clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Possible symptoms include:
- shortness of breath - main symptom, with exercise dyspnoea
- cough
- orthopnoea
- paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea
Later symptoms include:
- a cough with foaming, bright red sputum
- cyanosis
- extreme dyspnoea
On examination:
- breathing may be laboured and wheezing or rapid and panting. There may be a fine rattling sound audible
- Cheyne-Stoke respiration
- there may be basal crepitations on auscultation
- heart sounds - triple or gallop rhythm