CASE REPORT
Progressive Dyspnea and a Persistent
Wheeze: A Subtle Presentation of Pulmonary Embolism in a 64 Year Old Woman
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San Juan City Hospital, San Juan, Puerto
Rico
Publication date: 2011-04-11
Corresponding author
Eduardo Fahme
San Juan City Hospital, PO BOX 1513
Sabana Seca, PR 00952, Puerto Rico
Eur J Gen Med 2011;8(2):148-150
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Wheezing is a whistling sound which is made during the inspiratory or
expiratory phase. By definition, wheezes are continuous sounds longer
than 250 msec in duration and are higher pitched and of more musical
quality than rhonchi. These are commonly found in patients with
asthma and although the mechanisms are not entirely clear, consensus
on it originating from obstruction is evident. Most patients, and even
a few physicians, believe that wheezing is synonymous with asthma.
However, there are multiple conditions that produce this specific
breath sound. We report a case of a patient who was misdiagnosed
with asthma.