Description
A 16-year-old black female presents with her mother to the emergency room with complaints of dyspnea and wheezing without relief after using her albuterol inhaler. The patient was diagnosed with COVID 6 days ago and started noticing that her breathing effort was getting harder in the last 2 days. She reports a fever of 101F originally but has not had a fever in the last 24 hours. She denies any chest pain but is having some increased dyspnea when she is walking around. The patient has a 5-year history of intermittent asthma which has been controlled with her current medication. The patient is currently using loratadine 10mg po daily, singular 10mg at bedtime, and albuterol 2 puffs via inhalation every 6 hrs. as needed. She reports that she had to use multiple doses in the last 24 hours because her symptoms were worsening. VS: BP 132/88, pulse 120, respirations 28, O2 sat 94%, and temp 99.4F. Upon exam the patient has diffuse wheezing bilaterally on expiration and minimal upon inspiration. Breath sounds are diminished bilaterally. Chest x-ray reveals hyperinflation with no infiltrates. In your Case Study Analysis related to the scenario provided, explain the following The pulmonary pathophysiologic processes that result in the patient presenting these symptoms.Any racial/ethnic variables that may impact physiological functioning.How these processes interact to affect the patient.Give at lease 3 references All papers submitted must include a title page, introduction, summary, and references.
