Mohammad Arshad.
Pre-hospital deaths at Islamabad tertiary care hospital a five year audit.
Isra Med J Jan ;5(2):139-43.

OBJECTIVE: To assess various causes of preventable pre hospital deaths at a tertiary care hospital in Islamabad and sensitize health care providers to establish good pre-hospital emergency services. STUDY DESIGN: A Retrospective Descriptive study. PLACE AND DURATION: Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad. From 1 January 2006 to 30 December 2010. METHODOLOGY: After going through the relevant hospital record and inquest reports of different police stations 5 years data was collected. A proforma was designed to incorporate data regarding the date on which dead bodies were brought to the hospital, name, age, gender, mode of death and site of injury/ injuries were recorded and analyzed. Comparison between continuous variables were performed. Exclusion and inclusion criteria were observed. RESULTS: 235 dead bodies brought to accident and emergency department. Numbers of Pre hospital deaths were 32 during 2006, 49 during 2007 and 2008, 51 during 2009 and 54 during 2010. Traumatic Pre hospital deaths were 79.15 % (n= 186) while non- traumatic deaths were 20.85% (n=49). Traumatic Pre hospital deaths included road traffic crashes deaths 45.95 %( n=108), firearm injuries 19.57% (n=46), blunt injuries 2.55% (n=6), sharp edge injuries 2.12% (n=5), poisoning 3.82 %( n=9), burns 1.7% (n=4), electric current shock 2.12 % (n=5), ligature strangulation 0.85 % (n=2) and hanging 0.42% (n=1). Non-traumatic Pre hospital deaths were due to ischemic heart disease 14.04% (n=33), drowning 5.53% (n=13) and cause of death couldn't ascertained in three cases 1.27%. The most common victims of prehospital deaths were youth of 16 – 30 years 48.51 %( n=114) followed by the age group from 31- 50years were 25.10 %( n= 59). Intermittent victims are people of extreme ages. Gender distribution is 83.82% (n= 197) males and 16.18% (n=38) females. CONCLUSION: Pre-hospital deaths due to Road traffic accidents are the highest followed by violence among traumatic deaths while deaths due to coronary heart diseases are the highest among non-traumatic deaths.

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