An Observational Study of Clinical Profile of Patients with Epistaxis in Secondary Health Institution in Sub Himalayan Region

Introduction: Epistaxis is one of the most common encountered otolaryngologic emergencies and affects up to 60% of the population in their lifetime, of which 6% require medical attention. This study was done to assess the relationship between general pathological conditions and the occurrence of epistaxis and to evaluate the methods required to manage epistaxis. Materials and methods: The patients with epistaxis who were coming to emergency or attending ENT OPD or who were admitted in ENT ward in zonal hospital Dharamshala, Kangra (HP) from October 2020 to October 2021 were included in the study. Detailed history, clinical information was noted for all patients. All included patients underwent investigations as ordered by their doctor, and relevant clinical examinations were performed. Data was analysed using appropriate statistical methods. Results: In this study, the maximum number of subjects had bleeding from both nares followed by left and right nares respectively. Deviation to the right was more common in this study. Hypertension (50%), was the most associated underlying medical condition followed by diabetes mellitus (27.5%).11.11% of patients had nasal bone fractures. Most commonly used modality was anterior nasal packing in 25% cases. Conclusions: These results illustrate the relation of epistaxis with past medical history, duration of bleeding. More research is required to understand the management patterns in different geographical locations.