A 42-year-old male patient with a history of poorly controlled asthma is seen in the emergency department by the respiratory therapist (RT).The patient is seated in a chair and clearly is in extreme respiratory distress, with inspiratory and expiratory wheezing throughout.He reports that he has had a fever for the past 2 days and has eaten and drunk very little.He also reports some chest pain, and his blood pressure is 95/55 mm Hg.At one point, the patient stands to move from the chair to the stretcher and has an episode of syncope.The differential diagnosis for this patient should include all of the following except:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The chest pain, although minor, requires evaluation for MI. The wheezing and respiratory distress strongly suggest asthma exacerbation, and the combination of syncope, restricted fluid restriction, and low blood pressure strongly suggest hypovolemia. No signs or symptoms of CVA are present.

A 42-Year-Old Male Patient with a History of Poorly Controlled