Differential Diagnosis
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Similar Features
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Differentiating Features
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Cardiac tamponade
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Elevated jugular venous pressure, reduced diastolic filling of the right ventricle, and hypotension.
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In cardiac tamponade, differentiating features include: muffled heart sounds, pericardial rub, and electrocardiographic changes.
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Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
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Elevated jugular venous pulse (JVP), shortness of breath, and tachypnea.
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In cardiac tamponade, differentiating features include: history of chronic bronchitis, coarse crackles with inspiration, and spirometry with FEV1/FVC < 70%.
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Mediastinitis
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Elevated venous pressure, tachypnea and shortness of breath.
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In mediastinitis, differentiating features include: fever, positive confirmation of organisms and elevated leukocytes.
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Pneumonia
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Hypotension, tachypnea,cough, and chest pain.
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In pneumonia, differentiating features include: Bronchial breath sounds, leukocytosis with left shift, positive blood culture and altered laboratory findings (procalitonin).
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Acute respiratory distress syndrome
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Low blood pressure,hypotension, and shortness of breath.
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In cardiac acute respiratory distress syndrome, differentiating features include: acute onset, bilateral infiltrates on chest radiograph sparing costophrenic angles and pulmonary wedge pressure < 18 mmHg.
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Syphilis
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Enlarged lymph nodes, hypotension and dysphagia.
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In syphilis, differentiating features include: Positive treponemal tests, history of unprotected sex, and superficial mucosal patches.
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