Pulmonary Case Study and Plan of Care Lower respiratory tract infections as stated by Reissig et al. (2013) account for a large number of deaths worldwide and when present in individuals with comorbidities like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) create a greater impact for the risk of morbidity. Mrs. A. A. is a 65-year-old Caucasian female with a dry cough present times 2 weeks with low grade fevers and a history of emphysema. She presents to the clinic today worried about the duration of her illness. Subjective Date: Client Complaint “I’ve had a cough for two weeks now and a little fever. My throat is also hurting and I’m worried I may have pneumonia or even lung cancer.” History of Present Illness Mrs. A. is complaining of a dry cough for 2 weeks with exertional shortness of breath including, a low grade fever and a sore throat present in the morning. She reports she has orthopnea with the need to sit up right to breathe easier. Mrs. A. explains she had a similar episode 3 months ago in which she was treated with inhalers and antibiotics but refused hospitalization. Past Medical History Mrs. A.’s medical history includes, a diagnosis of emphysema and asthma as a child. Drug allergies include, Sulfa medications causing a rash. The client denies taking any prescription medications but reports taking over-the-counter Tylenol as needed for pain. Reports surgical history of hysterectomy in “1970’s.” Significant Family History The client has two living
The APN in collaboration with the MD will do a complete clinical evaluation of the patient. They will obtain patient medical history, perform physical exams, assess, and order blood test and CXR to rule out pneumonia, then provide appropriate treatment. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NHLBI (2011) indicates that, since most cases of acute bronchitis are of viral etiology, no antibiotics are necessary. However, the antibiotics are used if the bacteria are suspected. The recommended treatment includes plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration that may be caused by fever, encourage enough rest and a good diet to facilitate recovery, cough suppressant such as dextromethorphan, and pain and fever reliever such as acetaminophen. The patient will be advised to use a humidifier or steam to help loosen mucus and relieve the symptoms and inhaled medication to keep airway open if wheezing. The patient will also be encouraged to quit smoking and avoid any source of airway irritants such as smoke and dust (NHLBI,
D.Z., a 65-year-old man, is admitted to a medical floor for exacerbation of his chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; emphysema). He has a past medical history of hypertension, which has been well controlled by Enalapril (Vasotec) for the past 6 years. He has had pneumonia yearly for the past 3 years, and has been a 2-pack-a-day smoker for 38 years. He appears as a cachectic man who is experiencing difficulty breathing at rest. He reports cough productive of thick yellow-green sputum. D.Z. seems irritable and anxious; he complains of sleeping poorly and states that lately feels tired most of the time. His vital signs (VS) are 162/84, 124, 36, 102 F, SaO2 88%. His admitting diagnosis is an acute
Mr. John Doe is a 65 year old male admitted with complaints of dyspnea for the past week which has gotten worse when lying down and with exertion. He complains of a cough, especially at night and has also noticed swelling in his legs bilaterally. The patient has a history of hypertension. On examination, wheezes are noted in the lungs bilaterally as well as 2+ pitting edema in the lower extremities bilaterally. The patient is sitting up and in no acute respiratory distress.
D.Z.is a 65-year-old man admitted to medical ward with an exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD; emphysema). Past medical history (PMH) indicates hypertension (HTN), well managed with enalapril (Vasotec) past six years, diagnosis (Dx) of pneumonia yearly for the past three years. D.Z. appears cachectic with difficulty breathing at rest. Patient reports productive cough with thick yellow-green sputum. He seems anxious and irritable during subjective data collection. He states, he has been a 2-pack-a-day smoker for 38 years. He complains of (c/o) insomnia and
According to the provider, the claimant's cough has been improved. His review of systems was positive for fatigue, malaise, sleep difficulty, shortness of breath, wheezes, and a cough. His blood pressure was 115/71 mmHg and his BMI was 30.35 kg/m2. The physical examination revealed wheezes. Clonazepam was prescribed for agitation. Atorvastatin, Nystatin, Citalopram, and a probiotic were prescribed. Continued use of Aspirin and a regular inhaler were suggested. Further, a follow-up visit with Endocrinology, Cardiology, and Pulmonology. As it relates to a spot in his lung, a repeat CT scan was recommended. The bronchial washes were negative for
History of Present Illness: Ms. Manock is a very pleasant 60-year-old woman with a history of severe COPD. She was previously seen by Elvira Aguila, MD. Her last office visit was in February 2015. Since that time, she states that over the last few weeks, she feels her dyspnea has worsened which is a result of increased humidity, which is normal for her. She has had a stable cough over the last six months, which is intermittently productive of sputum. She is using her supplemental oxygen at 2 L/minute with exertion and with sleep. She also notes postnasal drip, which is related to seasonal allergies.
