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:

Cognitive Therapy

A form of psychotherapy that emphasizes the role of thinking in how we feel and in what we do, aimed at changing negative patterns of thought.

Major Depressive Disorder

A mental disorder characterized by a persistent and intense feeling of depression that affects how a person feels, thinks, and handles daily activities.

Systematic Desensitization

A behavioral therapy technique used to reduce phobic responses through gradual exposure to the feared object or situation while practicing relaxation techniques.

Fear of Public Speaking

A common form of anxiety where an individual feels an intense fear of performing or speaking in front of an audience.