Acute dyspnea

Diagnosis

Emergent Pattern Recognition

1. Pulmonary Edema
   • lungs: b/l rales
   • CXR: interstitial fluid
   • Tx: ECG (R/O AMI), lasix, nitrates, ACE, BIPAP
2. Bronchoconstriction
   • lungs: wheezes
   • CXR: neg/hyperinflated
   • Tx: albuterol, atrovent, steroids, consider anaphylaxis (epi)
3. Pneumonia
   • lungs: focal ronchi/dec BS
   • CXR: infiltrate/effusion
   • Tx: abx
4. PE
   • lungs: clear
   • CXR: clear/Westrmrk/Hmptn
   • Tx: ECG, D-dimer and/or CT; anticoagulate/thrombolytics
5. Pneumothorax/Hemothorax
   • lungs: unequal
   • CXR: pneumo/hemo
   • Tx: needle/chest-tube
6. Dysrythmia
   • lungs: clear/pulm edema
   • CXR: clear/pulm edema
   • ECG: abnl
   • Tx: rate dependent
7. Cardiac Ischemia
   • lungs: clear/pulm edema
   • CXR: clear/pulm edema
   • ECG: nl/abnl
   • Tx: B-block, nitrates, anticoag, +/- thrombolytics

DDX

EMERGENT

• Pulmonary
  1. Airway obstruction
  2. PE
  3. Noncardiogenic edema
  4. Anaphylaxis
  5. Spont pneumothorax
  6. Asthma
  7. Cor pulmonale
  8. Aspiration
  9. PNA
• Cardiac
  1. Pulmonary Edema (CHF)
  2. MI
  3. Cardiac Tamponade
  4. Pericarditis
• Other Associated with Nl/Increased Resp Effort
  1. Toxic Ingestion
  2. DKA
  3. Epiglotitis
  4. Tension PNTX
  5. Cardiac Tamponade
  6. Flail Chest
  7. CO Poisoning
  8. Abd distension
  9. Sepsis
  10. Hypotension
  11. Renal Failure
  12. Electrolyte Abnormality
  13. Metabolic Acidosis
  14. PNA
  15. Pneumothorax/hemothorax
  16. Diaphragmatic rupture
  17. Anemia
• Other Associated with Decreased Resp Effort
  1. CVA
  2. Organophosphate Poisoning
  3. MS
  4. Guillian-Barre
  5. Tick paralysis

Non-Emergent

1. Pleural Effusion
2. Neoplasm
3. PNA
4. COPD
5. Congenital Heart Disease
6. Pregnancy
7. Ascites
8. Obesity
9. Hyperventilation
10. Panic attack
11. Fever
12. Thyroid Disease
13. Rib fx
14. ALS
15. Polymyositis
16. Porphyria

Workup

1. CXR
2. ECG
3. CBC
4. Chem-7
5. BNP?
6. D-dimer?
7. Troponin?
8. ABG?
9. Bedside ultrasound?

Treatment

• Oxygen
• Treat underlying cause

Source

• Rosen