Question

A 54-year-old Caucasian man presents with sudden severe shortness of breath. The patient is well known to you due to a 5-year history of severe emphysema. He states that he has been a basketball player all his life; he was practicing about 1 hour prior to presentation, at which point he experienced sudden chest pain and immediate shortness of breath. It is still bothering him. He describes the chest pain in the middle of the chest, more so on the right anterior side. The patient admits to smoking 2.5 packs of cigarettes daily. The patient has had at least 5 episodes similar to this one since he was 19 years old. Physical examination reveals a tall, thin, well-developed man in moderate distress. Other abnormalities include mild tachycardia (120 beats per minute) and diminished breath sounds in the posterior right lower lobe. There is noted wheezing and crackles heard throughout the rest of the lung fields in both the inspiratory and expiratory phases of breathing.

Based upon the most likely diagnosis at this time, what pharmaceutical option may be used to help decrease this occurrence in the future?

1. Inhaled corticosteroids
2. Intravenous antibiotics
3. Talc sclerotherapy
4. Inhaled short-acting β2-agonist
5. Oral antibiotics

Answer 1

Oral anticoagulants or blood thinners can be used to help decrease the occurrence of future pulmonary embolisms in a patient with emphysema.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most likely diagnosis for the patient in this case is a pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage of one or more arteries in the lungs, usually caused by a blood clot that has traveled from another part of the body. To help decrease the occurrence of future pulmonary embolisms, one pharmaceutical option that may be used is oral anticoagulants or blood thinners. These medications help prevent the formation of blood clots, reducing the risk of another pulmonary embolism.