Question

You are attending to a 54-year-old female patient in a homeless shelter. The patient tells you that she had the flu a couple of weeks ago, and she has not gotten over it. She has been tired and keeps waking up at night, sweating. She has been coughing up green sputum occasionally and has been experiencing episodes of chest pain that get worse when she breathes. Based on this information, your patient is most likely suffering from:

1) Pneumonia
2) Bronchitis
3) Asthma
4) Tuberculosis

Answer 1

The patient with post-flu symptoms of night sweats, green sputum, and chest pain is most likely suffering from pneumonia, given the clinical picture presented (1).

Step-by-step explanation:

A 54-year-old female patient exhibiting symptoms such as persistent tiredness, night sweats, productive cough with green sputum, and chest pain that worsens with breathing, following a recent flu-like illness, is most likely suffering from pneumonia. These symptoms are classic indicators; the production of green sputum suggests a bacterial infection in the lungs, and the worsening chest pain during inspiration could signify pleural involvement commonly associated with pneumonia. The history of a recent flu can predispose individuals to developing secondary bacterial pneumonia due to the initial viral infection compromising lung defenses.

Bronchitis is less likely, given that it usually involves a cough but not typically the night sweats or severe chest pain described. Asthma wouldn't explain the production of green sputum and is usually associated with a history of similar episodes. While tuberculosis (TB) could present with cough, night sweats, and chest pain, it generally develops more gradually and is less likely unless there's a history of exposure or high risk factors for TB, such as a known contact or immunosuppression.