Clinical Profile and Outcome of Patients Presenting to the Resuscitation Room of the Emergency Department in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Abstract

Introduction:The resuscitation room in the emergency department (ED) manages critically ill patients needing urgent life-saving interventions.As the frontline of acute care, the ED ensures rapid triage, early recognition, and timely resuscitation of life-threatening conditions like shock and respiratory failure.However, region-specific data on these patients remain limited.This study aimed to evaluate the clinical profile and outcomes of high-priority patients admitted to a tertiary care hospital's resuscitation room.Materials and methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted at the ED of PRS Hospital, Trivandrum, from January 2023 to December 2024.A total of 450 adult patients (≥18 years) triaged as priority level one and admitted to the resuscitation room were included.Data on demographics, presenting complaints, interventions, departmental handovers, and outcomes were collected and analysed using SPSS software.Results: Of the 450 patients, 52.7% were above 50 years, and 51.8% were female.The most common presenting complaints were breathing difficulty (44%) and chest pain (32%).Medical conditions accounted for 84.2% of cases.Interventions included vasopressor support (42%) and non-invasive ventilation (41.1%).Most patients (62.7%) were transferred to the intensive care unit (ICU), and the survival rate was 84%.Significant associations were noted between outcomes and both interventions and disposition.Conclusion: Most critically ill patients in the resuscitation area were older adults with medical emergencies.Prompt interventions and ICU admissions were crucial in achieving favourable outcomes.