To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: Half of All Hospital Patients Have Coexisting Diseases URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/1EB4CE.htm Doctor's Guide November 20, 2000
ROCKVILLE, MD -- November 20, 2000 -- According to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), more than half of all hospital patients have "co-morbidities" -- coexisting diseases which are not the main reason they were hospitalized, but which can complicate treatment and lengthen their stays. One in three hospital patients has two or more co-morbidities. A fifth have hypertension, or high blood pressure, in addition to their principal diagnosis. Hypertension can complicate treatment of a principal diagnosis, for example, by increasing the risk of a complicating stroke or heart attack. The second most common co-morbidity -- present in roughly 14 percent of patients -- are fluid and electrolyte disorders. These are, for example, abnormalities in a patient's potassium or sodium level, and they may indicate that the patient is significantly dehydrated. These disorders can complicate a hospital stay by increasing the risk of a complicating heart arrhythmia or unstable blood pressure. Nearly 11 percent of hospital patients suffer from emphysema or chronic bronchitis -- chronic lung diseases that can increase the risk of a complicating pneumonia during a hospital stay. Almost 10 percent have diabetes mellitus, and about 7 percent have an irregular heartbeat. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.