Half an hour later.

Zhao Heng stood by the bedside, holding the urgent blood test results, looking very serious.

Because Zhao Heng saw that on the blood test report, the patient's blood potassium was only 2.5 mmol/L.

It should be noted that as long as blood potassium is below 3.5 mmol/L, it is considered hypokalemia, and now this patient's level has dropped to 2.5 mmol/L, which is a very dangerous value.

Blood potassium is an essential ion for maintaining the excitability of the cardiovascular system and neuromuscular system. Only when blood potassium is within the normal range can the body function properly. Both low and high blood potassium levels are problematic; maintaining blood potassium is crucial.

Once blood potassium levels fall to a certain point, it immediately affects the nervous system and cardiovascular system, causing episodic paralysis and various emergency arrhythmias. In extreme cases, it can even lead to cardiac arrest.

The biggest problem right now is that Zhao Heng doesn't know what other medications the patient had taken before consuming sildenafil. Otherwise, just an overdose of sildenafil wouldn't cause such severe hypokalemia.

"Doctor, he won't be in danger, right?"

Seeing Zhao Heng's serious expression, the young woman asked anxiously, trembling with fear.

"Have you contacted the family yet?"

Zhao Heng asked.

"Not... not yet..."

The young woman said evasively.

She dared not contact the man's family; if they came, they'd probably tear her apart!

"Prepare potassium supplementation."

Zhao Heng glanced at the young woman and spoke to Tian Zhen.

"Okay."

Tian Zhen nodded and immediately went to prepare the medication.

Quickly, Tian Zhen prepared the potassium supplement solution.

Once the potassium solution was administered to the patient, the missing potassium ions within his body were quickly replenished.

"Doc...Doctor, I...my stomach...hurts..."

At that moment, the middle-aged man, sweating profusely and pale-faced, clutched his stomach and spoke to Zhao Heng with difficulty.

Beep beep beep!

Just then, the life monitor started to alarm crazily.

"Dr. Zhao, the patient's blood pressure is 80/40!"

Tian Zhen reported urgently from the side.

"Push one unit of epinephrine, start dopamine infusion!"

Zhao Heng immediately issued the command.

"Okay."

Tian Zhen nodded and efficiently prepared the solution.

Five minutes later.

With the administration of epinephrine and dopamine, the alarm sounds were disabled.

"Dr. Zhao, the patient's blood pressure is 120/70 mmHg!"

Tian Zhen continued to report the patient's real-time blood pressure values.

Phew~

Hearing this, Zhao Heng let out a sigh of relief.

Severe abdominal pain and rapid blood pressure drop are emergency shock symptoms caused by massive blood loss. Combined with the patient's sildenafil overdose, a suspicion formed in Zhao Heng's mind, although it still required confirmation.

"Contact the cardiac surgery department; tell them there might be an abdominal aortic dissection here."

Zhao Heng said sternly to Tian Zhen.

"What? An abdominal aortic dissection?!"

Upon hearing this, Tian Zhen's eyes widened.

Abdominal aortic dissection is when a tear occurs in the abdominal aorta, allowing blood to rush in and cause a rupture in the abdominal aorta. It is a catastrophic urgent condition of cardiovascular disease, and without timely diagnosis and treatment, the mortality rate within 48 hours is as high as 50% or even higher.

It can be said that abdominal aortic dissection is definitely a harbinger of death!

"Yes, it's highly likely."

Zhao Heng nodded seriously.

Now he could basically confirm it, but it was still necessary to understand the patient's medical history and medication records.

"Alright, I'll go do it now."

Tian Zhen nodded and went to contact the cardiac surgeons.

This aortic dissection typically falls under cardiothoracic emergencies, so it's necessary to contact the cardiac surgery department.

At that moment, a middle-aged woman, adorned with jewelry and slightly plump, suddenly rushed in from outside the ward. Upon entering, seeing her husband lying pale-faced and painfully clutching his stomach, a hint of distress flashed across her face.

But when she turned her head and saw the nervous-looking young woman standing by, the tenderness in her expression disappeared and immediately turned cold as ice.

"Bitch!"

The corpulent middle-aged woman spat venomously and swung her hand to give the young woman a heavy slap!

Witnessing the middle-aged woman's furious display, Zhao Heng was momentarily stunned. This was the first time he'd seen such a scene.

After the slap, the middle-aged woman seemed to calm down and turned to Zhao Heng, asking, "Doctor, how is he? Can he be saved?"

"Currently considering an abdominal aortic dissection; his condition is very dangerous. Aside from taking Viagra, does he have any previous medical history or has he taken any other medications?"

Zhao Heng, despite being shocked by the woman's fury followed by calm, responded professionally.

"Viagra?"

Hearing these words, the middle-aged woman's face darkened.

"Did you give it to him?"

The middle-aged woman turned, looking very unfavorably at the young woman.

Their husband, suffering from high blood pressure and reliant on medication, had been warned by doctors that Viagra must not be taken.

"No... no... it's not me... it was... him wanting to take it..."

The young woman was close to tears, holding her reddened cheek, stammering.

"There's no escaping this. If he dies, you can expect to go to jail!"

The corpulent middle-aged woman's gaze was icy cold as she addressed the young woman, saying each word deliberately.

Wow!

Upon hearing this, the young woman's psychological defenses shattered, immediately collapsing on the ground, covering her face, and sobbing.

"Does the patient have a history of hypertension? What daily medications are taken?"

Zhao Heng looked at the collapsed young woman briefly and sighed softly, but did not address her, as saving the patient was more important.

"Doctor, he has a history of hypertension. These are his regular medications."

The middle-aged woman retrieved a box of medicine from her purse, handing it to Zhao Heng.

Despite coming in a hurry, she still remembered to bring her husband's regular medication. This showed her meticulous thought process. After hitting someone, she could calmly speak with Zhao Heng, indicating a highly robust psychological quality.

"Indapamide?"

Seeing the medication box, Zhao Heng realized the reason why the patient developed hypokalemia.

Indapamide, a thiazide diuretic, is a blood pressure-lowering medication. With this drug, the patient's urination frequency increases, and urine volume expands, leading to more potassium ions being excreted than usual, thus reducing internal potassium levels.

However, typically, indapamide alone doesn't cause such severe hypokalemia.

Sildenafil, primarily a vasodilation drug, has some blood pressure-lowering effects. Overdose coupled with the patient's regular use of indapamide potassium-lowering medication likely led to hypokalemic shock and hypokalemia!

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