Question

A 72 year-old female post stem cell transplant patient in the ICU is complaining of difficulty breathing and is noted to have diffuse fluffy infiltrates on chest X-ray. The B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) test result demonstrates 700 pg/mL. What is the patient's possible condition?

1) severe heart failure
2) respiratory distress syndrome
3) severe renal failure
4) moderate heart failure

Answer 1

A 72-year-old patient in the ICU with difficulty breathing, chest X-ray infiltrates, and a BNP level of 700 pg/mL likely has severe heart failure, as BNP is a marker of heart strain.

Step-by-step explanation:

The 72-year-old female patient who has had a stem cell transplant and is now in the ICU with difficulty breathing, diffuse fluffy infiltrates on chest X-ray, and a B-type Natriuretic Peptide (BNP) level of 700 pg/mL is potentially suffering from severe heart failure. BNP is a hormone released by the heart in response to changes in pressure that typically occur due to heart failure. The BNP levels increase when heart failure symptoms worsen, and decrease when the heart failure condition is stable. A BNP level of 700 pg/mL suggests that the patient's heart is working harder to pump blood, which is consistent with heart failure. Other conditions such as respiratory distress syndrome and renal failure can also lead to difficulty breathing and infiltrates on chest X-ray, but the elevated BNP is particularly indicative of heart failure, pointing towards option 1) severe heart failure as the likely condition.