A 58-year-old man is brought to the emergency department by his family because of severe upper back pain, which he describes as ripping. The pain started suddenly 1 hour ago while he was watching television. He has hypertension for 13 years, but he is not compliant with his medications. He denies the use of nicotine, alcohol or illicit drugs. His temperature is 36.5°C (97.7°F), the heart rate is 110/min and the blood pressure is 182/81 mm Hg in the right arm and 155/71 mm Hg in the left arm. CT scan of the chest shows an intimal flap limited to the descending aorta. Intravenous opioid analgesia is started. Which of the following is the best next step in the management of this patient condition?
AIntravascular ultrasound
BEmergency surgical intervention
CSublingual nitroglycerin
DIntravenous esmolol
EOral metoprolol and/or enalapril
A 55-year-old man is brought to the emergency department 30 minutes after the sudden onset of severe, migrating anterior chest pain, shortness of breath, and sweating at rest. He has hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Medications include atorvastatin, hydrochlorothiazide, lisinopril, and metformin. He has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 25 years. He is in severe distress. His pulse is 110/min, respirations are 20/min, and blood pressure is 150/85 mm Hg. Pulse oximetry on room air shows an oxygen saturation of 98%. Cardiac examination shows a grade 3/6, high-pitched, blowing, diastolic murmur heard best over the right sternal border. The lungs are clear to auscultation. Femoral pulses are decreased bilaterally. An ECG shows sinus tachycardia and left ventricular hypertrophy. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?
AEsophageal rupture
BPulmonary embolism
CAortic dissection
DPapillary muscle rupture
ESpontaneous pneumothorax
A 43-year-old man is brought to the emergency department because of severe retrosternal pain radiating to the back and left shoulder for 4 hours. The pain began after attending a farewell party for his coworker at a local bar. He had 3–4 episodes of nonbilious vomiting before the onset of the pain. He has hypertension. His father died of cardiac arrest at the age of 55 years. He has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for the last 23 years and drinks 2–3 beers daily. His current medications include amlodipine and valsartan. He appears pale. His temperature is 37° C (98.6° F), pulse is 115/min, and blood pressure is 90/60 mm Hg. There are decreased breath sounds over the left base and crepitus is palpable over the thorax. Abdominal examination shows tenderness to palpation in the epigastric region; bowel sounds are normal. Laboratory studies show: Hemoglobin 16.5 g/dL Leukocyte count 11,100/mm3 Serum Na+ 133 mEq/L K+ 3.2 mEq/L Cl- 98 mEq/L HCO3- 30 mEq/L Creatinine 1.4 mg/dL An ECG shows sinus tachycardia with left ventricular hypertrophy. Intravenous fluid resuscitation and antibiotics are begun. Which of the following is the most appropriate test to confirm the diagnosis in this patient?
AAortography
BTransthoracic echocardiography
CAbdominal ultrasound
DCT scan of the chest
EEsophagogastroduodenoscopy
+ 7 more in the PDF
Browse all chapters