Diagnosis and Management of Urinary Tract Infection in the Emergency Department and Outpatient Settings

Emergency physicians encounter urinary tract infections (UTIs) in a wide spectrum of disease severity and patient populations. The challenges of managing UT's in an emergency department include limited history, lack of follow-up, and lack of culture and susceptibility results. Most patients do not require an extensive diagnostic evaluation and can be safely managed as outpatients with oral antibiotics. The diagnostic approach to and treatment of adults presenting to emergency departments with UT's are reviewed.