A Patient Arrives at a Hospital Suffering from Serious Difficulty

question 9

Essay

A patient arrives at a hospital suffering from serious difficulty breathing and shortness of breath. Initial tests indicate none of the standard respiratory infectious agents are present. The physician suspects an immune disorder. What clinical indicators would distinguish between asthma, pneumonitis and Pneumocystic pneumonia?

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Definitions:

Autonomic Nervous System

The part of the nervous system that controls involuntary bodily functions, such as heart rate, digestion, and respiratory rate.

Two-Factor Theory

A theory of emotion developed by Schachter and Singer proposing that emotions are determined by both physiological arousal and cognitive labeling of the cause of that arousal.

Spillover Effect

The phenomenon where an event or behavior in one domain or area influences another, often used in economics, psychology, and environmental science.

Cannon-Bard Theory

A theory of emotion that suggests that emotional experiences occur simultaneously with physiological responses, rather than one causing the other.