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Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine
Spring '98

Country cardiograms case 8

Jim Thompson, MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP
Sundre, Alta.
Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alta.

CJRM 1998;3(2):102


This paper has been peer reviewed.

"Country cardiograms" is a regular feature of the Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine. In each issue we will present an electrocardiogram and discuss the case in a rural context. Submit cases to Dr. Jim Thompson, Canadian Journal of Rural Medicine, Bag 5, Sundre AB  T0M 1X0; jthompso@telusplanet.net

© 1998 Society of Rural Physicians of Canada


Case presentation

This 63-year-old man with a history of cardiomyopathy and asthma presented to a small rural hospital emergency department with progressive dyspnea and cold symptoms. His pulse was found to be fast at 142 beats/min with normal blood pressure and temperature. He was mildly tachypneic (24 respirations/min). He was taking Cardura (Astra Pharma Inc., Mississauga, Ont.) for hypertension and TheoDur (Astra) for asthma.

What is his differential diagnosis, and how would you manage his problem in your rural setting? See answer and discussion on page 109.