Case presentation A 62-year-old woman presented with complaints of dyspnea and persistent cough. Medical history She had type 2 diabetes for the last three years, which was managed with diet and exercise. Her last glycosylated hemoglobin, which was measured a month ago, was 6.8%.
She had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) since she was 55 years old. Examination Blood pressure: 130/70 mmHg Heart rate: 120 beats/min Respiratory rate: 24 breaths/min Weight: 180 lbs Lungs: Clear to percussion, but wheezing was present bilaterally Accessory muscles: Not used Cyanosis: Absent Laboratory investigations Arterial blood pH: 7.46 pO 2 : 60 mmHg pCO 2 : 40 mmHg O 2 Saturation: 88% Chest X-ray: Flat diaphragms hyperinflated, no infiltrates Spirometry: Forced vitality capacity: 3.2 Forced expiratory time in 1 second (FeV1): 1.4 Management She was given albuterol and prednisone (40…
