Unstable vital signs: hypoxia, hypotension, malignant arrhythmia
Anesthesia - induced causes: residual anesthesia, narcotic overdose or reaction
Possible delirium tremens from withdrawal from a previously unknown substance abuse agent
Potential metabolic end endocrinological causes: hyponatremia, hypokalemia, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, hypothermia, hypothyroidism, and Addison’s disease
Neurological causes: include postictal state, cerebral edema, and stroke
As soon the event occurred:
Go to the patient:
- Check the monitor: signs of hypoxia, changes in the blood pressure, malignant arrhythmia
- Perform a focused history and physical:
- History: check the anesthesia record, I check the nurses notes, for medications, when the symptoms started, are they getting better or worse, and severity
- Physical: check breast sounds, look for neurological signs, including pupillary size, and any focal neurological deficit
- Stat labs: Arterial blood gases, electrolytes and glucose, CBC.
- If a stroke is suspected a CT scan should be realized.
