Post-Quiz: Acute Management of Pulmonary Embolism

A 63-year-old woman arrives at the Emergency Department experiencing acute shortness of breath. Her vitals: BP 140/90 mmHg, HR 120 bpm, RR 26/min, O2 sat 90% on room air. Pre-hospital providers report recent ankle surgery, prolonged immobility, estrogen therapy use, daily smoking, and no cardiovascular history. As a clinical pharmacist prioritizing comprehensive patient data collection, what’s your immediate step?

A 60-year-old woman presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of shortness of breath and chest pain. She has a history of hypertension and recent long-haul flight. Her vitals are: blood pressure 110/70 mmHg, heart rate 100 bpm, respiratory rate 20 breaths per minute, and oxygen saturation 95% on room air. She is currently on a regimen of aspirin and amlodipine for her hypertension. As a clinical pharmacist, you are asked to recommend the most appropriate risk stratification tool for this patient. What would be your recommendation?

A 55-year-old man presents to the emergency department with sudden onset of shortness of breath and chest pain. He has a history of recent surgery and has been largely immobile. His heart rate is 105 bpm. He has no history of DVT or PE, and no signs of DVT are present. He has no other medical conditions. As a clinical pharmacist, you are asked to calculate the Wells Criteria score for this patient. What would be your calculation?

A 68-year-old man arrives at the emergency department with acute PE and hypotension. He has a history of gastrointestinal bleeding, deeming him a high bleeding risk. As a clinical pharmacist, you’re reviewing the 2021 CHEST guidelines for patients with acute PE, hypotension, and specific complicating factors. What intervention does CHEST suggest in such cases, provided the necessary expertise and resources are available?

A 70-year-old woman with acute PE but stable vitals is considered for thrombolytic therapy. As a clinical pharmacist, you consult the 2021 CHEST guidelines regarding thrombolytic administration methods. What does CHEST suggest for patients with acute PE needing thrombolysis?