Does lack of social support lead to more ED visits for older adults?

Objective: The goals of this study were to (1) determine whether level of social support and living situation predicted emergency department (ED) use among older adults and (2) identify correlates of ED visits according to whether the patient was admitted to the hospital.

Methods: Secondary analysis of a longitudinal, prospective study was conducted.

Results: In adjusted analyses, subjects who lived alone were 60% more likely to visit the ED than those who lived solely with their spouse.

Propofol for deep procedural sedation in the ED.

Unlabelled: We sought to evaluate the use of propofol (2,6-diisopropylphenol) for ED procedural sedation, particularly when administered in a routine fashion for a variety of indications.

Methods: This was a prospective observational study conducted in an urban teaching ED. Propofol was administered by handheld syringe and combined with fentanyl.