Table 2.
Co-diagnoses, diagnostic tests and medications among US emergency department patients with seizure (1993–2003)
| Group | Sample (n) | % (95% confidence interval) |
|---|---|---|
| Co-diagnoses | ||
| Alcohol-related | 224 | 6.4 (5.3–7.6) |
| Otitis media (unspecified) | 103 | 3.4 (2.6–4.3) |
| Hypertension (unspecified) | 59 | 1.4 (0.9–1.8) |
| Acute respiratory infection | 38 | 1.4 (0.9–1.9) |
| Pneumonia | 35 | 1.2 (0.7–1.7) |
| Urinary tract infection | 35 | 1.2 (0.7–1.7) |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 32 | 0.8 (0.4–1.2) |
| All high-risk co-diagnosesa | 217 | 7.1 (5.9–8.4) |
| Diagnostic tests | ||
| Neuroimaging (CT or MRI)b | 626 | 24.2 (22.1–26.3) |
| Lumbar puncturec | 44 | 2.3 (1.5–3.1) |
| EEG | 51 | 4.0 (2.4–5.5) |
| Glucose screenc | 402 | 31.3 (27.4–35.3) |
| Top ten medications | ||
| Phenytoin | 1003 | 29.9 (27.8–32.0) |
| Acetaminophen | 435 | 13.0 (11.5–14.6) |
| Lorazepam | 351 | 10.5 (9.1–11.8) |
| Ibuprofen | 252 | 7.9 (6.6–9.1) |
| Phenobarbital | 247 | 7.4 (6.1–8.7) |
| Carbamazepine | 244 | 7.8 (6.6–9.0) |
| Diazepam | 185 | 6.1 (5.0–7.1) |
| Divalproex sodium | 154 | 4.7 (3.7–5.7) |
| Ceftriaxone | 130 | 4.2 (3.2–5.2) |
| Thiamine | 101 | 2.8 (2.2–3.5) |
aIncludes alcohol withdrawal, pneumonia, cerebrovascular disease, hypoglycaemia, septicaemia, hypokalaemia, TIA, hyponatraemia, brain neoplasm and intracranial injury
bData not available for 1993–1994
cData not available for 2001–2003