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- Jan 24, 2017
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Well, it's certainly not in our EMS protocols, but for something simple like my call tonight, here is my reasoning:
-Patient called for high home blood pressure reading ("190/110 and rising"), feels fine, no other complaints
-Patient is an old lady and it is flu season
-Patient is fluid overloaded (2+ pitting edema in legs bilaterally, murmur at Right Upper Sternal Border and she says she has never had a mumur)
-Patient takes HCTZ 12.5 and Lisinopril 30
My first blood pressure reading in the house was 210/120 and she says she usually runs in 130's systolic.
I told her there is not much we can do for her in the field and there are two options: Go to the hospital, or if you have (2 medical groups in my area with 24-hour on call service) then why can try calling the number and see if the doctor has anything for you to do that does not involve going to the hospital (knowing there is a good chance they will just say take another HCTZ)
She wanted to call and asked for me to talk to the doc and sure enough she told me to have her take one of each of her blood pressure medicines and if it doesnt go down in an hour then go to the hospital. I stayed with the patient in her living room for about 35 minutes while I wrote report and made conversation and then took her blood pressure again 150/90.
Do you guys think this is appropriate or innappropriate?
-Patient called for high home blood pressure reading ("190/110 and rising"), feels fine, no other complaints
-Patient is an old lady and it is flu season
-Patient is fluid overloaded (2+ pitting edema in legs bilaterally, murmur at Right Upper Sternal Border and she says she has never had a mumur)
-Patient takes HCTZ 12.5 and Lisinopril 30
My first blood pressure reading in the house was 210/120 and she says she usually runs in 130's systolic.
I told her there is not much we can do for her in the field and there are two options: Go to the hospital, or if you have (2 medical groups in my area with 24-hour on call service) then why can try calling the number and see if the doctor has anything for you to do that does not involve going to the hospital (knowing there is a good chance they will just say take another HCTZ)
She wanted to call and asked for me to talk to the doc and sure enough she told me to have her take one of each of her blood pressure medicines and if it doesnt go down in an hour then go to the hospital. I stayed with the patient in her living room for about 35 minutes while I wrote report and made conversation and then took her blood pressure again 150/90.
Do you guys think this is appropriate or innappropriate?