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Cardiovascular prioritization starts by identifying the patient whose brain, heart, kidneys, lungs or limbs are losing perfusion now.
FNP
FNP
Cardiovascular prioritization starts by identifying the patient whose brain, heart, kidneys, lungs or limbs are losing perfusion now. A dramatic diagnosis is not automatically the highest priority. New ischemia, shock, a hemodynamically significant dysrhythmia, acute pulmonary edema, major hemorrhage, tamponade, acute aortic disease or threatened limb perfusion takes precedence over stable chronic cardiovascular disease. The advanced-practice question is: what process is threatening perfusion, what must be investigated immediately, what treatment cannot wait, and where does this patient need to go next?
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