'Just another asthma attack?' - point of care ultrasound as a game changer in respiratory failure.

Abstract

Wheeze and shortness of breath are a common reason for admission to hospital but the cause of which is not always immediately apparent. We present a case of a patient with respiratory distress, wheeze and chest tightness on a background of well controlled asthma and androgen deprivation therapy for prostate cancer. The patient was provisionally treated as an asthma exacerbation but point of care ultrasound (POCUS) performed soon after admission revealed severe LV impairment and 'wet lungs' in keeping with acute decompensated heart failure. The case highlights the importance of POCUS to differentiate between different causes of wheeze in the acute setting and we discuss the diagnostic approach to the patient with suspected heart failure.