A patient in the emergency department reports tightness in his chest and shortness of breath after mowing his lawn several hours ago on a warm, humid day. On assessment, the patient has a heart rate of 110 beats/minute, respiratory rate of 32 breaths/minute, blood pressure of 130/80 mm Hg, and an oral temperature of 97.2 degrees F. Expiratory wheezing is heard on auscultation of his lungs. The
nurse suspects that the patient is most likely experiencing asthma due to:
A) air pollution.
B) infection.
C) exercise.
D) allergens.
D) allergens.
Explanation: A) Because the patient was outdoors, it is possible that air pollution was the cause of the symptoms; however, the known precipitating factor that most likely caused the symptoms was allergens from mowing the lawn.
B) The patient does not have signs of an infection and is normothermic.
C) Although the patient was engaged in the exercise of mowing the lawn, typically exercise-induced asthma is triggered within 10 to 15 minutes of beginning physical exertion. It is also more likely when the air is cold and dry, and on this day it was warm and humid.
D) Because the patient was mowing the lawn several hours ago, this presentation is most likely due to exposure to allergens.
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