A 65-year-old male presents with progressive swelling in his legs, fatigue, and decreased urine output over the past two weeks. He reports shortness of breath when lying down, a history of hypertension, and poorly controlled diabetes. Physical exam reveals pitting edema in both lower extremities, crackles on lung auscultation, and mild hypertension (BP: 150/95 mmHg).
Questions
- Differential Diagnoses
What are the potential differential diagnoses based on this presentation? Prioritize these diagnoses based on the patient’s risk factors and clinical symptoms. - Diagnostic Workup
What diagnostic tests would you order to differentiate between these diagnoses? Explain the rationale for each test. - Treatment Plan
Develop a comprehensive treatment plan for the most likely diagnosis, considering the patient’s age, comorbidities, and potential side effects. - Patient Education
What important information should you provide to the patient and their family regarding the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of further episodes?
For peer response answer this:
- How will the patient’s blood pressure and blood glucose be managed long-term to prevent further complications?
- What specialist follow-up is required and how often should renal function and electrolytes be monitored?
What red flags would indicate the need for immediate referral to the emergency department?
Submission Instructions:
- Your initial post should be at least 500 words, formatted, and cited in current APA style with support from at least 2 academic sources.
- You should respond to at least two of your peers by extending, refuting/correcting, or adding additional nuance to their posts.
- All replies must be constructive and use literature where possible.
- Please post your initial response by 11:59 PM ET Thursday, and comment on the posts of two classmates by 11:59 PM ET Sunday.
- Late work policies, expectations regarding proper citations, acceptable means of responding to peer feedback, and other expectations are at the discretion of the instructor.
- You can expect feedback from the instructor within 48 to 72 hours from the Sunday due date.
