23rd February 2024

A 65 year old male is admitted to his local emergency department after developing sudden shortness of breath in addition to sharp right-sided chest pain.

A 65 year old male is admitted to his local emergency department after developing sudden shortness of breath in addition to sharp right-sided chest pain. He has no history of respiratory problems and no history of cough or fever. He does have type 2 diabetes for which he takes daily medication. He mentions that he recently had a total left hip replacement for severe arthritis. His respiratory rate is 28 breaths per minute, HR 115bpm, BP 105/60, O2 saturations 95% on air and temperature 36.8 degrees celsius. His blood results including CRP are normal except for a low haemoglobin level at 105 and an elevated D-Dimer of 2500. Weight = 80kg.

Select the single, most appropriate management option at this stage.