This topic contains a solution. Click here to go to the answer

Author Question: Your patient has just returned from a 6-month missionary trip to Southeast Asia. He reports ... (Read 141 times)

rl

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 579
Your patient has just returned from a 6-month missionary trip to Southeast Asia. He reports unremitting cough, hemoptysis, and an unintentional weight loss of 10 pounds over the last month. These symptoms should prompt the clinician to suspect:
 
  A. Legionaire's disease
  B. Malaria
  C. Tuberculosis
  D. Pneumonia

Question 2

Your patient with community-acquired pneumonia shows a pleural effusion on chest x-ray, indicating the need for:
 
  A. Immediate endotracheal intubation
  B. Broad spectrum intravenous antibiotics
  C. Thoracentesis to rule out empyema
  D. Gram stain and culture of sputum



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
Marked as best answer by a Subject Expert

meganlapinski

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 333
Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Many times, patients with active tuberculosis are essentially symptom free. Some complain of malaise and/or fevers but have no significantly disruptive complaints. When respiratory symptoms occur with tuberculosis, cough is common; the cough is nonproductive at first and is later associated with sputum production. Additionally, patients with tuberculosis may experience progressive dyspnea, night sweats, weight loss, and hemoptysis. It is important to suspect tuberculosis when the patient has travelled to a country where TB is endemic, such as Asia.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
In pneumonia, chest film typically reveals an area of infiltrate. It is a red flag if a pleural effusion is also visualized, in which case adequate follow-up to exclude development of an empyema is mandatory. This often involves prompt referral to a pulmonologist for possible thoracentesis. Cultures and Gram stains of sputum are usually not ordered for outpatients.





 

Did you know?

Congestive heart failure is a serious disorder that carries a reduced life expectancy. Heart failure is usually a chronic illness, and it may worsen with infection or other physical stressors.

Did you know?

Human neurons are so small that they require a microscope in order to be seen. However, some neurons can be up to 3 feet long, such as those that extend from the spinal cord to the toes.

Did you know?

Hip fractures are the most serious consequences of osteoporosis. The incidence of hip fractures increases with each decade among patients in their 60s to patients in their 90s for both women and men of all populations. Men and women older than 80 years of age show the highest incidence of hip fractures.

Did you know?

Symptoms of kidney problems include a loss of appetite, back pain (which may be sudden and intense), chills, abdominal pain, fluid retention, nausea, the urge to urinate, vomiting, and fever.

Did you know?

In ancient Rome, many of the richer people in the population had lead-induced gout. The reason for this is unclear. Lead poisoning has also been linked to madness.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library