A Case Study Vol. 2
The Importance of Echocardiography
Patient Presentation
A 74-year-old woman arrived at the emergency department complaining of acute chest pain radiating to her left arm that persisted for 2 hours. Upon admission, her vital signs were stable and the blood pressure reading was 120/90 mmHg. The resting heart rate was 80 bpm, respiratory rate of 22/min, and oxygen saturation of 99% without supplemental oxygen.
An electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed global ST-segment elevation without reciprocal changes. Despite receiving a total of 7.5 mg of intravenous morphine, she continued to experience chest pain, which eventually subsided post-treatment. She denied any previous episodes and attributed the onset of symptoms to a recent argument with her husband.