You are delayed getting to a residence where a 16-month-old…

You are delayed getting to a residence where a 16-month-old boy is actively seizing. The mother reports that he has had a fever for the past two days. A firefighter on scene informs you that the child has been seizing since their arrival approximately 15 minutes ago. You should:

Your patient is an 82-year-old woman whose daughter called E…

Your patient is an 82-year-old woman whose daughter called EMS because the patient became very short of breath as they walked from their parking spot to the front of their church. On your arrival, the patient states that she just needed a little rest and now feels much better. On questioning, she admits to several such episodes in the past month. She denies chest pain and she says, “I just got winded because I’m getting so old.” The patient has a heart rate of 104, a respiratory rate of 20, and blood pressure of 172/90 mmHg. Your history and physical examination should focus on which of the following possibilities?