Resources  email page print page Basic Information Introduction to Heart DiseaseHeart Attack OverviewHeart Attack DiagnosisHeart Attack TreatmentLife After Treatment For Heart AttackHeart Failure OverviewHeart Failure Symptoms and DiagnosisHeart Failure TreatmentStrategies for Promoting A Healthy Heart More Information Depression and Heart Disease Latest News AHA/ACC Offer Guidance for Dangerous ArrhythmiaHealth Tip: Getting Cardiac RehabilitationClinicians Need to Be Aware of Patient Use of Herbal ProductsComputed Tomography Shows Advantage in Heart DiseaseCT Scans Deemed Best for Checking Heart ArteriesHerbal Remedies Can Cause Cardiac ProblemsFDA Warns of Heart Risks With Diet DrugSmall Cuts in Salt Intake Spur Big Drops in Heart TroubleHeart-Assist System Approved for Severe Heart FailureExperts Push 7 Steps to Heart HealthShedding Light on Why Omega-3 Fatty Acids May Help the HeartErectile Dysfunction Predicts Heart DiseaseRegional Systems Proposed for Emergency Cardiac Arrest CareIdentification Systems Can Interfere With Cardiac DevicesIncreased Norepinephrine Breakdown Adverse for HeartVitamin D Levels Linked to Cardiovascular MortalityFaster Heart Rate May Raise Risk of Heart Attack DeathOlder Antidepressant May Treat Heart FailureStudy May Explain Cardiac Benefit of Green TeaLeading COPD Drug May Raise Chances of Heart TroubleChildhood Cancer Survivors Targets for Heart DiseaseErectile, Depression Issues Common in Heart DiseaseCardiac Events Seen With β-Blockers, Surgical AnemiaNot Breast-Feeding Tied to Higher Risk of Heart DiseaseEarly and Selective Invasive Heart Strategies ComparedHormone-Guided Therapy Can Lower Heart Failure MortalityTop 10 Heart Studies of 2009 Hold Promise of New DrugsLDL Cholesterol Not the Only Culprit in Heart DiseaseNausea and Vomiting Found Common Heart Attack SymptomsHeart Attacks More Common in WinterNew Tool Assesses Cardiac Death Risk in Heart PatientsStudy Questions FDA Approvals of Cardiac DevicesStatins Found to Be Beneficial in Congestive Heart FailureTherapies for CAD Patients With Kidney Disease ComparedNovel Gene Variants Associated With Heart DiseaseWith Cardiac Rehab, More Is Better: StudyCost of Treatment for Heart Disease and Stroke IncreasingImplantable Defibrillator Can Cut Mortality in Heart FailurePatients With Pacemakers Should Avoid MRI ScansContributors to Heart Failure IdentifiedWeight Loss and Exercise Can Improve Cardiac FunctionBlood Thinner Combos Risky for Heart Attack PatientsMyocardial Velocities Differ Based on Age and GenderNew Field of 'Cardio-oncology' SuggestedStudy Compares Cardiac, Death Risks of Diabetes DrugsVitamin D May Be Tied to Heart Disease Via GenesBreast-Feeding Can Help Mom's Heart Decades LaterHeart Attack Treatment Speeds Up NationwideCardiovascular Effects of Type 1 Diabetes in Youth StudiedHigh-Dose Statins Found to Improve Cardio Outcomes Blog Entries Cardiac Heart Disease (CHD) and AngerCognitive Behavioral Therapy for Post Heart Surgery Depression Managing Anger and Emotional Stressors Could Save Your LifeWorried SickPODCAST: Dying To Live - Interview with a heart transplant patientHeart Attacks and Young Women == DepressionAmericans and the Issue of WeightDogs, Social Support and Health: A Winning Combination Videos Sleep and Heart Disease: What's the Link?Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: A Silent ThreatWhat is Bypass Surgery?How Do You Know If You Have PAD?What is Peripheral Arterial Disease?Metabolic syndromeWomen and Heart DiseaseHow High Cholesterol Harms YouHow will Life Change with a Pacemaker?The Difference Between Atrial Fibrillation and Sinus RhythmWhat is a Ventricular Septal Defect? Links [6] Associations[5] Government[15] Information[1] Research[11] Videos

Community Talk about this issue in our mental health support community

Therapist Search Find a Therapist:  (USA/CAN only) Use our Advanced Search to locate a therapist outside of North America.

