic screening would reveal important global vascular risk information in statin-naive patients referred for routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE).

Methods: Abbreviated carotid ultrasonographic imaging was performed in 560 consecutive patients undergoing TTE.

The effect of the change in the Framingham Risk Score calculator between the 2006 and 2009 Canadian lipid guidelines.

Background: Recent Canadian lipid guidelines changed the methodology used for calculating the Framingham Risk Score (FRS). We assessed the impact this would have on management when related to baseline lipid profiles and the possible need for statin drug therapy.

Methods: Patients with their FRS calculated between November 2006 and March 2010 were considered.