Medical Scenario III
 

Okay gang, get out your calipers .....

Your patient is a 63 yo female, "sick". She looks pale. She responds to verbal stimuli, but does not seem alert or oriented. Her HR is as shown, BP is 86/60. Her friend called 911 because she was acting "confused this morning". The friend tells you she has not been feeling great for a couple of days, but seemed worse today. Other hx is unknown.

What is the rhythm?
What is your treatment?

Which lead on the ECG are we looking at?

First, impression is A-fib (absent P wave with irregular HR ~160 bpm). Patient needs a full cardiac workup. Transport to ER with IV NS slow drip (10 gtt/min) just to have a line open. (Bet ya thought I was gonna say Dextran :D). O2 nasal cannula. Transport semi-reclined. Aspirin sublingual wouldn't hurt to prevent clotting and possible occlusive stroke.

Agree with Trapper. Be ready if she converts. I've had this convert simply by moving them from bed to gurney. If she has been this way for a few days (greater than 24 hrs) you could be getting ready for PE or stroke.

Lead II

Don't have a 12-lead. Sorry. :(

Ok thanks! Sticking with AF.

I agree with your assessment of the rhythm, but I am worried that she already had a thromboembolic stroke given her altered mental status.

Agree. Probable TIAs. My question for you, Doc, is TPA indicated here?

Just wondering here, you've got your IV set up for TKO but yet she's hypotensive. Would you consider a fluid bolus and if so, how much?

Also, would you consider cardioverting as an option and if so, how? (Adel, this is for you as well. :) )

Oh and BTW .... How much ASA and O2 are you giving? #attentiontodetail ;)

True she may have had a thrombus break loose due to the a-fib, but she's also had poor cardiac output for the past x2 days. This could be the cause of her "confusion and disorientation".

;)

80 mg ASA, 2L/min O2 :p

TIA can only be diagnosed in hindsight - if symptoms last for <24 hours without residual neurologic sequelae. I would consider this an acute thromboembolic stroke until proven otherwise.

If she seemed confused this morning, the stroke could've happened overnight, so it may not be outside of the therapeutic window for TPA. Then again - I coudln't tell you the last time I took care of an acute stroke in an elderly patient with AF, so I'm not sure on SOPs here.

I think a baby aspirin is 81mg (not 80), and (getting on my pediatric high horse here) never give aspirin to a pediatric patient unless advised to do so by a cardiologist.

Thanks for the info Doc! Yeah, 81 mg (not 80 mg). Rounding error :p

I have often wondered why the 81 mg aspirin was called "baby aspirin" anyway. I always thought it contra-indicated in children under 2 yo (maybe even 3 yo)?

We worry about Reye syndrome if children receive ASA while having viral illness - so it is not used in children <12 if recovering from varicella or flu-like illness. ASA is only used in children with a clear cardiac indication or an acute thromboembolic stroke. ASA can be used at any age (no absolute age cutoff), but we are very careful about dosing.

Back to the scenario: Looking at current ASA guidelines, I would administer 325mg x1 with plans for a baby ASA daily thereafter.