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Broadcasting Not Properly - Using BNP Interval Likelihood Ratios and the Results of Other ED Tests to Diagnose Acute Heart Failure in Dyspneic Patients.
Acad Emerg Med. 2016 Feb 2;
Authors: Kohn MA, Steinhart B
Abstract
Shortness of breath is a common presenting complaint in the emergency department (ED) with a wide differential diagnosis that includes acute heart failure (AHF), exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pneumonia, and pulmonary embolism. The findings for these etiologies of dyspnea overlap, particularly in aging adults with significant co-morbidities. Delays in the diagnosis and treatment of AHF worsen prognosis and increase healthcare costs. Emergency physicians play a key role in diagnosing AHF, assessing symptom severity, choosing initial management strategies, and determining disposition from the ED. (5) Understanding the benefits and pitfalls of using history, physical exam, routine labs, x-ray imaging, and bedside sonography is essential. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
PMID: 26836437 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]