By analyzing carbon dioxide in the breath, an algorithm could help determine how to treat patients
Thursday, November 6, 2014 - 06:30
in Health & Medicine
Paramedics respond to a 911 call to find an elderly patient who's having difficulty breathing. Anxious and disoriented, the patient has trouble remembering all the medications he's taking, and with his shortness of breath, speaking is difficult. Is he suffering from acute emphysema or heart failure? The symptoms look the same, but initiating the wrong treatment regimen will increase the patient's risk of severe complications.