A 75-year-old man is brought to the emergency department after his family found him to be lethargic and confused. The patient has a history of hypertension, coronary artery disease, and heart failure. Temperature is 35 C (95 F), blood pressure is 78/46 mm Hg, and pulse is 110/min. The patient is admitted to the intensive care unit and a pulmonary artery catheter is placed, which demonstrates the following readings:
Cardiac output high
Central venous pressure low
Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure low
Mixed venous O2 saturation high
Systemic vascular resistance low
Which of the following is the most likely cause of this patient’s hypotension?
A. Bacterial infection
B. Cardiac tamponade
C. Gastrointestinal bleeding
D. Heart failure
E. Hypothermia
F. Myocardial infarction
A. Bacterial infection