Vol1:2

Altered Mental Status
A 69-year-old woman with a past medical history of hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and diabetes mellitus type 1 is brought to the ED by her daughter who states that her mom has been acting funny over the last hour. She states that the patient did not know where she was despite being in her own house. She also did not recognize her family and was speaking incomprehensibly. Her blood pressure is 150/80 mm Hg, heart rate is 90 beats per minute, temperature is 98.9°F, and her respiratory rate is 16 breaths per minute. She appears diaphoretic. The rest of her physical exam is unremarkable. Electrocardiogram is sinus rhythm with normal ST segments and T waves. Which of the following is the most appropriate course of action for this patient?
a. Call the cardiac catherization lab for potential stent placement
b. Activate the stroke team and bring the patient directly to the CT scanner
c. Get a stat finger stick and administer dextrose if her blood sugar is low
d. Give a 500 cc IV bolus of normal saline to treat her confusion
e. Administer haloperidol for sedation

Please submit your answer in the "comment" section. The person with the most correct entries at the end of the month will receive a copy of the book PreTest Emergency Medicine.

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quizzER is a weekly contest consisting of a question selected from various areas of emergency medicine that are central to the education of medical students and residents in training. For more information please refer to the following link.