Question 7 What is the differential diagnosis for the cause of dyspnea in this patient?

Pneumonia Rule in Dyspnea Productive cough with yellowish sputum Febrile at 38°C Crackles Joint pain and myalgia Chest pain Cold clammy skin Leukocytosis Rule out CXR - negative consolidation

Pleural effusion Rule in Chest pain when you inhale and exhale (between breaths, you feel almost no pain) Shortness of breath Fever and chills, depending on the cause Rule out Symmetrical chest expansion – in PE, there is lagging in the affected side. Most common cause is Left ventricular failure In CHF, pleural effusion is transudative

Pulmonary edema Rule in Dyspnea CXR findings = pulmonary edema Tachycardia, Tachypnea abnormal lung sounds, such as rales or crackles Chest pain, if pulmonary edema is caused by heart disease A rapid, irregular heartbeat (palpitations) Hypertension d/t endogenous catecholamines Weakness Rule out Pulmonary edema would show cyanosis if there is severe hypoxemia