Pathophysiology Case Studies 2024

A 54 year old female patient arrived to the ER after becoming confused and incoherent to family and having a syncopal episode. Upon arrival to the ER the patient was hypotensive at 75/45, tachycardic at 123, temperature of 100.3 and RR of 20. Blood glucose was 56. CBC was within normal limits. BMP results showed K+ 6.0 mM and Na+ 127 mM. Further lab tests showed cortisol was decreased and ACTH was increased, compared with normal. Which of the following is most likely? - Addison's disease Two weeks after orthopedic surgery, a 62 year-old female presented with uncontrolled pain and purulent drainage from the surgical incision. She was admitted and taken to the OR for irrigation and debridement of the infection site. Additionally, she was started on antibiotics to control the infection. Later that week she started having 3-4 foul smelling watery stools a day, became febrile, and complained of N/V. Which of the following pathogens is most likely causing her abdominal problems? - C. diff A 56 year-old male presents with no specific complaint. He works as a truck driver and has been in 2 accidents recently and his boss insists that he gets "checked out" by a medical professional before he can drive again. He claims that objects suddenly appear from out of nowhere. He admits to recent loss of libido and erectile dysfunction. Which of the following is most likely? - prolactinoma A 63 year-old male presents with depression, confusion, vague pains in his bones, and ulcers. He was recently diagnosed with kidney stones. Blood tests reveal that PTH is decreased, while both serum Ca++ and phosphate are increased. Which of the following is most likely? - metastatic bone cancer The mother of a 2-year old girl brings her daughter to the pediatrician's office. The mother states that the patient has had frequent watery, foul smelling and sometimes greasy stools on and off for the past 3 months. At other times she seems to be constipated. She is noticeably small for her age - in the 50th percentile for height and 25th percentile for weight. The mother also reports that after the patient's last cold, the cough did not subside for several weeks and each cough was producing thick, grayish mucus. Her medical record shows 3 hospitalizations in the past 2 years from respiratory tract infections, all of which were treated with antibiotics. Today, she appears to be in good health with no apparent cough, but she looks malnourished and pale. Abdominal ultrasound showed no obstructions or mechanical blockages, and stool culture revealed normal bacterial growth, without viral infection. Stool sample was po - cystic fibrosis A 2 month-old female presents for evaluation of poor feeding. She is in no apparent acute distress, but mom reports that she has difficulty with feeding and get short of breath at times. Mom is concerned that the baby seems to be losing weight and is excessively tired. The baby's weight is below average for age and length. She is alert at this time and does not appear to be in any acute distress. Respiratory rate is 41, and auscultation reveals crackles in bilateral bases. Patient is afebrile and has strong peripheral pulses in upper and lower extremities. Auscultation reveals a HR of 140 with a continuous murmur. Which scenario is most likely in this patient? - patent ductus ateriosus