Dyspnea, Fever, Hemoptysis, and Diabetes in a Tobacco User

Avnish Sandhu, DO; Pranatharthi Chandrasekar, MD

December 02, 2020

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Background

A 60-year-old woman with a history of uncontrolled diabetes, hypertension, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) presents during the winter with progressively worsening shortness of breath over the past 4 days. Associated symptoms include fever, chest pain, runny nose, sore throat, productive cough with hemoptysis, and diarrhea. She says she has not had night sweats, weight loss, or swelling of the lower extremities. About 1 week earlier, her husband also had coldlike symptoms.

The patient has a family history of diabetes and hypertension. She started smoking at age 20 years and smokes one pack of cigarettes per day. She drinks alcohol occasionally and denies any illicit drug use. She has no history of incarceration, homelessness, or recent travel.

References

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Cite this: Avnish Sandhu, Pranatharthi Chandrasekar. Dyspnea, Fever, Hemoptysis, and Diabetes in a Tobacco User - Medscape - Dec 02, 2020.

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