Motives for requesting an electrocardiogram in primary health care

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2015

Authors

Paulo Santos (Author) FMUP; Carlos Martins (Author) FMUP; Luísa Sá (Author) FMUP; Alberto Hespanhol (Author) FMUP; Luciana Couto (Author) FMUP

Journal

Title: Ciência & Saúde Coletiva

Vol. 20 No. 5

Pages: 1548-1553

ISSN: 1413-8123

Publisher: Associacao Brasileira de Pos-Graduacao em Saude Coletiva

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 6 Citations

Scopus - 3 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-00G-5G6

DOI: 10.1590/1413-81232015205.10062014

Abstract (EN): The management of requests for diagnostic exams presents its own inherent characteristics in primary health care and reflects the specific nature of the physician-patient relationship. The scope of the study was to identify the reasons for requesting an electrocardiogram (ECG) in primary health care. A cross-sectional study was conducted in an urban region in Portugal, establishing the motives to ask for an ECG consecutively over two years, starting on 01/03/2007 using data retrieved from structured forms filled out by the physician at the moment of requesting the exam. A total of 870 ECGs of 817 patients were included. Symptoms manifested during the patient visit justified 48.5% of the ECGs, and follow-up of cardiovascular risk factors motivated 25.2%. A global health examination accounted for 22.8% of the requests. Multivariate analysis showed that the presence of symptoms (p < 0.001), presence of any cardiovascular risk factor (p = 0.002), hypertension (p < 0.001), diabetes (p = 0.002), and urgency (p < 0.001) were the main factors associated with the requests. The requests for electrocardiograms are predominantly for clinical reasons as a result of patients symptoms. The integration of expectations and beliefs of the patients is present in the decision-making process.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 6