the silent killer strikes Chief Complaint: Stroke Alert HPI: 68 year old female with past medical history of coronary artery disease status post stent, hypertension, hypothyroidism, hyperlipidemia is brought in by EMS as a stroke alert after being found unresponsive in bed by family prior to arrival. Last known normal is 10pm last night when…
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should have ordered in Chief Complaint: Hand Burn HPI: 23-year-old right hand dominant male presenting to the emergency department for a burn to the left hand which he sustained just prior to arrival. He reports that he was frying chicken when the oil started on fire. In a panic, he ran with the pan outside…
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pneumatosis intestinalis Chief Complaint: Generalized Weakness HPI: 55-year-old male with a past medical history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, hypothyroidism and testicular cancer in remission presents to the Emergency Department with the chief complaint of shortness of breath and generalized weakness. He reports he was in his normal state of health the day prior….
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Erect sHoulder Chief Complaint: Shoulder Pain HPI: 63 year old female presents after falling while walking down the stairs outside. She notes it was icy on the steps and was using the railing for support with her left hand. She states when she slipped that she tried to catch herself and all of her weight…
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If the patient gets stuck, know where to turn Chief Complaint: Left hand pain and swelling HPI: 73 year-old right hand dominant female presents about 6 hours after accidentally self-injecting her left hand with about 2 mL of bovine viral vaccine (most of the vaccine got into the cow but when it moved she slipped)….
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Silent, Scentless and Deadly Chief Complaint: Headache HPI: A family consisting of a 22-year-old female, 27- year-old male and 10 month-old male presenting to the emergency department by EMS with family with concern for headache. Female is reporting around 1612 she came home from work and was doing her hair when she began experiencing a…
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Calcium burns Chief Complaint: Calcium Burns HPI: 46 year old male with past medical history of ESRD on HD, hypertension, congestive heart failure and secondary hyperparathyroidism underwent a subtotal parathyroidectomy without complications 18 days ago. Pt had extravasation of IV calcium chloride infusion to his right forearm 17 days ago; hand surgery was consulted and…
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Lithium Overdose: The tale of a light metal and its skinny therapeutic index Chief Complaint: Lithium Overdose HPI: Patient is a 39-year-old male with a past medical history of schizoaffective disorder, alcohol abuse, and prior suicide attempt by drug overdose who presents today due to another suicide attempt. Patient states that his girlfriend recently passed…
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Seeking Pleasure, Suffering Pain Chief Complaint: Abdominal Pain HPI: 21-year-old male presenting to the emergency department after placing a glass mason jar in his rectum 3 days ago, this was done for self-pleasure and experimentation. States that yesterday he tried having a bowel movement after taking stool softener and MiraLAX, reportedly resulted in a normal…
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A Rare Package Delivery Chief Complaint: Can we get a doctor? HPI: 37-year-old female presents to the ED. Triage nurse announces on the overhead paging system for a doctor to an acute room. In the background, a woman screaming is heard. Due to the acuity of the clinical picture, no further history is obtained. Pertinent…
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