From Avocados To E-Bikes: ER Docs Sound The Alarm!

More than 155 million Americans visit the emergency room each year, and doctors say many of those trips are preventable. So what everyday habits are sending people to the ER? And what simple changes could keep you out? — More than 155 million Americans visit the emergency room each year, and doctors say many of those trips are preventable. So what everyday habits are sending people to the ER? And what simple changes could keep you out?

About one out of five people visit the ER each year. But doctors say many of those injuries didn’t have to happen. First: don’t ever let kids around water unsupervised. Drowning is the number one cause of death in children ages one to four years old!

Also, put your device down when driving!

“We see a lot of impaired driving or distracted driving,” said Jason Milk, DO, Medical Director of the Hillcrest Emergency Department at Cleveland Clinic.

Looking at your phone for five seconds while going 55 miles per hour means you’re traveling the length of a football field with your eyes off the road.

E-bikes and scooters are also driving a surge in ER visits. Injuries from e-bikes doubled every year in a recent study, and e-scooter injuries jumped 45 percent.

Also in the kitchen, slow down and be careful. Don’t look away or chop too fast. Bagels and avocados are big culprits for cutting accidents.

Also, use caution with hot tubs and saunas. Doctors say extreme heat can cause a fast drop in blood pressure, and the CDC warns diuretics and some blood pressure and mental health meds can lead to dizziness, fainting, and dangerous falls.

“Especially elderly population that have health comorbidities that are on a lot of different medications,” explained Milk.

Adults over 65 face some of the highest rates of heat-related ER visits each year, making prevention and awareness critical.

Here’s some reassuring news: only about 11 percent of ER visits result in a hospital stay. That means nearly nine out of 10 patients are treated and released.

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