CP is a 64-year-old male who presents to the emergency department (ED) via ambulance for chest pain. He was out shoveling snow from his driveway when he developed left anterior chest pain, pressure-type, radiating to his jaw and shoulder. Despite the cold weather, he was sweating. He also noted palpitations and shortness of breath, although he thought it was just because he was “a little out of shape.” He was afraid that something was wrong, so he asked his wife to call 911.
Complete blood count with mild leukocytosis (WBC 12.9k)
Potassium: Low at 2.9 mEq/L
Glucose: 252 mg/dL
Troponin I: 1.7 ng/L
Uric acid: 11.1 mg/dL
EKG: ST segment depression with T-wave inversion over lateral leads; no pathologic Q waves Next Steps
CP’s admitting diagnoses are non-ST segment elevation acute coronary syndrome, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, alcohol abuse, hyperuricemia, and smoker
Answer preview
One lifestyle modification is eating non-fat dairy food and limiting high sugar and fats (Samadian, Dalili, and Jamalian, 2016). The patient must manage the amount of carbs taken, especially when taking insulin and drugs to control blood sugar. Additionally, CP should be recommended to exercise frequently to help manage diabetes and reduce blood sugar. Another lifestyle modification for CP is to quit smoking since it poses a significant risk to his cardiovascular health. Also, it is recommendable to minimize the intake of alcohol. CP should regularly visit a doctor for diabetes and hypertension checkups. It will help in monitoring the patient’s progress after taking prescribed medications.
