A 44-Year-Old Man Comes to the Emergency Department with a 3-Day

question 316

Multiple Choice

A 44-year-old man comes to the emergency department with a 3-day history of fever, chills, malaise, dyspnea, and a cough productive of "greenish" sputum.  The patient has no prior medical problems and has never been hospitalized.  He has a 25-pack-year smoking history and drinks 4-5 beers a week.  His temperature is 39.4 C (103 F) , blood pressure is 130/80 mm Hg, pulse is 98/min, and respirations are 20/min.  On examination, dullness to percussion, crackles, and egophony are present at the right lung base.  The remainder of the examination is normal.  Chest x-ray shows a dense infiltrate occupying the entire right lower lobe.  Which of the following most likely accounts for the color of this patient's sputum?

• A)Epithelial necrosis
• B)Hemolysis
• C)High bacterial load
• D)Mucopolysaccharides
• E)Myeloperoxidase

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Definitions:

Placenta

An organ that develops in the uterus during pregnancy, providing oxygen and nutrients to the growing fetus while removing waste products.

Childbirth

The act of a baby being born, which includes the labor and delivery stages.

Cesarean Section

A surgical procedure used to deliver a baby through incisions in the abdomen and uterus, often performed when vaginal delivery would put the baby or mother at risk.

Surgical Delivery

A medical procedure where surgery, typically a cesarean section, is used to deliver a baby.