The American journal of emergency medicine
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Pheochromocytoma is a rare tumor that usually develops ahead of the neuroectodermal chromaffin cells of the adrenal medulla, but it may arise anywhere within plexus of sympathetic adrenergic nerves. Headache, palpitations, tremor, excessive sweating, abdominal pain, and hypertensive paroxysm are the common clinical presentations of the tumor, but it has also been reported several cardiac symptoms.
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Identifying the cause of acute dyspnea in the emergency department is often challenging, even for the most experienced provider. Distinguishing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from acute decompensated heart failure in the acutely dyspneic patient who presents in respiratory distress is often difficult. ⋯ A rapid 3-view sonographic evaluation of the heart, lungs, and inferior vena cava or “Triple Scan” may be a useful tool in identifying the cause of acute dyspnea and may aid the clinician in the initial management of the critically ill dyspneic patient. We present a case where a 3-view ultrasound examination, the “Triple Scan,” allowed for detection of new onset congestive heart failure and initiation of appropriate medical therapy without waiting for further standard diagnostic testing.
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Case Reports
Epinephrine-induced myocardial infarction in severe anaphylaxis: is nonselective β-blockade a contributory factor?
Epinephrine-induced myocardial ischemia in the setting of anaphylaxis is a rare event and is postulated to be due to coronary artery spasm. We report the case of a 43-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with an anaphylactic reaction triggered by flucloxacillin. ⋯ Subsequent coronary angiography demonstrated normal coronary arteries. In this case report, we discuss the potential role of prior nonselective β-blockade with propranolol in predisposing such patients to ischemic cardiac events following treatment with epinephrine.
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Non-heart-beating donors (NHBDs) have to meet the predefined criteria for organ donation including death from irreversible cessation of the beating heart. The Maastricht conference defined 4 NHBD categories to differentiate their viability and ethical-legal support. In Spain, NHBDs who originate from an out-of-hospital setting correspond to type II donors. ⋯ Thirty days after transplantation, 2 recipients died, 1 died of stroke associated with bilateral pneumonia and 1 died of hypovolemic shock resulting from hemothorax. The remaining 18 patients were progressing well at 30 days. Our data suggest that lung transplantation from patients after extrahospitalary cardiac death is feasible.
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Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a common cause for hospitalization worldwide. Identification of patients at risk for mortality early in the course of AP is an important step in improving outcome. Red cell distribution width (RDW) is reflective of systemic inflammation. The objective of this study was to investigate the association between RDW and mortality in patients with AP. ⋯ Red cell distribution width on admission is a predictor of mortality in patients with AP.