Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
-
Through 30 years of widespread use, acetaminophen has been shown to be a remarkably safe medication in therapeutic dosages. The potential for acetaminophen to produce cardiovascular toxicities is very low. However, acetaminophen has been demonstrated to produce symptoms of anaphylaxis, including hypotension, in sensitive individuals. ⋯ Other symptoms of allergic reactions were not clinically detectable. The hypotensive episodes were severe enough to require vasopressor administration. The reports illustrate the need for clinicians to consider acetaminophen in patients with hypotension of unknown origin.
-
A 28-year-old woman in status asthmaticus and respiratory acidemia refused orotracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation in the emergency department. In view of this situation, a mixture of helium-oxygen gas (heliox) was initiated with a nonrebreathing oxygen mask. Within 2 hours of treatment, the patient's respiratory acidemia had been corrected, and heliox inhalation therapy was discontinued without further incident.