What Researchers Did
Researchers logged emergency hyperbaric oxygen treatment calls received by two 24/7 hyperbaric medicine centers on the East Coast of the United States during 2021.
What They Found
The University of Maryland received 187 emergency calls, with calls on 180 out of 365 days (46%), while the University of Pennsylvania received 127 calls, with calls on 239 out of 365 days (63%). Carbon monoxide toxicity was the most common indication for calls, and March was the peak month for call volume.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
While this study was conducted in the United States, its findings highlight the importance of accessible emergency hyperbaric oxygen treatment. Canadian patients requiring urgent hyperbaric oxygen therapy would similarly benefit from well-documented and readily available services.
Canadian Relevance
This study has no direct Canadian connection as it was conducted entirely within the United States.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is that data were collected from only two centers in a specific US region, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other areas or types of emergencies.