TY - JOUR
T1 - Emergency physicians report infrequent use of α-blockade for the treatment of ureteral stones
AU - Chan, Cindy W.
AU - Tekwani, Karis L.
AU - Watts, Hannah F.
AU - Kulstad, Erik B.
PY - 2009/9
Y1 - 2009/9
N2 - Purposes: We sought to determine how frequently tamsulosin is used by emergency physicians (EPs) for the treatment of patients with ureteral stones, and examine factors influencing its use. Basic Procedures: We distributed online and paper surveys to 240 EPs in five states in the United States. Surveys asked the length of time in practice, the type of hospital setting, and the self-reported frequency of tamsulosin use by quartile. Findings: A total of 103 EPs (43%) responded to the survey. The majority (60%, 95% CI 51% to 69%) reported the use of tamsulosin in fewer than 25% of patients presenting with ureteral stones, and many (27%, 95% CI 20% to 36%) had not heard of the use of tamsulosin for urinary-stone passage. Practice in a county hospital was associated with infrequent tamsulosin use (p=.02). Conclusions: Despite evidence that alpha-blockade may be beneficial to patients presenting to the emergency department with ureteral stones, this approach is still used inconsistently by EPs.
AB - Purposes: We sought to determine how frequently tamsulosin is used by emergency physicians (EPs) for the treatment of patients with ureteral stones, and examine factors influencing its use. Basic Procedures: We distributed online and paper surveys to 240 EPs in five states in the United States. Surveys asked the length of time in practice, the type of hospital setting, and the self-reported frequency of tamsulosin use by quartile. Findings: A total of 103 EPs (43%) responded to the survey. The majority (60%, 95% CI 51% to 69%) reported the use of tamsulosin in fewer than 25% of patients presenting with ureteral stones, and many (27%, 95% CI 20% to 36%) had not heard of the use of tamsulosin for urinary-stone passage. Practice in a county hospital was associated with infrequent tamsulosin use (p=.02). Conclusions: Despite evidence that alpha-blockade may be beneficial to patients presenting to the emergency department with ureteral stones, this approach is still used inconsistently by EPs.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=68349113881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=68349113881&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.ajem.2008.06.007
DO - 10.1016/j.ajem.2008.06.007
M3 - Article
C2 - 19683103
AN - SCOPUS:68349113881
SN - 0735-6757
VL - 27
SP - 776
EP - 778
JO - American Journal of Emergency Medicine
JF - American Journal of Emergency Medicine
IS - 7
ER -