Critical Care
The Southwest Journal of Pulmonary and Critical Care publishes articles directed to those who treat patients in the ICU, CCU and SICU including chest physicians, surgeons, pediatricians, pharmacists/pharmacologists, anesthesiologists, critical care nurses, and other healthcare professionals. Manuscripts may be either basic or clinical original investigations or review articles. Potential authors of review articles are encouraged to contact the editors before submission, however, unsolicited review articles will be considered.
January 2018 Critical Care Case of the Month
Theodore Loftsgard, APRN, ACNP
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care
Mayo Clinic Minnesota
Rochester, MN USA
History of Present Illness
The patient is a 51-year-old woman admitted with a long history of progressive shortness of breath. She has a long history of “heart problems”. She uses supplemental oxygen at 1 LPM by nasal cannula.
Past Medical History, Social History and Family History
She also has several comorbidities including renal failure with two renal transplants and a history of relatively recent RSV and CMV pneumonia. She is a life-long nonsmoker. Her family history is noncontributory.
Physical Examination
- Vital signs: Blood pressure 145/80 mm Hg, heart rate 59 beats/min, respiratory rate 18, T 37.0º C, SpO2 91% of 1 LPM.
- Lungs: Clear.
- Heart: Regular rhythm with G 3/6 systolic ejection murmur at the base.
- Abdomen: unremarkable.
- Extremities: no edema
Which of the following should be performed? (Click on the correct answer to proceed to the second of seven pages)
Cite as: Loftsgard T. January 2018 critical care case of the month. Southwest J Pulm Crit Care. 2018;16(1):1-7. doi: https://doi.org/10.13175/swjpcc155-17 PDF