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Differential Diagnosis for Hypotension (BP 90/28)

Single Most Likely Diagnosis

  • Hypovolemic Shock: This is the most likely diagnosis due to the significantly low diastolic blood pressure, suggesting inadequate circulating blood volume, which could be due to dehydration, bleeding, or severe burns.

Other Likely Diagnoses

  • Cardiogenic Shock: This could be due to conditions like myocardial infarction, heart failure, or severe valvular disease, leading to the heart's inability to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.
  • Distributive Shock: Caused by conditions such as sepsis, anaphylaxis, or neurogenic shock, where there's a loss of vascular tone leading to maldistribution of blood volume.
  • Obstructive Shock: This could result from conditions like pulmonary embolism, cardiac tamponade, or tension pneumothorax, where there's a physical obstruction to blood flow.

Do Not Miss Diagnoses

  • Sepsis: Although it might not always present with such low blood pressure initially, septic shock is a condition that can rapidly deteriorate and is critical to identify early due to its high mortality rate if not promptly treated.
  • Adrenal Insufficiency: A condition where the adrenal glands do not produce adequate amounts of hormones, including cortisol and aldosterone, crucial for maintaining blood pressure.
  • Pulmonary Embolism: A blockage of an artery in the lungs that can lead to sudden and severe hypotension, especially if it's a large embolism.

Rare Diagnoses

  • Pheochromocytoma Crisis: A rare tumor of the adrenal gland that can cause episodes of severe hypertension, but in some cases, especially if there's significant blood pressure variability, it might present with hypotension.
  • Neurogenic Shock with Spinal Cord Injury: Although more commonly associated with hypotension due to loss of sympathetic tone, it's less common compared to other forms of shock but critical to identify due to its association with spinal cord injuries.
  • Anaphylactic Shock: A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that can cause hypotension among other symptoms like difficulty breathing and rapid heartbeat.

Professional Medical Disclaimer

This information is intended for healthcare professionals. Any medical decision-making should rely on clinical judgment and independently verified information. The content provided herein does not replace professional discretion and should be considered supplementary to established clinical guidelines. Healthcare providers should verify all information against primary literature and current practice standards before application in patient care. Dr.Oracle assumes no liability for clinical decisions based on this content.

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