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Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions β€” written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.

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Peripheral cyanosis and chest pain

Introduction

Abbreviations: ABG= Arterial blood gas, ANP= Atrial natriuretic peptide, BNP= Brain natriuretic peptide, CBC= Complete blood count, COPD= Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, CRP= C-reactive protein, CT= Computed tomography, CXR= Chest X-ray, DVT= Deep vein thrombosis, ESR= Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, HRCT= High Resolution CT, IgE= Immunoglobulin E, LDH= Lactate dehydrogenase, PCWP= Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure.

Diseases Cyanosis Clinical manifestations Para-clinical findings Gold standard Additional findings
Symptoms Physical examination
Lab Findings Imaging
Peripheral Central Dyspnea Fever Chest pain Clubbing Peripheral edema Auscultation CBC ABG Electrolytes Other X-ray CT scan Other
Pulmonary diseases Airway disorder Foreign body aspiration[1] + – + – +/- – – Decreased breath sounds, Wheezing Normal Normal Normal – Hyperinflation, Atelectasis, Objects Foreign body entrapment with edema or granulation tissue – Bronchoscopy Mediastinitis
Bacterial tracheitis[2] + – + + + – – Inspiratory stridor Leukocytosis Normal Normal Blood culture, Gram stain Irregular tracheal margin Normal Steeple sign (confusing) Laryngotracheobronchoscopy Brassy cough, Hoarseness
Parenchymal disorder Alveolitis[3] +/- + + + + +/- – Wheeze, Crackles Leukocytosis, Eosinophilia ↓O2, ↑CO2 Normal ↑ESR, ↑CRP Scattered opacities, Fine reticulation HomogeneousΒ ground-glass opacity – HRCT PLUS Clinical findings Malaise, Chills, Headache
Cystic fibrosis[4] + – +/- +/- + – Wheeze, Crackles Normal ↓O2, ↑CO2 Increased sweat chloride Sweat chloride test Hyperinflation, Nodules Peribronchial thickening, Bronchiectasis – Sweat chloride test Absent vas deferens
COPD

(Severe emphysema)[5]

+ – + +/- + +/- +/- Reduced breath sounds, Wheeze, Inspiratory crackles Polycythemia ↓O2, ↑CO2 Normal Alpha 1-antitrypsin test Elongated heart, Flattened diaphragms, Prominent hilar vasculature Bullae – HRCT Pulmonary hypertension, Right heart failure
Pulmonary vascular disorders Massive pulmonary embolism[6] + – + +/- + – +/- Reduced breath sounds, Crackles, Loud P2 Leukocytosis ↓O2, ↑CO2, Respiratory acidosis Normal D-dimer, BNP Fleischner sign, Hampton hump, Westermark sign, Pleural effusionΒ  Filling defects in the pulmonary vasculature Spiral CT pulmonary angiogram Spiral CT pulmonary angiogram Tachycardia, Shock, Pulmonary hypertension
Chest wall disorders Flail chest[7] + – + – + – – Normal Normal ↓O2, ↑CO2 Normal – β‰₯3 adjacent ribs with segmental fractures, >5 adjacent rib fractures Normal – CXR Bruises over chest
Pneumothorax[8] + – + – + – – Diminished breath sounds Normal ↓O2, ↑CO2 Normal – No lung marking on one side, Collapsed lung Loculated air in thoracic cavity M-mode ultrasonography Chest CT scan Tachypnea
Disease Peripheral Central Dyspnea Fever Chest pain Clubbing Peripheral edema Auscultation CBC ABG Electrolytes Other X-ray CT scan Other Gold standard Additional findings
Cardiac diseases Congenital disorders Atrioventricular canal defect[9] +/- + + – +/- +/- – Wheezing,Holosystolic or systolic ejectionΒ murmur Normal Normal Normal Pulse oximetry Cardiomegaly, Increased pulmonary vascular markings Normal Echocardiography, MRI Echocardiography Tachypnea, Lack of appetite, Pale skin color, Excessive sweating
Acquired disorders Heart failure[10] + – + +/- + – + Coarse crackles, S3 Anemia ↓O2, ↑CO2 Hyponatremia, Hypokalemia, Hypomagnesemia Elevated BNP Pleural effusion, CardiomegalyΒ Kerley B lines Normal Radioisotope scan Echocardiography Generalized edema, Hepatomegaly
Vascular disease Arterial disorders Arterial embolism[11] + – + – + +/- – Normal Normal Normal Hyperkalemia ↓PaO2 in pulse oximetry Normal Normal Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) Clinical findings Headache, Decreased sensation
Venous disorders Superior vena cava obstruction[12] + – +/- – +/- +/- + Normal Polycythemia ↓O2 Normal ↓PaO2 in pulse oximetry Superior mediastinal widening, Right hilar prominenceΒ  Thrombosis, Mediastinal mass or lymphadenopathy, Associated lung mass – Chest CT scan Headache,

