Question

An 88-year-old female was seen in the physician’s office complaining of SOB, dizziness, orthopnea, elevated temperature, and a productive cough. Lung auscultation revealed rales over the R bronchus. CXR revealed fluid in the RUL. The patient was sent to the hospital with an admitting diagnosis of pneumonia. Vital signs upon admission were: temperature 102°F, pulse 100 and rapid, respirations 24 and labored, blood pressure 180/110. She was treated with IV antibiotics and IPPB. She responded well to treatment and was released home to her family with oral antibiotics on the third day.

1. Define auscultation and CXR. Describe what each revealed in the case study above in your own words.

Answer 1

Auscultation : It can be defined as to listen to sounds within the body of the organs such as a heart.

CXR: Its a chest X-RAY, it produces images of lungs, heart etc, which helps physicians to determine the disease.

In this case study, the patient was suffering from pneumonia as she was having a high fever along with the elevated pulse rate and breathing problem. She has been admitted and given antibiotics through I.V. so that these medicines can act fast and then she was discharged after three days along with the prescribed oral antibiotics.