Cardiology

On May 1, 2013, a 69-year-old man came to the ED with worsening shortness of breath. The patient’s history included smoking, COPD, and an occluded right coronary artery.

At 6:51 p.m., a 62-year-old man came to the emergency department (ED) of a local hospital reporting pain in the “chest wall area.”

At 9:30 am, a 43-year-old man came to the emergency department (ED) of a metropolitan hospital. He reported chest pain, dizziness, diaphoresis, shortness of breath, and pain going down his arms.

A 66-year-old man came to his internist with complaints of shortness of breath and chest pain that had been present for three to four weeks.

A woman in her early 60s was referred to a cardiologist for chest pain and dyspnea on exertion. The patient reported a history of hypertension, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

The FDA is warning health care professionals of the rare but serious risk of heart attack and death with use of the cardiac nuclear stress test agents regadenoson and adenosine.

Case study and article on how to document the informed refusal, and recommendations that may help minimize the risk of lawsuits related to patient refusals.