Five days after being admitted to the hospital for an open cholecystectomy, a 56-year-old woman develops difficulty breathing. She also has fevers, chills, and malaise. She has a cough productive of minimal amounts of yellowish-white sputum that started two days prior. She has type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and a history of gallstones. Her current medications include metformin, lisinopril, and atorvastatin. Her temperature is 39.5°C (103.1°F), pulse is 104/minute, blood pressure is 94/68 mm Hg, and respirations are 30/minute. Pulse oximetry on 2 L of oxygen via nasal cannula shows an oxygen saturation of 92%. Examination reveals decreased breath sounds over the right lung base. Abdominal examination shows a well-healing scar without erythema or discharge in the right upper quadrant. The skin is warm and well-perfused. Her hemoglobin concentration is 10.5 g/dL, leukocyte count is 16,000/mm3, platelet count is 345,000/mm3, and creatinine is 1.5 mg/dL. She is admitted to the ICU and started on IV fluids. Blood and urine for cultures are obtained. X-ray of the chest reveals a right sided pleural effusion. Which of the following is the next best step in management?
AIntravenous ceftriaxone and azithromycin
BIntravenous dobutamine
CCT of the chest with contrast
DIntravenous vancomycin and cefepime
EExternal cooling and intravenous acetaminophen
A previously healthy 35-year-old woman is brought into the emergency department after being found unresponsive by her husband. Her husband finds an empty bottle of diazepam tablets in her pocket. She is stuporous. At the hospital, her blood pressure is 90/40 mm Hg, the pulse is 58/min, and the respirations are 6/min. The examination of the pupils shows normal size and reactivity to light. Deep tendon reflexes are 1+ bilaterally. Babinski sign is absent. All 4 extremities are hypotonic. The patient is intubated and taken to the critical care unit for mechanical ventilation and treatment. Regarding the prevention of pneumonia in this patient, which of the following strategies is most likely to achieve this goal?
ANasogastric tube insertion
BDaily evaluation for ventilator weaning
CSubglottic drainage of secretions
DOropharynx and gut antibacterial decontamination
EProne positioning during mechanical ventilation
Three days after undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery, a 72-year-old man has severe right upper quadrant pain, fever, nausea, and vomiting. He has type 2 diabetes mellitus, benign prostatic hyperplasia, peripheral vascular disease, and chronic mesenteric ischemia. He had smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 30 years but quit 10 years ago. He drinks 8 cans of beer a week. His preoperative medications include metformin, aspirin, simvastatin, and finasteride. His temperature is 38.9°C (102°F), pulse is 102/min, respirations are 18/min, and blood pressure is 110/60 mmHg. Auscultation of the lungs shows bilateral inspiratory crackles. Cardiac examination shows no murmurs, rubs or gallops. Abdominal examination shows soft abdomen with tenderness and sudden inspiratory arrest upon palpation in the right upper quadrant. There is no rebound tenderness or guarding. Laboratory studies show the following: Hemoglobin 13.1 g/dL Hematocrit 42% Leukocyte count 15,700/mm3 Segmented neutrophils 65% Bands 10% Lymphocytes 20% Monocytes 3% Eosinophils 1% Basophils 0.5% AST 40 U/L ALT 100 U/L Alkaline phosphatase 85 U/L Total bilirubin 1.5 mg/dL Direct 0.9 mg/dL Amylase 90 U/L Abdominal ultrasonography shows a distended gallbladder, thickened gallbladder wall with pericholecystic fluid, and no stones. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?
AIntravenous heparin therapy followed by embolectomy
BCareful observation with serial abdominal examinations
CEndoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with papillotomy
DIntravenous piperacillin-tazobactam therapy and percutaneous cholecystostomy
EImmediate cholecystectomy
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