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42 JULY 2016 | EMSWORLD.com
By Kenneth A. Scheppke, MD, & Keith Bryer, BBA, EMT-P
There's a big diference between pneumonia and CHF—
here's what you need to tell them apart
This is the third of a four-part series that appears bimonthly.
Find Part 1, dealing with chest pain patients, at www.emsworld.
com/12149999 and Part 2, covering neurological patients, at www.
emsworld.com/12171904. In addition, find a video to accompany
this article at EMSWorld.com/12220374.
Y
ou and your crew are called to a nursing home
for a patient complaining of shortness of breath.
You find the elderly female patient hypoxic and,
after initial stabilization, perform a full history
and physical examination. Your protocols offer
specific treatment guidelines depending upon the etiology
of the shortness of breath. Is this pneumonia with sepsis
that requires large boluses of IV f luids? Or is this CHF that
requires CPAP, nitroglycerin and possibly diuretics? Are
you dealing with COPD, pulmonary embolism or sponta-
This CE activity is approved by EMS World, an organization
accredited by the Continuing Education Coordinating Board
for Emergency Medical Services (CECBEMS), for 1 CEU upon successful
completion of the post-test available at EMSWorldCE.com . Test costs $6.95.
Questions? E-mail editor@EMSWorld.com.