Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Eiman Ghaffarpasand, M.D. [2]
Abbreviations: ABG (arterial blood gas); ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme); BMI (body mass index); CBC (complete blood count); CSF (cerebrospinal fluid); CXR (chest X-ray); ECG (electrocardiogram); FEF (forced expiratory flow rate); FEV1 (forced expiratory volume); FVC (forced vital capacity); JVD (jugular vein distention); MCV (mean corpuscular volume); Plt (platelet); RV (residual volume); SIADH (syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone); TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone); Vt (tidal volume); WBC (white blood cell);
Organ system | Diseases | Clinical manifestations | Diagnosis | Other features | ||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Symptoms | Physical exam | |||||||||||||||||||
Loss of consciousness | Agitation | Weight loss | Fever | Chest pain | Cough | Cyanosis | Clubbing | JVD | Peripheral edema | Auscultation | CBC | ABG | Imaging | Spirometry | Gold standard | |||||
Acute Dyspnea | Respiratory system | Head and Neck,
Upper airway |
Angioedema[1] | - | - | - | - | - | +/- | - | +/- | - | + | Normal | Normal | ↓O2, ↑CO2 | Normal | N/A | Physical exam | Generalized edema |
Rhinosinusitis[2] | - | - | - | + | - | +/- | - | - | - | - | Normal | ↑WBC | Normal | Air fluid level | Normal | Physical exam | Headache | |||
Chest and Pleura,
Lower airway |
Pulmonary embolism[3] | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Respiratory alkalosis | Normal | Normal | Pulmonary CT angiography | Pleuritic chest pain | ||
Rib fractures (flail chest)[4] | - | + | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Respiratory acidosis | Fracture marks | Normal | Chest X-ray | Pneumothorax | |||
Cardiovascular system | Acute myocardial ischemia[5] | +/- | + | - | +/- | + | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Cardiac troponin I | Nausea and vomiting, Positive pertinent risk factors, such as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking | ||
Acute heart failure[6] | +/- | + | - | - | +/- | + | + | - | + | + | S3 | Normal | Respiratory alkalosis | ↑ Cardiothoracic ratio | ↓Vt | B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal proBNP (NT-proBNP) | Excessive sweating, high blood pressure | |||
Pericardial tamponade[7] | +/- | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | + | - | Muffled heart sounds | Normal | Normal | Water bottle appearance enlarged heart | Normal | Echocardiography | Fluid accumulation in pericardium | |||
Tachyarrhythmia[5] | +/- | + | - | - | +/- | - | - | - | - | - | High pulse rate | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | ECG | Palpitation | |||
Central nervous system | Stroke | + | - | - | +/- | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Intracranial infarct or hemorrhage | Normal | Brain MRI | Paralysis or paresthesia | ||
Encephalitis[8] | + | + | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | ↑WBC, neutrophilia | Normal | Normal | Normal | CSF PCR | Confusion | |||
Traumatic brain injury[9] | + | +/- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Respiratory acidosis | Intracerebral hemorrhage | Normal | Brain CT scan | Lucid interval | |||
Toxic/Metabolic | Salicylate poisoning[10] | + | - | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Metabolic acidosis, Respiratory alkalosis | Normal | Normal | Blood test | Vomiting, Tinnitus, Confusion, Hyperthermia | ||
Systemic | Panic attack[11] | +/- | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Clinical assessment | Severe anxiety | ||
Pregnancy[12] | - | - | - | - | +/- | - | - | - | - | + | Normal | ↑WBC, RBC | ↓O2, ↑CO2 | Normal | ↓Vt, ↑RV | βhCG | Missed period, Hyperemesis | |||
Sepsis[13] | +/- | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | ↑WBC, neutrophilia | ↓O2, ↑CO2 | Normal | Normal | SIRS criteria | Chills, Confusion | |||
Organ system | Diseases | Clinical manifestations | Diagnosis | Other features | ||||||||||||||||
