Ms. Elter is an 83-year-old Spanish-speaking female with history of CAD, distant three-vessel CABG, CRI, NSTEMI in 4/20 and type II diabetes who presented to the ED with PND, dyspnea on exertion, and chest heaviness with no fevers or chills and no sick contacts, and EMS had given her Lasix and Nitrospray. She was briefly on a nonrebreather mask and responded to 80 mg of IV Lasix, with her potassium level reaching 5.8 and Kayexalate administered. Her medications included aspirin, metoprolol, allopurinol, valsartan, glipizide, Lipitor, and nifedipine, with her oxygen saturation eventually reaching the high 90s on a couple of liters of oxygen and her chest x-ray full set negative. She was treated with aspirin, beta-blockers, and statin for coronary artery disease, experienced a CHF flare with an elevated BNP which was managed with Lasix and Diuril, and her after load was reduced with ARB and her previous home calcium channel blocker was weaned off. She had a transient new atrial fibrillation and ventricular ectopy which resolved spontaneously, and was placed on humidified room air with nasal saline sprays and Afrin due to her coronary artery disease. She was transfused a total of 3 units to keep her hematocrit greater than 30 and Coumadin was initially started given her new onset of atrial fibrillation, but ultimately only aspirin was given after consideration of risks versus benefits. She had some constipation which was relieved with stool softeners and the patient received a PPI. Her DM-2 was managed with regular sliding scale insulin with good blood sugar control and her glipizide was held given her worsening creatinine clearance, and her allopurinol was changed to q.72h. from q.o.d. due to the creatinine clearance and she had some left heel and foot pain thought to be secondary to gout, which improved at the time of discharge. Her hematocrit dropped from 29 to 25, her guaiac was negative on the 3/20/04, and she was sent home with VNA support to follow up on her weights and fluid status and with home physical therapy. Her medications at the time of discharge included Lasix 20 mg p.o. q.d., Lipitor 80 mg p.o. q.d., Metoprolol sustained release 100 mg p.o. b.i.d., Colace 100 mg p.o. b.i.d. p.r.n. for constipation, Allopurinol 100 mg p.o. q.72h., Aspirin 325 mg p.o. q.d., and Valsartan 160 mg p.o. q.d.
Why is the patient on coumadin
her new onset of atrial fibrillation, but ultimately only aspirin was given after consideration of risks versus benefits.