More articles from Symptoms to Diagnosis
- Gastroenteritis gone rogue
A 56-year-old woman presented with 2 weeks of vomiting and diarrhea. Her troubles were just beginning.
- A cough that won’t go away: Evaluation and treatment in 2 patients
Two patients present with similar symptoms, but different causes and treatment.
- Fever in a traveler returning from Ethiopia
His symptoms began about 10 days after returning and had been going on for 11 days. What was the cause?
- Severe hypercalcemia in a 54-year-old woman
Her calcium level was 18.4 mg/dL; 6 months earlier it had been 9.6. What was the cause?
- A 66-year-old man with abnormal thyroid function tests
A 66-year-old man presents with an acute exacerbation of COPD requiring hospitalization.
- A young man with acute chest pain
A young man presents with severe, pressure-like, midsternal, nonradiating pain, rated 10 on a scale of 10.
- An unusual cause of bruising
The coagulation assay, particularly the prothrombin time and aPTT, is key in initially assessing a bleeding abnormality.
- A 69-year-old woman with double vision and lower-extremity weakness
The onset was sudden, and the symptoms were gradually getting worse.
An obese 48-year-old man with progressive fatigue and decreased libidoMen with hypogonadism usually present with nonspecifi c symptoms.
- A woman, age 35, with new-onset ascites
She also has jaundice, hepatomegaly, and multiple abnormal laboratory results. What is the next step?