Article Abstract:
A 65-year-old woman with a dry cough and an irregular heartbeat was admitted to the hospital. Thirty-nine months before admission, the patient was prescribed Amiodarone to control her heart arrhythmia. Scans showed worsening consolidation in the lungs and thickening of the colon. Other tests were negative. Still undiagnosed, on the 21st day after admission, a lung biopsy and a blood test for Wegener's granulomatosis were performed. Wegener's granulomatosis was diagnosed, explaining many of the patient's symptoms. Earlier testing could have eliminated much of this mystery. A toxic lung reaction to Amiodarone therapy was also seen.
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Article Abstract:
A 47-year-old man who had a recurring cough and difficulty breathing was found to have aspirated stomach fluid into his lungs during an episode of gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD. GERD occurs when stomach fluid backs up into the esophagus, causing heartburn. If it occurs at night, the fluid could enter the respiratory tract.
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Article Abstract:
A 73-year-old woman who was hospitalized with pneumonia developed acute respiratory distress syndrome. A lung biopsy revealed a lung disease called bronchiolitis obliterans with organizing pneumonia, which presumably caused the respiratory failure. She was successfully treated with corticosteroid drugs.
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