HPI: Margaret Elliot is a 52-year-old Caucasian female that is presenting with shortness of breath that has recently worsen. Mrs. Elliot states that her problems began 20 years ago when she had bronchitis, which she consistently has 2-3 times a year. She said that her symptoms have been getting worse the last 2.5 month, but have severely worsen over the past three days. She states that it has been restricting her daily activities and has been troubling her while sleeping lying down. She states that her symptoms improve alittle when she takes her medications. She also states that her symptoms worsen when she tries to walk across the room
Client appears to be decompensating. She is losing weight and she was refer to take a urine test to rule out toxicology. CM assessed client needs: client must maintain PA case active, client must meet with CM every Friday and the Client must maintain all off-site medical appointments and medication regiment. CM reviewed Bi-Weekly ILP. Client agreed and
Patient J.B. presented the office with chief complaints of coughs and sore throat that lasted about seven days. These symptoms are typically seen in respiratory tract infection or inflammation that is caused by viruses or bacteria. The initial differential diagnoses included Influenza, cough, common cold, community-acquired pneumonia, acute bronchitis, acute pharyngitis, and postnasal drip syndrome based on the chief complaints. The reason that why these differential diagnoses were considered is because they all have coughs as the symptom. Some of these differential diagnoses have both coughs and sore throat. JD, et al. (2017) states that Influenza A or B viruses can cause a dry cough and sore throat. Troullos,
S: MJ is a 74 year old African-American female who presents to the clinic today with complaints of shortness of breath with exertion and increasing fatigue over the past two to three months. The shortness of breath is increased with exercise or when walking up stairs and has progressively gotten worse. She states that she presented to the emergency room approximately one year ago for shortness of breath and was prescribed an albuterol inhaler. She additionally has a chronic productive cough with clear sputum and denies hemoptysis. She has had no recent upper respiratory infections and denies fever. She denies chest pain or tightness. She also states that she has noticed some ankle edema over that has developed over the past
Pt approached staff 2200 stating, she was having a hard time breathing. Pt also stated her tongue was swollen from an allergic reaction. Mild tongue swelling noted. After assessing the patient, she had bilateral audible wheezes and o2 stat at 96%. No s/s of respiratory distress noted. Pt received a nebulizer treatment at 2205 and was fine after tx, stating "my breathing improved." Prn Bendaryl was also given after a swallow evaluation. No further medical complaints. Slept well through the
The client reports no medical problems. Her mother stated she was a healthy baby and was an early walker. During childhood, she had the chicken pox, measles, and a severe case of head lice. She was a physically active child, preferring outside sports, with boys. She denies taking any medication or any over the counter medications. No allergies of food sensitivities were reported. She states she dates, but she is still a
History of Present Illness: Recurrent episodes of shortness of breathe and productive cough since 2008. First episode occurred when she was in her early 80’s. She was awakened in the middle of the night with a very
Illness Status – The client was admitted to the medical surgical unit due to altered mental status and loss of consciousness. She was brought to the ER by ambulance due to a loss of consciousness. Her husband, at the bedside, said he thought she had been over dosed on her pain medication. There is nothing listed in the medical charts to support those thoughts. She is oriented x 1, to self only. She is unaware of time and place, and is mildly disoriented. The client also complains of pain on her right foot.
Following the pathologic changes of chronic bronchitis and bronchiectasis, many patients will present with the following symptoms: shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, wheezing, productive cough and hemoptysis (Stauffer). Many of these symptoms will occur after the patient has recently contracted common cold viruses or other irritants as they weaken the body’s natural balance in the respiratory tract. With the majority of patients having a sudden increase of mucus production, this will have a tendency to obstruct the airways and prevent ventilation. In some cases the patient is able to clear the airway of the obstruction simply by coughing, but excessive coughing can lead to a much more problematic bronchospasm. Also, due to the weakened airway of bronchiectasis patients and increased thick sputum, coughing may prove to be vastly ineffective. These diseases are diagnosed with a combination of examinations such as Pulmonary Functions Tests (PFT), Chest