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“My ankles are swollen, and I can hardly do anything without getting short of breath.”
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History of Present Illness
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JW is a 51-year-old African American male presenting to the pharmacy-led heart failure clinic for 1-month follow-up of a heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) exacerbation that required hospitalization. It has been 6 months since his last office visit since he works as a truck driver and has been out of town. He asks for a prescription for compression socks as he has noticed increased swelling in his ankles.
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Patient states he has been out of his furosemide and carvedilol for the past month. The carvedilol was added after his last hospital discharge. When asked about why he has not filled these, he states he does not like the side effects of the furosemide and often misses the second dose of carvedilol. He begrudgingly has a cell phone for his work but does not like to use technology. He states adherence to his other medications, though he sometimes makes it to the pharmacy a couple of days late due to his work. His primary care physician told him at discharge, “If you do not get it together and take your medications, you are going to die.”
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Myocardial infarction (MI) (status post CABG)
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History of illicit drug use
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Mother: died age 60 from MI
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Father: died age 51 from MI
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Siblings: three brothers, one brother deceased from MI; three sisters, two of whom have had at least one MI before age 60
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Divorced and lives alone; monogamous female partner frequently visits.
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Truck driver for the past 30 years (self-insured).
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(+) Tobacco—1½ pack per day × 25 years.
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(+) Alcohol—1 to 2 beers daily.
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Aspirin 81 mg PO qd
Atorvastatin 80 mg one-half tablet PO qd
Furosemide 40 mg PO bid
Potassium 20 mEq PO qd
Lisinopril 20 mg PO qd
Carvedilol 12.5 mg PO bid
NTG 0.4 mg SL, PRN chest pain
Acetaminophen 500 mg PO, PRN back pain
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