After a 4-day tour of duty here are some pearls:
#COVIDPearl 1: PE and thrombosis are common. Have a low threshold to treat with full dose Lovenox when Ddimers are markedly elevated and you are having difficulty weaning O2, or there is a setback in the patient’s O2 requirement
#COVIDPearl 1: PE and thrombosis are common. Have a low threshold to treat with full dose Lovenox when Ddimers are markedly elevated and you are having difficulty weaning O2, or there is a setback in the patient’s O2 requirement
#COVIDPearl 2. Be prepared to see sky high inflammatory markers including #CRP and #Ferritin. Their magnitude is not as important as their trends.
#COVIDPearl 3: If the #ProCalcitonin and #WBC go up in the setting of worsening oxygenation, think superimposed bacterial pneumonia
#COVIDPearl 4: If you suspect #COVID19 and the inflammatory markers are very high but the nasopharyngeal swab is negative, repeat the swab. It’s likely COVID.
#COVIDPearl 5: Watch for #hypokalemia due to renal losses of potassium. Sometimes it is difficult to replete the K+
#COVIDPearl 6:
Elevated #Troponin is common and represents cardiac injury, not necessarily an acute MI. If concerned for acute MI, check EKG, trend troponin and consider further cardiac eval.
Elevated #Troponin is common and represents cardiac injury, not necessarily an acute MI. If concerned for acute MI, check EKG, trend troponin and consider further cardiac eval.
