RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: A troponin assay is commonly sent for patients presenting to emergency departments (EDs) with supraventricular tachycardia (SVT). Multiple studies suggest that elevated troponin levels do not predict coronary artery disease in these patients. Patients with elevated troponins are more likely to have additional cardiac testing, which can lead to increased health care costs and unnecessary invasive procedures. OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to evaluate low- to intermediate-risk patients (HEART [history, electrocardiography, age, risk factors and troponin] Score 1-6) presenting to the ED with SVT. Our hypothesis was that an elevated troponin would not predict major adverse cardiac events (MACE), but would be associated with increased hospital admission rates and lengths of stay. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of adult patients who presented with SVT to a large, urban, academic hospital ED over 4 years who had a troponin result. A total of 46 patients were included in the study. RESULTS: Patients with a positive troponin (>0.05 ng/mL) had a hospital admission rate of 86% versus 21% for patients with negative troponin (p = 0.006); rate of cardiology consult of 86% versus 21% (p < 0.001); and a mean total length of stay of 4157 min versus 1347 min (p = 0.04). At 3 months, none of the patients with a positive troponin had an MACE, death from any cause, or positive results of cardiac testing. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with a positive troponin result had significantly more admissions, cardiology consults, and longer hospital stays. These patients did not have an increased prevalence of MACE.
Asunto(s)
Calidad de la Atención de Salud/normas , Taquicardia Supraventricular/diagnóstico , Troponina/análisis , Centros Médicos Académicos/organización & administración , Adulto , Biomarcadores/análisis , Biomarcadores/sangre , Electrocardiografía/métodos , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital/organización & administración , Servicio de Urgencia en Hospital/estadística & datos numéricos , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Infarto del Miocardio/diagnóstico , Calidad de la Atención de Salud/estadística & datos numéricos , Estudios Retrospectivos , Factores de Riesgo , Taquicardia Supraventricular/fisiopatología , Troponina/sangreRESUMEN
Many recognize that several behaviors potentially affecting the reward circuitry in human brains lead to a loss of control and other symptoms of addiction in at least some individuals. Regarding Internet addiction, neuroscientific research supports the assumption that underlying neural processes are similar to substance addiction. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) has recognized one such Internet related behavior, Internet gaming, as a potential addictive disorder warranting further study, in the 2013 revision of their Diagnostic and Statistical Manual. Other Internet related behaviors, e.g., Internet pornography use, were not covered. Within this review, we give a summary of the concepts proposed underlying addiction and give an overview about neuroscientific studies on Internet addiction and Internet gaming disorder. Moreover, we reviewed available neuroscientific literature on Internet pornography addiction and connect the results to the addiction model. The review leads to the conclusion that Internet pornography addiction fits into the addiction framework and shares similar basic mechanisms with substance addiction. Together with studies on Internet addiction and Internet Gaming Disorder we see strong evidence for considering addictive Internet behaviors as behavioral addiction. Future research needs to address whether or not there are specific differences between substance and behavioral addiction.