1
MCQ
Frank Dodson, a 56-year-old male Indigenous Australian cattle station manager, presents to your remote rural GP clinic with sudden-onset crushing central chest pain for the past 30 minutes, radiating to his left arm. He is diaphoretic and nauseated. His wife drove him 40 minutes to your clinic.
The nearest PCI-capable hospital is 3 hours by road ambulance or 90 minutes by retrieval helicopter.
Past medical history:
- Hypertension — perindopril 10 mg daily (often non-adherent)
- Type 2 diabetes — metformin 1 g BD, gliclazide MR 60 mg daily; HbA1c 8.9%
- Dyslipidaemia — atorvastatin 40 mg nocte; LDL 2.8 mmol/L
- Gout — allopurinol 300 mg daily
- Ex-smoker (45 pack-years, quit 2 years ago)
- Strong family history of ischaemic heart disease
- No known allergies
Examination:
- HR: 98 bpm
- BP: 148/92 mmHg
- RR: 22/min
- SpO₂: 96% on room air
- Distressed, pale, and diaphoretic
- Dual heart sounds, no murmurs; chest clear; no peripheral oedema
His 12-lead ECG is shown below:
Which of the following is the most appropriate immediate management?
Select the best answer