QuestionSBA
QuestionChoice
Due to the significant smoking history, and classical clinical features of breathlessness on exertion, productive cough but no haemoptysis, COPD is the most likely diagnosis.
10002521
a
COPD
QuestionChoice
PE is a good differential, however as the breathlessness has been present for 6 months, and there is no haemoptysis, this makes it a very unlikely underlying cause of the patients' symptoms.
10002524
d
Pulmonary Embolism (PE)
QuestionChoice
CAP is unlikely as the patient is not reporting a fever, or showing other signs of infection.
10002523
c
Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP)
QuestionChoice
Whilst Asthma and COPD can be hard to differentiate, in this case, the age and smoking history points to COPD.
10002525
e
Asthma
QuestionChoice
Whilst lung cancer is a relevant differential diagnosis, considering the patient's smoking history, there is no weight loss reported in the scenario nor haemoptysis so malignancy is unlikely.
10002522
b
Lung Cancer
Concept
Chapter
2693
3902
COPD
Topic
132
Respiratory
13051
A 58-year-old male presents to his GP after becoming breathless in everyday activities such as climbing the stairs for the past 6 months. The patient remarks he has a productive cough, but there is no blood and has been getting more chest infections recently. The patient has a 30-pack-year smoking history. On examination, the patient is afebrile and coarse crackles are auscultated at the base of the lungs bilaterally.

What is the most likely underlying diagnosis?
a