A 67-year-old man with a 40-pack-year smoking history, known COPD, presents with worsening shortness of breath over the past 12 hours. He has had several similar admissions in the past. On arrival, he is tachypnoeic and using accessory muscles of respiration. His oxygen saturation is 82% on room air. On auscultation, there are widespread wheezes and coarse crackles bilaterally.
Arterial blood gas on 28% oxygen: pH: 7.30 PaCO₂: 7.1 kPa PaO₂: 6.6 kPa
Intellect Medicos
A 67-year-old man with a 40-pack-year smoking history, known COPD, presents with worsening shortness of breath over the past 12 hours. He has had several similar admissions in the past. On arrival, he is tachypnoeic and using accessory muscles of respiration. His oxygen saturation is 82% on room air. On auscultation, there are widespread wheezes and coarse crackles bilaterally.
Arterial blood gas on 28% oxygen:
pH: 7.30
PaCO₂: 7.1 kPa
PaO₂: 6.6 kPa
What is the most likely cause of his hypoxaemia?
2 months ago | [YT] | 86