Aspiration pneumonia physical examination

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Sadaf Sharfaei M.D.[2]

Patients with aspiration might appear normal or toxic. Physical examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually remarkable for fever, tachypnea, hypotension, crackles, decreased breath sounds, and increased tactile fremitus.

• Physical examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually remarkable for fever, tachypnea, hypotension, crackles, decreased breath sounds, and increased tactile fremitus.^{[1][2][3][4][5]}

• Patients with aspiration may appear normal or toxic.

• Fever
• Tachycardia
• Tachypnea
• Low blood pressure

• Skin examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• HEENT examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Neck examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases unilaterally
• Rhonchi
• Increased tactile fremitus
• Decreased breath sounds
• Bronchial breath sounds
• Dullness on percussion

• Cardiovascular examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

Abdominal examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Back examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Genitourinary examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Neuromuscular examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

• Extremities examination of patients with aspiration pneumonia is usually normal.

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