A 23-year-old tall, thin man presents with sudden onset of s…
A 23-year-old tall, thin man presents with sudden onset of sharp left-sided chest pain and dyspnea that began while he was sitting at his desk. He has no past medical history. Vital signs: HR 102, RR 22, BP 118/72, SpO2 95% on room air. Lung exam reveals decreased breath sounds and hyperresonance on the left. What is the most likely diagnosis?
Read DetailsA 62-year-old woman presents with progressive dyspnea on exe…
A 62-year-old woman presents with progressive dyspnea on exertion, fatigue, and occasional lightheadedness over the past year. She denies cough or wheezing. Past medical history includes systemic sclerosis. Vital signs: BP 110/68, HR 96, SpO2 95% on room air. Cardiac exam reveals a loud P2 and a right ventricular heave. Lung exam is clear. Which diagnosis should be most strongly suspected?
Read DetailsA 71-year-old man with severe COPD presents with increased d…
A 71-year-old man with severe COPD presents with increased dyspnea, purulent sputum, and wheezing over the past 2 days. He uses home oxygen at 2 L/min. Vital signs: RR 30, HR 108, SpO2 88% on his usual oxygen. He is using accessory muscles and speaks in short phrases. What is the most appropriate next step?
Read DetailsA 34-year-old patient is stung by a yellow jacket while gard…
A 34-year-old patient is stung by a yellow jacket while gardening and presents to your clinic 10 minutes later. They report throat tightness and dizziness. Vitals: BP 86/54, HR 128, RR 26, SpO2 92% on room air. Exam shows diffuse urticaria, mild lip swelling, and audible wheezing. What is the best next step?
Read DetailsA 61-year-old presents with progressive fatigue and spontane…
A 61-year-old presents with progressive fatigue and spontaneous gum bleeding. CBC shows anemia and thrombocytopenia. Peripheral smear shows blast cells containing rod-shaped cytoplasmic inclusions. Which diagnosis is most strongly supported by this finding?
Read DetailsA 58-year-old man presents to urgent care with sudden-onset…
A 58-year-old man presents to urgent care with sudden-onset shortness of breath that began one hour ago. He reports pleuritic chest pain and lightheadedness. Past history includes recent knee replacement surgery 2 weeks ago. Vital signs: HR 118, RR 30, BP 104/66, SpO2 89% on room air. Lung exam is clear bilaterally. What is the most likely cause of his dyspnea?
Read DetailsA 28-year-old presents with new anemia and dark urine after…
A 28-year-old presents with new anemia and dark urine after a recent medication exposure. CBC confirms anemia and shows significant reticulocytosis with an absolute reticulocyte count (ARC) of 140,000/mcL. What is the most appropriate next step to evaluate the likely etiology?
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