Question

(I appreciate if you can type the answer.) Patient A.B. is a 70-year-old male who had a right total knee replacement done yesterday. His past medical history includes osteoarthritis, hypertension, high cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, and GERD. During your initial shift assessment, the patient is noted to have swelling in his right calf and reports tenderness to touch in the calf region. You ask him to dorsi/plantar flex his right foot against resistance from your hand, and he indicates that the pain in his calf worsens with flexion. You suspect the patient has a DVT.

Patient A.B. is discharged home the next day with prescriptions and instructions. A few days later, he is re-admitted to the Emergency Department with complaints of shortness of breath and chest pain when taking deep breaths.

1. What potential complication do you anticipate has now occurred?

2. Why can this new complication be very serious?

3. What other signs and symptoms commonly present with this new condition?

Answer 1

1. This may be due to CAD(Coronary artery disease). It is a condition characterized by chest pain and shortness of breath due to the blockage of the coronary artery.

This blockage may be due to the clot from Deep vein thrombosis(DVT), the thrombus from DVT travelers to heart and blocks the coronary artery.

2.

CAD is is a life-threatening condition because due to lack of blood supply to heart the heart can't work properly. which leads to cardiac arrest, hypotension, hypoxia, and death.

CAD is an emergency condition because damage to the heart muscle due to lack of blood supply can be permanent after some hours.

3. Other signs of CAD include

- Tightness and squeeze of chest

- rapid heartbeat

- Dizziness and fatigue

- restlessness