Facial swelling

Hematologic diseases Polycythemia[13] + + + +/- +/- + – Normal ↑RBC, ↑WBC, ↑HGB, ↑Plt ↓O2 Hyperkalemia ↑Leukocyte alkaline phosphatase, ↑Ferritin, ↑Erythropoietin AVM, COPD, pulmonary hypertension Normal Abdominal ultrasound or renal vascular studies for ruling out renal artery stenosis RBC mass (RCM) and plasma volume measurement Itchiness, Headache. Dizziness. Blurred vision
Miscellaneous High altitude exposure[14] +/- + + – +/- + – Wheezing Polycythemia ↓O2, ↓CO2, Respiratory alkalosis Hyperphosphatemia, Hypercalcemia, Hyponatremia, Hypokalemia, Hypomagnesemia Decreased bicarbonate Central interstitial edema Pulmonary consolidation – Hypoxic challenge test Dizziness, Coma, Death
Septic shock[15] + – + + +/- – – Rales, crackles, Wheeze, Pleural friction rub Leukocytosis with neutrophilia ↓O2, ↑CO2, Metabolic acidosis Hyperkalemia ↑ESR, ↑CRP Consolidation Pulmonary infiltration Echocardiography Blood culture Chills, Hypothermia, Loss of consciousness
Smoke inhalation[16] +/- + + – + – – Wheezing Anemia, Carboxyhemoglobin ↓O2, ↑CO2, Respiratory acidosis Normal CO-oximetry Diffuse opacities Pulmonary infiltration Pulmonary function testing Bronchoscopy Cough, Hoarseness, Hemoptysis, Headache, Fainting

References

  1. ↑ Qureshi A, Behzadi A (2008). “Foreign-body aspiration in an adult”. Can J Surg. 51 (3): E69–70. PMCΒ 2496600. PMIDΒ 18682760.
  2. ↑ Liston SL, Gehrz RC, Siegel LG, Tilelli J (August 1983). “Bacterial tracheitis”. Am. J. Dis. Child. 137 (8): 764–7. PMIDΒ 6869336.
  3. ↑ Lee JS, Im JG, Ahn JM, Kim YM, Han MC (August 1992). “Fibrosing alveolitis: prognostic implication of ground-glass attenuation at high-resolution CT”. Radiology. 184 (2): 451–4. doi:10.1148/radiology.184.2.1620846. PMIDΒ 1620846.
  4. ↑ “Cystic fibrosis – Genetics Home Reference”.
  5. ↑ Qureshi H, Sharafkhaneh A, Hanania NA (2014). “Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease exacerbations: latest evidence and clinical implications”. Ther Adv Chronic Dis. 5 (5): 212–27. doi:10.1177/2040622314532862. PMCΒ 4131503. PMIDΒ 25177479.
  6. ↑ BΔ•lohlΓ‘vek J, Dytrych V, Linhart A (2013). “Pulmonary embolism, part I: Epidemiology, risk factors and risk stratification, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis and nonthrombotic pulmonary embolism”. Exp Clin Cardiol. 18 (2): 129–38. PMCΒ 3718593. PMIDΒ 23940438.
  7. ↑ Pettiford BL, Luketich JD, Landreneau RJ (February 2007). “The management of flail chest”. Thorac Surg Clin. 17 (1): 25–33. doi:10.1016/j.thorsurg.2007.02.005. PMIDΒ 17650694.
  8. ↑ Luh SP (2010). “Review: Diagnosis and treatment of primary spontaneous pneumothorax”. J Zhejiang Univ Sci B. 11 (10): 735–44. doi:10.1631/jzus.B1000131. PMCΒ 2950234. PMIDΒ 20872980.
  9. ↑ Macris MP, Ott DA, Cooley DA (1992). “Complete atrioventricular canal defect: surgical considerations”. Tex Heart Inst J. 19 (3): 239–43. PMCΒ 326195. PMIDΒ 15227445.
  10. ↑ Inamdar AA, Inamdar AC (2016). “Heart Failure: Diagnosis, Management and Utilization”. J Clin Med. 5 (7). doi:10.3390/jcm5070062. PMCΒ 4961993. PMIDΒ 27367736.
  11. ↑ Lyaker MR, Tulman DB, Dimitrova GT, Pin RH, Papadimos TJ (2013). “Arterial embolism”. Int J Crit Illn Inj Sci. 3 (1): 77–87. doi:10.4103/2229-5151.109429. PMCΒ 3665125. PMIDΒ 23724391.
  12. ↑ Cohen R, Mena D, Carbajal-Mendoza R, Matos N, Karki N (2008). “Superior vena cava syndrome: A medical emergency?”. Int J Angiol. 17 (1): 43–6. PMCΒ 2728369. PMIDΒ 22477372.
  13. ↑ Spivak JL (February 2002). “The optimal management of polycythaemia vera”. Br. J. Haematol. 116 (2): 243–54. PMIDΒ 11841424.
  14. ↑ Parati G, Agostoni P, Basnyat B, Bilo G, Brugger H, Coca A, Festi L, Giardini G, Lironcurti A, Luks AM, Maggiorini M, Modesti PA, Swenson ER, Williams B, BΓ€rtsch P, Torlasco C (January 2018). “Clinical recommendations for high altitude exposure of individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular conditions”. Eur. Heart J. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehx720. PMIDΒ 29340578.
  15. ↑ Hotchkiss RS, Moldawer LL, Opal SM, Reinhart K, Turnbull IR, Vincent JL (2016). “Sepsis and septic shock”. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2: 16045. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2016.45. PMCΒ 5538252. PMIDΒ 28117397.
  16. ↑ Rehberg S, Maybauer MO, Enkhbaatar P, Maybauer DM, Yamamoto Y, Traber DL (2009). “Pathophysiology, management and treatment of smoke inhalation injury”. Expert Rev Respir Med. 3 (3): 283–297. doi:10.1586/ERS.09.21. PMCΒ 2722076. PMIDΒ 20161170.

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