COPD-Related ED Visits in North Carolina: Hospitalizations and Return Visits

COPD is a prevalent chronic disease among older adults; exacerbations often result in ED visits and subsequent hospital admissions. A portion of such patients return to the ED within a few days or weeks. In this study, we investigated patterns of hospital admissions and short-term return visits resulting from COPD-related ED visits.

Objective

To investigate hospital admissions and short-term return visits re- sulting from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)-related emergency department (ED) visits.