Clinical QuickiePulmonary
Dyspnea — Don't Anchor on One System
Shortness of breath is a symptom, not a pulmonary diagnosis.
Build a broad first-pass differential
Pulmonary, cardiac, hematologic, metabolic, infectious, medication-related and anxiety-related causes can overlap.
Use time course
Seconds-to-minutes, hours-to-days and chronic progressive dyspnea suggest different mechanisms.
Pair symptoms with objective data
SpO2, respiratory rate, ECG, chest imaging, hemoglobin, BNP/troponin, D-dimer pathways and exam findings help narrow the cause when clinically indicated.
Watch for mixed disease
COPD + HF, anemia + CAD, infection + decompensated HF and PE + RV strain are common combinations.
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Read the Deep Dive