Related Topics Health Sciences Medical Disorders Mental Disorders Autism ADHD Alcohol & Substance Abuse Anxiety Disorders Bipolar Disorder Conversion Disorders Depression (Unipolar) Depression Primer Disorders of Childhood Eating Disorders Dissociative Disorders Impulse Control Disorders Internet Addiction Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Personality Disorders Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Schizophrenia Sexual Disorders Suicide & Self-Harm Tourettes and other Tic Disorders Medical Disorders Alzheimers And Other Dementias Cancer Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Colds and Flu Crohns Disease / Irritable Bowel Diabetes Epilepsy Heart Disease High Blood Pressure Memory Problems Men's Health Multiple Sclerosis Sexually Transmitted Diseases Sleep Disorders Stroke Women's Health Wellness Anger Management Emotional Resilience Exercise Smoking Stress Reduction Weight Loss Life Issues Abuse Adoption Child Care Dating Disabilities Disasters Divorce Domestic Violence and Rape Elder Care Family & Relationship Issues Grief & Bereavement Issues Pain Management Parenting Parenting Child & Adolescent Development Overview Child Development and Parenting: Infants Child Development and Parenting: Early Childhood Pregnancy Infertility Child Care Relationship Problems Self Esteem Sexuality & Sexual Problems Speech Problems Terrorism & War Healthcare Health Insurance Health Policy & Advocacy Health Sciences Mental Health Professions Treatments & Interventions Alternative Medicine Assessment Medications Psychotherapy Lifespan Development Pregnancy Child & Adolescent Development Overview Child Development and Parenting: Infants Child Development and Parenting: Early Childhood Sexuality & Sexual Problems Homosexuality & Bisexuality Aging & Geriatrics Death & Dying

by -- Jeff Muise
Updated: Nov 18th 2009

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 18 (HealthDay News) -- A hand-held, computerized clinical decision-support device can substantially improve adherence to guidelines and the accurate diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, according to a study in the Nov. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

Pierre-Marie Roy, M.D., of the Université d'Angers in France, and colleagues evaluated the use of the hand-held device in 20 French emergency departments, initially in a pre-intervention phase with 1,103 patients to gain familiarity, then in an intervention phase, in which 1,768 consecutive outpatients were randomized to diagnosis with the aid of either the device or diagnostic aids consisting of posters and pocket cards. Study outcomes included the accuracy of the diagnosis (diagnostic probability greater than 85 percent when embolism was ultimately confirmed or less than 5 percent when it was ruled out), adherence to diagnostic guidelines, and number of tests per patient.

advertisement

The researchers found that more patients in both study groups were appropriately diagnosed in the intervention phase than in the pre-intervention phase. There was a 30.2 percent increase in appropriate diagnosis in the group using the hand-held device compared to 10.9 percent increase in the posters/pocket cards group. The improvement mainly consisted of accurately ruling out pulmonary embolism, and results varied between emergency departments.

"In summary, we show that the use of an electronic decision-support system available on handheld computers significantly improves diagnostic decision making for suspected pulmonary embolism in emergency departments," the authors write.

Abstract
Full Text (subscription or payment may be required)
Editorial (subscription or payment may be required)

This article: Copyright © 2009 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

Share:

Link: (Here's how to do it ... )

To link to this article:

1. Copy the HTML link code shown in the box just below.
2. Paste this HTML code into your blog or web page, into a forum post or a blog comment you make, into your Facebook feed, etc.

<a href="http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=news&id=123787&cn=295">Hand-Held Device Assists in Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis</a>

Thank you!