Gluten Allergy Masks Other Problem

Medic 71, an ALS ambulance, is dispatched on a Delta-level response for a 58-year-old female patient with a "hemorrhage" at about 9 p.m., with "blood in the patient's stool following possible ingestion of gluten." The paramedics wonder if the call has possibly been over-triaged as an emergent response. Nonetheless, they arrive at the single-family residence a few minutes behind a police officer who's been sent to assist. The paramedics grab their ALS bag and cardiac monitor and are met by a woman who identifies herself as the patient's daughter. "She's downstairs on the bed," the daughter explains. "She was here babysitting the kids and called me when she got sick. She's been on the toilet having diarrhea for a few hours and we thought there was maybe some blood in it." As the paramedics walk down the tight turns of the stairs, they determine they aren't able to get their stretcher to the patient. They find the patient on a queen-sized bed. She's laying in the fetal position under multiple blankets, conscious and responsive. The lead paramedic introduces himself and asks what happened. "I ate a pizza and I didn't check the label. It wasn't gluten free and now I'm so sick that I don't think I can move. I'm so cold. I've been having the worst diarrhea and throwing up for the last few hours and I just can't get warm. This is the worst reaction I've ever had." The patient stays covered as she talks and is observed to be shivering....
Source: JEMS Patient Care - Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Tags: Patient Care Source Type: news