nbme - akshaya007

[ArchivalUser]

A 50-year-old woman has had progressive dyspnea over the past 2 weeks and constant, sharp chest pain for 4 days. The pain is localized to the center of the chest and is worse while supine. She underwent a right, modified radical mastectomy and adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer 3 years ago. She has a history of hypothyroidism treated with thyroid replacement therapy. She has smoked one pack of cigarettes daily for 30 years and drinks two ounces of alcohol daily. She is dyspneic and diaphoretic. Her temperature is 37.2 C (99 F), blood pressure is 90/70 mm Hg with a pulsus paradoxus of 20 mm Hg, pulse is 110/min, and respirations are 28/min. Examination shows jugular venous distention to the angle of the mandible. The liver span is 14 cm with 4 cm of shifting abdominal dullness. Arterial blood gas analysis on room air shows a pH of 7.50, PCO2 of 30 mm Hg, and PO2 of 70 mm Hg. An x-ray film of the chest shows an enlarged cardiac silhouette with a globular configuration. An ECG shows sinus tachycardia with nonspecific ST-segment changes diffusely. Which of the following is the most appropriate next step in management?

A ) Echocardiography
B ) CT scan of the abdomen
C ) Ventilation-perfusion lung scans
D ) Bronchoscopy
E ) Paracentesis

[ArchivalUser]

A ) Echocardiography---pericardial effusion

[ArchivalUser]

Since she is unstable and it is clear that she is in tamponade (a clinical diagnosis), why not E?

[ArchivalUser]

it was written as paracentesis which is done for abdominal fluid... before doing echo to the patient u cant do pericardiosentesis also..

[ArchivalUser]

Thanks @ drdisaster23! That was paracentesis.