Platypnea-Orthodeoxia Syndrome Masked by Delirium in an 85-Year-Old Woman

On February 3, 2016, an 85-year-old woman was brought to the emergency department (ED) because of mental confusion and intolerance of the sitting position, which had begun suddenly 2 days before. She had been wheelchair-bound for the past 9 years after a stroke that had left her with mild left-sided hemiparesis but without cognitive impairment. According to her medical records at the ED, she was initially found hypoxemic (SO2  = 75% in room air) and disoriented. She was diagnosed with pneumonia, and because there was major improvement regarding her oxygenation after hydration (SO2 = 94% in room air), she was discharged home with a prescription of oral amoxicillin-clavulanate.
Source: Journal of the American Medical Directors Association - Category: Health Management Authors: Tags: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research