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Question:

You have been called to the top of a mountain resort for a patient that is complaining of a sudden onset of shortness of breath and coughing. Your assessment of the patient reveals an anxious patient with basilar crackles in his lungs. The patient's vital signs include a heart rate of 136, respirations of 28, and a blood pressure of 176/94 mmHg. What is your field diagnosis of this patient?

A High altitude pulmonary edema
explanation

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) usually occurs in an unacclimatized individual who rapidly ascends to an altitude that exceeds 8,000 feet. HAPE develops as a result of increased pulmonary pressure and hypertension caused by changes in blood flow at high altitudes.

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