What are the red flags for respiratory conditions?
Bella Botsford
2025-09-10 09:25:12
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: 14
The following red flags in the history should prompt investigation:
New cough lasting over three weeks.
Haemoptysis – possible infection (pneumonia, TB, PE) or lung cancer.
Fevers.
Night sweats.
Weight loss.
Chest pain – could be angina.
Signs to look for on examination include finger clubbing, lymphadenopathy and superior vena cava syndrome.
Haemoptysis is a red flag and is possible infection or lung cancer.
Fever and night sweats are also red flags.
Weight loss is a red flag.
Chest pain could be a red flag and may indicate angina.
Charlie Denesik
2025-09-01 16:09:57
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: 11
A cough that you have had for eight weeks or longer is considered chronic. This is an important early symptom that tells you something is wrong with your respiratory system. It's not normal to experience shortness of breath that doesn't go away after exercising, or that you have after little or no exertion. Labored or difficult breathing—the feeling that it is hard to breathe in out—is also a warning sign. If your mucus production has lasted a month or longer, this could indicate lung disease. Noisy breathing or wheezing is a sign that something unusual is blocking your lungs' airways or making them too narrow. If you are coughing up blood, it may be coming from your lungs or upper respiratory tract. Unexplained chest pain that lasts for a month or more—especially if it gets worse when you breathe in or cough—also is a warning sign.
Tom Boyle
2025-08-29 02:33:21
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: 18
Common symptoms of lower respiratory infections can range from mild to severe and include: Cough (with or without mucus) Fever Fatigue Shortness of breath Chest pain. Symptoms of upper respiratory infections include: Sneezing Runny nose Sore throat Cough Sinus pressure Hoarse voice Swollen lymph nodes Fatigue. Lower respiratory infections tend to last longer and are more serious. If your symptoms are severe or last longer than two weeks, see a doctor. With a condition like bronchitis, you can often treat symptoms at home. However, if you are older, have a weakened immune system, or have an underlying health condition (like asthma or COPD), you may be at higher risk of severe illness and might require hospitalization. Risk factors for many CRDs include smoking, air pollution, exposure to chemicals or dust at work, and frequent lower respiratory infections during childhood.
Isabell Kunde
2025-08-16 09:50:20
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: 12
Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if you have severe difficulty breathing – you’re gasping, choking or not able to get words out. Your chest feels tight or heavy, you have pain that spreads to your arms, back, neck and jaw, or your lips or skin are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands. You feel suddenly confused.
Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if your child has difficulty breathing – they may make grunting noises or suck their stomach in under their ribcage, has lips or skin that are turning very pale, blue or grey – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands, is suddenly confused, agitated, behaving oddly or crying constantly, or is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do.
Contact NHS 111 if you have difficulty breathing – you may be more short of breath than usual, you feel sick or are being sick, you're coughing up blood, you have pain or swelling in 1 of your legs, or you have heart palpitations – this may feel like your heart is racing, going too slowly or skipping a beat or like a fluttering feeling in your chest.
See a GP if your shortness of breath gets worse when you've been doing your normal activities, or when you lie down, you feel short of breath and have swollen ankles, or you've been coughing for 3 weeks or more.
Shortness of breath could be a sign of something more serious, such as a lung condition called chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, scarring of the lungs known as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, heart failure, or lung cancer.
Anahi Wisoky
2025-08-12 00:16:18
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: 15
Chest pain in any context is not good. In the case of a respiratory station it could mean: Pulmonary Embolism. Also if they have chest pain, it is also a good idea to rule out cardiac cause.
A patient with haemotypsis should cause concern and always lead to further questions.
There are many causes of haemoptysis, but the main worrying reasons are: cancer, PE, TB.
Night sweats and weight loss is a universal red flag for all cancers.
In the context of respiratory causes, you need to think about TB, pneumonia and cancer.
A very vague symptom, as can occur in non life threatening conditions but in addition to the other red flag can be worrying.
Smoking increases risk of all cancers, and so is an important question to ask in the social history.
This cannot be ignored when doing your risk assessment for someone you suspect to have cancer.
Leg swelling can get leg swelling unilaterally which may indicate a DVT or bilateral which may mean cardiac failure.
Leg pain and swelling also together is more worrying.
Jackson O'Kon
2025-08-01 01:06:57
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: 13
You have a chest infection and: You feel very unwell or your symptoms get worse. You cough up blood or blood-stained mucus. You've had a cough for more than 3 weeks. You're pregnant. You're over 65 years old. Your immune system is weak – for example, you have a condition like diabetes or you're having chemotherapy. You have a long-term health condition, such as a heart, lung or kidney condition. You have chest pain that comes and goes, or happens when breathing or coughing. You're feeling short of breath. Symptoms of Sepsis include feeling very breathless and unable to speak in full sentences. Coughing up more than small dots or streaks of blood, or coughing up blood frequently. Lips and/or tongue turning blue. New or worsening confusion and/or agitation. Abnormal use of neck or other accessory muscles to aid breathing. Feeling of exhaustion while suffering with shortness of breath or difficulty in breathing. Experiencing a persistent or spiking fever that isn’t controlled with Paracetamol. Experiencing chest pain, especially if it is sharp, worsens with breathing, or radiates to other areas. Severe drowsiness, difficulty waking, or unresponsiveness. Significant reduction in urine output, which could indicate dehydration or worsening systemic illness. If you have not seen an improvement in your symptoms within 48-72 hours of starting antibiotics.
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