Dyspnea.
When evaluating a dyspneic patient in the office, a quick initial assessment of the airway, breathing, and circulation, while gathering a brief history and focused physical examination are necessary. Most often, an acute cardiopulmonary disorder, such as CHF, cardiac ischemia, pneumonia, asthma, or COPD exacerbation, can be identified and treated. Stable patients who improve can be sent home, but those in acute distress with unstable or impending unstable conditions need to be transferred emergently to definitive care. Because of the difficult logistics involved in attempting to work up an outpatient for new onset of SOB, some patients will need to be transferred to the nearest ED for a definitive diagnosis.
Department of Medicine, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27834, USA. shiberj@mail.ecu.edu
Joseph R
JR
Shiber
Jose
J
Santana
D000465:Algorithms; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D001249:Asthma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D009819:Office Visits; D010808:Physical Examination; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy; D013577:Syndrome