Question

While en route to the​ hospital, your​ 67-year-old male patient with chest pain breaks out in a sweat and becomes very pale. He clutches his chest. You should​ next:

A. administer oxygen.
B. administer the​ patient's nitroglycerin.
C. call for ALS.
D. reassess.

Answer 1

If a 67-year-old male patient with chest pain becomes pale and breaks out in a sweat while clutching his chest, it is critical to administer oxygen as these symptoms may indicate an acute myocardial infarction. Immediate further emergency care should be provided, including the possibility of aspirin or nitroglycerine and calling for advanced life support.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a 67-year-old male patient with chest pain becomes very pale, breaks out in a sweat, and clutches his chest, the appropriate next step should be to administer oxygen. These symptoms may indicate an acute myocardial infarction (MI), commonly known as a heart attack, characterized by symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, and sweating. Administering oxygen can help increase the oxygen supply to the heart muscle suffering from ischemia. Emergency medical care including additional treatments, such as aspirin or nitroglycerine if appropriate, and calling for advanced life support (ALS) should also be considered immediately. It is also crucial to continually reassess the patient's condition to observe any changes or deterioration that may require additional interventions.