More articles from Im Board Review
- Ascites in a 42-year-old woman
She has had worsening shortness of breath, leg edema, and ascites for 4 months. What is the cause?
- A 51-year-old woman with dyspnea
Her symptoms began 4 days ago. She appears uncomfortable and anxious, her pulse is over 160, and her respirations are 40. What is going on?
- Recurrent abdominal pain and vomiting
A young man taking narcotic analgesics long-term has developed abdominal pain and vomiting. What is the cause?
- A 74-year-old man with abdominal pain
The patient has colon cancer, a repaired abdominal aortic aneurysm, and now, worsening abdominal pain.
- A young woman with enlarged lymph nodes
A previously healthy 25-year-old woman presents with a “lump in the neck.” How should she be assessed?
- Chronic lymphocytic leukemia and apparent hyperkalemia
The day after chemotherapy, the patient’s plasma potassium level was 7.7 mmol/L and the next day it rose to 10.9, but he had no signs or symptoms of hyperkalemia. What was the cause?
- Fever, dyspnea, and hepatitis in an Iraq veteran
About 8 weeks after returning home, he presents with a cough, myalgia, headaches, fever, chills, drenching night sweats, and dyspnea on exertion. What is the most likely diagnosis?
- Sudden hypoxia during knee surgery
Fat embolism syndrome is an unpredictable condition with varied presentation.
- A 37-year-old man with a chronic cough
When asked, he revealed that he had been diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus infection but had not been taking his medication.
- A 25-year-old man with very high alkaline phosphatase
He has generalized malaise, a palpably enlarged liver, and an alkaline phosphatase level of 1,307 U/L. What is the cause?