Symptoms | Physical exam | |||||||||||||||||||
Loss of consciousness | Agitation | Weight loss | Fever | Chest pain | Cough | Cyanosis | Clubbing | JVD | Peripheral edema | Auscultation | CBC | ABG | Imaging | Spirometry | Gold standard | |||||
Chronic Dyspnea | Respiratory system | Head and Neck,
Upper airway |
Goiter[14] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Blood test (TSH, T4) | Weight gain |
Chest and Pleura,
Lower airway |
Pulmonary hypertension[15] | - | - | - | - | +/- | +/- | +/- | +/- | + | + | Accentuated S2 | Normal | Hypoxia and acidosis | Enlarged pulmonary arteries | ↑Physiologic RV | Cardiac catheterization | Syncope, | ||
Diaphragmatic paralysis[16] | - | - | - | +/- | +/- | +/- | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Unilateral or bilateral diaphragmatic flattening | ↓Vt, ↑RV | CXR confirmed by fluoroscopic sniff test | Respiratory insufficiency | |||
Cardiovascular system | Constrictive pericarditis[7] | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | + | - | Muffled heart sounds | Normal | Normal | Calcifications | Normal | Chest CT scan | Syncope | ||
Restrictive cardiomyopathy[17] | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | +/- | Normal | Normal | Normal | Dilatation of the inferior vena cava and right atrium | Normal | Right ventricular biopsy | Weight gain, | |||
Valvular heart disease[5] | - | - | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | Cardiac murmur | Normal | Normal | Dilatation of heart chambers | Normal | Echocardiography | Syncope, Palpitation | |||
Bradyarrhythmia[18] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | ECG | Syncope, Palpitation | |||
Pericardial effusion[19] | - | - | - | +/- | + | + | - | - | + | - | Muffled heart sounds | Normal | Normal | Fluid density around the heart | Normal | M-mode and 2-dimensional Doppler echocardiography | Hoarseness, Palpitation | |||
Coronary heart disease[5] | - | +/- | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | ↓O2 | Normal | Normal | Cardiac troponin I | Nausea, Lightheadedness, Sweating | |||
Intracardiac shunt[20] | - | - | - | - | +/- | - | + | + | - | - | Cardiac continuous murmur | Normal | ↓O2 | Dilatation of heart chambers | Normal | Echocardiography | Syncope, Palpitation | |||
Neuromuscular disease | Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis[21] | +/- | - | +/- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | ↑WBC | Normal | Normal | ↓Vt, ↑RV | Revised El Escorial criteria (clinical) | Muscle weakness, Dysphagia | ||
Polymyositis/dermatomyositis[22] | - | - | +/- | - | + | - | - | - | - | +/- | Normal | ↑WBC | Normal | Normal | ↓Vt, ↑RV | Muscle biopsy | Muscle weakness, Heliotrope | |||
Glycolytic enzyme defects (e.g., McArdle)[23] | +/- | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | +/- | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | ↓Vt, ↑RV | Muscle biopsy (ragged red fibers) | Myoglobinuria, | |||
Toxic/Metabolic | Metabolic acidosis[24] | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Metabolic acidosis, Respiratory alkalosis | Normal | Normal | ABG | Confusion, Vomiting | ||
Renal failure[25] | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | + | Normal | ↓ RBC | Metabolic acidosis | Normal | Normal | Cr | Nausea, Vomiting, Oliguria | |||
Systemic | Anemia[26] | - | - | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | ↓ RBC | ↓O2 | Normal | Normal | HGB, MCV | Weakness, Fatigue | ||
Anxiety[27] | + | + | + | - | +/- | +/- | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Psychological interview | Sweating, Palpitation | |||
Ascites[28] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Peritoneal fluid accumulation | ↓Vt, ↑RV | Abdominal ultrasound | Abdominal distention | |||
Depression[29] | - | + | + | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | Psychological interview | Depressed mood, Fatigue | |||
Obesity[30] | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | Normal | Normal | ↓O2 | Normal | ↓Vt, ↑RV | BMI | Low stamina, |