Case presentation A 68-year-old woman presented to the emergency room with the chief complaints of coughing up several tablespoons of bright red blood. For the previous 3 to 4 months, she has had a chronic nonproductive cough but no fevers. More recently, she has noticed some scant blood-streaked sputum. She also reports increased fatigue, decreased appetite, and weight loss in the past three months. Social history: Smoker Medication history: She takes aspirin every day. Physical examination: The patient is a thin, mildly anxious, alert, and oriented woman.
Blood pressure - 150/90 mm Hg Heart rate - 88 bpm Respiratory rate - 16 breaths per minute Temperature - 99.2°F. The chest has scattered rhonchi bilaterally, but no wheezes or crackles. CVS examination - Regular rate and rhythm, without rubs, gallops, or murmurs. The abdomen is benign with no hepatosplenomegaly. Examination of her…
