From the Guidelines
The patient's presentation suggests a urinary tract infection requiring prompt antibiotic treatment, and the cardiac findings warrant close monitoring and cardiology follow-up, but do not necessitate immediate intervention given the stable troponin levels and absence of high-risk features. The EKG shows sinus rhythm with incomplete right bundle branch block (RBBB) and left anterior fascicular block (LAFB), abnormal e-wave progression with early transition, and left ventricular hypertrophy, which may indicate underlying cardiac disease, as suggested by the 2019 ACC/AHA/HRS guideline on the evaluation and management of patients with bradycardia and cardiac conduction delay 1. The ST elevation suggests possible inferior wall injury, but the troponin levels are not significantly elevated (0.05 dropping to 0.04) and don't meet criteria for myocardial infarction. The CBC is normal, while the CMP shows a low CO2 of 18 and elevated BUN/creatinine ratio of 26.7, suggesting possible dehydration or early kidney dysfunction, which is a concern given the patient's potential need for contrast agents or other nephrotoxic medications, as outlined in the 2021 AHA/ACC/ASE/CHEST/SAEM/SCCT/SCMR guideline for the evaluation and diagnosis of chest pain 2. The urinalysis indicates a urinary tract infection with moderate leukocyte esterase, >50 WBCs, 6-10 RBCs, and moderate bacteria. The BNP is mildly elevated at 131 (previous 119), suggesting possible early heart failure.
- Key findings and recommendations:
- Urinary tract infection: treat with antibiotics, such as nitrofurantoin 100mg twice daily for 7 days or trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole DS twice daily for 3-5 days
- Cardiac findings: warrant cardiology follow-up within 1-2 weeks for further evaluation of conduction abnormalities and possible heart failure
- Dehydration: address with increased fluid intake
- Renal function: monitor with repeat BUN/creatinine measurements after hydration is improved
- Consider echocardiography to evaluate left ventricular function and rule out underlying structural heart disease, as recommended by the 2019 ACC/AHA/HRS guideline 1
- Consider cardiac MRI if sarcoidosis, connective tissue disease, myocarditis, or other dilated cardiomyopathies are suspected on clinical grounds, as suggested by the 2019 ACC/AHA/HRS guideline 1
From the Research
EKG Findings
- The patient's EKG shows sinus rhythm, incomplete RBBB, and LAFB, which are abnormal findings.
- Abnormal e-wave progression and early transition left ventricular hypertrophy are also present.
- ST elevation is noted, which may indicate inferior injury 3.
Troponin Levels
- The patient's troponin levels are 0.05 and 0.04 on the second test, which are slightly elevated.
- Elevated troponin levels are associated with cardiovascular mortality and adverse cardiovascular events 3.
Urinalysis
- The patient's urinalysis shows leukocytes esterase moderate, WBC > 50, RBC urine 6-10, and bacteria moderate.
- These findings are consistent with a urinary tract infection (UTI) 4, 5, 6.
- UTIs can be classified as simple or complicated, and lower or upper UTIs 4, 5.
- The patient's symptoms and urinalysis results suggest a complicated UTI, which may require further evaluation and treatment 5, 6.
BNP Levels
- The patient's BNP level is 131, which is slightly elevated compared to the previous level of 119 one year ago.
- Elevated BNP levels are associated with heart failure and other cardiovascular conditions.
CBC and CMP
- The patient's CBC is unremarkable, and the CMP shows a CO2 level of 18 and a BUN/creatinine ratio of 26.7.
- These findings do not indicate any significant abnormalities in the patient's complete blood count or comprehensive metabolic panel.
Management of UTI
- The management of UTI typically involves antibiotic treatment and supportive care 4, 5, 6.
- The choice of antibiotic and duration of treatment depend on the severity of the infection, the patient's underlying health status, and the presence of any complicating factors 5, 6.
- Nursing interventions, such as staff education, monitoring of catheter use and CAUTI incidence, and proper catheter care, can help reduce the risk of catheter-associated UTI 7.