Clinical Challenges

Figure 1.   Case The patient is an 18-year-old female who presents to urgent care with 1–2 hours of “sharp” chest pain that worsens with range of motion. She reports it began suddenly while lifting boxes at work. Pain is not improved with acetaminophen. She denies exertional discomfort, pleuritic pain, and use of hormone therapy. There is no leg swelling, shortness of breath, or sweating. Physical exam reveals: General: Sitting comfortably on the cart, breathing …

Case The patients is a 57-year-old man with a complaint of syncope 3 hours before arrival. He states he was sitting on the couch and the next thing he knew he was waking up. No preceding dizziness. No seizure activity, biting of the tongue, blood in the mouth, or post ictal symptoms. No cp, sob, leg pain, head pain, or back pain. He drank 2 glasses of water and felt better, but was encouraged to …

Case The patient is a 40-year-old woman who presents with cough and fever that has been getting worse “for a few days.” She is a former smoker, and has diabetes mellitus. View the images taken and consider what the diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.

Case The patient is a 37-year-old man who presents to urgent care complaining of fever, nausea, and abdominal pain. He had attributed these symptoms to a recent trip to Japan, where he ate lots of new foods along with old favorites like sushi. However, he became concerned when a pruritic, serpiginous lesion appeared on his flank. View the photo taken, and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is …

Case The patient is an 18-month-old girl brought to your urgent care center by her parents. They report that she has been scratching her abdomen. When they lifted her shirt, they found multiple hyperpigmented macules widespread across the front and back of her trunk. She also has 1 hour of wheezing. View the photo taken, and consider what your diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page. …

Case The patient is a 47-year-old woman who presents with left hip pain that worsens when she is working out on her elliptical machine, and improves with rest. View the x-ray taken and consider what the diagnosis and next steps would be. Resolution of the case is described on the next page.