Emergency medical services arrive at the emergency department with a 34-year-old woman experiencing sudden-onset respiratory distress and profound dizziness. The patient's symptoms started abruptly 20 minutes prior, shortly after consuming a meal at a local seafood restaurant. She is extremely anxious, struggling to breathe, and reporting a sensation of her throat closing. She has no known significant past medical history. Vital signs upon arrival are temperature 37.1°C (98.8°F), blood pressure 82/48 mm Hg, pulse 132/min, and respiratory rate 28/min. Oxygen saturation is 90% on room air. Physical examination demonstrates prominent facial angioedema, widespread erythematous urticarial plaques across her trunk, and diffuse expiratory wheezes on lung auscultation. She is speaking in short, fragmented sentences.
Which of the following interventions represent the most appropriate simultaneous initial steps in stabilizing this patient? (Select all that apply)
- Administer epinephrine intramuscularly into the anterolateral aspect of the thighCevap
- Place large-bore intravenous catheters and infuse a rapid bolus of isotonic crystalloidsCevap
- CAdminister intravenous diphenhydramine and monitor for 15 minutes before escalating to other therapies
- DOrder a computed tomography scan of the neck to definitively evaluate the extent of airway edema
- ETransfer the patient immediately to a general medical telemetry unit for continuous monitoring