On Respiratory Infections: A Case Discussion
January 22nd 2012 09:11
Hello everyone! I would like to share to you a case which is very common in our medical practice. I hope I can impart something. And further look forward to comments about what other practitioners could have done in this case. THANK YOU!
RU, a 56 year-old female, complains of difficulty of breathing, fever, and occasional non-productive cough. Upon physical examination, she manifested congested turbinates, postnasal drip, and slightly hyperaemic pharyngeal walls. Auscultation revealed harsh inspiratory breath sounds.
Being faced with these manifestations, we would like to consider acute upper respiratory tract infection. This diagnosis is an umbrella diagnosis, which encompasses affection of any of the nasopharynx, epiglottis, larynx, and trachea. Lower tract infection like bronchitis or pneumonia is not considered due to the absence of adventitious sounds like crackles, rhonchi, or expiratory wheezes. Another way of differentiating an upper from a lower tract involvement is the period when we hear harshness or even wheezes. Inspiratory harshness or wheezing point to increased proximal airway resistance. This is what we saw in our patient. Abnormal expiratory findings suggest distal airway resistance....TO BE CONTINUED....
RU, a 56 year-old female, complains of difficulty of breathing, fever, and occasional non-productive cough. Upon physical examination, she manifested congested turbinates, postnasal drip, and slightly hyperaemic pharyngeal walls. Auscultation revealed harsh inspiratory breath sounds.
Being faced with these manifestations, we would like to consider acute upper respiratory tract infection. This diagnosis is an umbrella diagnosis, which encompasses affection of any of the nasopharynx, epiglottis, larynx, and trachea. Lower tract infection like bronchitis or pneumonia is not considered due to the absence of adventitious sounds like crackles, rhonchi, or expiratory wheezes. Another way of differentiating an upper from a lower tract involvement is the period when we hear harshness or even wheezes. Inspiratory harshness or wheezing point to increased proximal airway resistance. This is what we saw in our patient. Abnormal expiratory findings suggest distal airway resistance....TO BE CONTINUED....
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