Key Conditions, Potential Causes, Common Chief Complaints, and Potential Consequences

This condition is characterized by decreased blood flow to the coronary arteries, leading to ischemia, chest pain, and tissue death. Potential causes include smoking cigarettes, a history of hypertension, high cholesterol, and/or diabetes, a lack of exercise, and obesity. Risk may also increase based on age, family history, race, ethnicity, and being male. Common chief complaints include chest pain, weakness, and nausea and vomiting. Potential consequences include pulmonary edema and cardiogenic shock.

Acute myocardial infarction

This condition is characterized by decreased blood flow to the coronary arteries, leading to ischemia and chest pain but no tissue death. Common chief complaints include chest pain and shortness of breath. Potential causes include atherosclerotic heart disease/coronary artery disease (CAD), exertion, stress, fear, and eating a large meal. There are no significant potential consequences, other than pain.

Angina pectoris/chest pain

This condition is characterized by a weakness in the wall of the aorta, creating the potential for dissection and rupture. Common chief complaints include sudden and severe chest or abdominal pain. Potential causes include hypertension and atherosclerosis. Potential consequences include hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock.

Aortic aneurysm

This condition is characterized by the ineffective pumping of the heart, causing fluid to back up into the body and lungs. Common chief complaints include chest pain and shortness of breath. Potential causes include hypertension and a previous myocardial infarction. Potential consequences include hemoptysis and cardiogenic shock.

Congestive heart failure

This condition is characterized by the build-up of fluid in the pericardial sac, reducing ventricular filling and cardiac output. Common chief complaints include chest pain and shortness of breath. Potential causes include blunt trauma to the chest. Potential consequences include obstructive shock.

Cardiac/pericardial tamponade

This condition is characterized by a systolic blood pressure over 180 mmHg. Potential causes include poor lifestyle behaviors. Common chief complaints include a sudden, severe headache or epistaxis. Potential consequences include sudden pulmonary edema, stroke, and a dissecting aortic aneurysm.

Hypertensive emergency

This condition is characterized by a severe allergic reaction. Potential causes include exposure to certain allergens. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Asthma

This condition is characterized by a severe allergic reaction. Potential causes include exposure to certain allergens. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include a specific type of shock.

Anaphylaxis

This condition is characterized by any amount of air in the pleural space. Potential causes include soft-tissue injuries to the chest. Common chief complaints include chest pain that gets worse with breathing. Potential consequences include obstructive shock, given the condition is allowed to progress further.

Pneumothorax

This condition is characterized by so much air in the pleural space that it causes one lung to completely collapse. Potential causes include chest trauma, flail chest, and sealing all 4 sides of an occlusive dressing, but it may also happen spontaneously. Common chief complaints include chest pain and shortness of breath. Potential consequences include obstructive shock.

Tension pneumothorax

This condition is characterized by a blood clot lodged in the lung. Potential causes include recent surgery, being bedridden or immobile for a prolonged period of time, atrial fibrillation, birth control, deep vein thrombosis, long bone fracture, and blood clotting disorders like sickle cell anemia. Common chief complaints include chest pain and shortness of breath. Potential consequences include obstructive shock.

Pulmonary embolism

This condition is characterized by fluid-up in the lungs because the left side of the heart cannot remove blood from the lungs as fast as the right side delivers it. Potential causes include pneumonia, congestive heart failure, inhalation of toxic or hot gases, and near drowning. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Pulmonary edema

This group of conditions is characterized by damage or obstruction to the smaller airways in the respiratory system. Potential causes include smoking. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include a spontaneous pneumothorax.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which includes asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema

This condition is an upper airway infection of the pharynx, larynx, and trachea, producing significant swelling. This condition is caused by a viral infection. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Croup

This condition is an upper airway infection of the epiglottis, producing significant swelling. This condition is caused by a bacterial infection. Common chief complaints include high fever and excessive drooling. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Epiglottitis

This condition is characterized by overbreathing, decreasing carbon dioxide levels in the body. Potential causes include panic attacks, and certain medical conditions. Common chief complaints include anxiety, dizziness, and numbness. Potential consequences include alkalosis.

Hyperventilation

This group of conditions represent various infections of the lung. They may be caused by viral or bacterial infections. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath, pleuritic chest pain, high fever, and nausea and vomiting. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Lower airway infections, including pneumonia, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), bronchiolitis, pertussis/whooping cough, and tuberculosis

This condition is characterized by fluid build-up outside of the lung, leading to compression of the lung. Potential causes include irritation, infection, cancer, and congestive heart failure. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Pleural effusion

This condition is characterized by the sudden, severe compression of the chest. This condition typically results from blunt trauma. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath and altered level of consciousness. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Traumatic asphyxia

This condition is characterized by the bruising of the lung. Potential causes include trauma and flail chest. Common chief complaints include shortness of breath. Potential consequences include decreased gas exchange, leading to hypoxia.

Pulmonary contusion