clinical features
Last reviewed 01/2018
Clinical features include:
- patient has difficulty speaking in phrases or sentences
- tachycardia
- pulsus paradoxus
- wheezing
- increased respiratory rate
- increased incidence of pneumothorax - absent breath sounds
- patient sitting up
- use of accessory muscles of respiration
- drowsiness due to hypercapnia - preterminal
- patient exhausted and fearful