Question

A 42 year old man who was in a motor vehicle crash comes to the ED, where you clear his airway. He has intact, normal breath sounds bilaterally and appears to be ventilating and oxygenating well. Initial assessment of the cardiovascular system reveals hypotension with BP 80/60, HR of 110, and distended neck veins. What is the next step?

Answer 1

The next step would be to obtain a chest X-ray to evaluate for a possible tension pneumothorax.

Step-by-step explanation:

The next step for a 42-year-old man who was in a motor vehicle crash and presents with hypotension, distended neck veins, and normal breath sounds is to perform a focused assessment of the cardiovascular system. This includes evaluating heart rate, blood pressure, and filling pressures. In this case, the patient's symptoms suggest a possible tension pneumothorax, which can result in hypotension and distended neck veins. Therefore, obtaining a chest X-ray to evaluate for this condition would be the next step.