ABSTRACT
A 39-year-old woman is 6 days post-partum and has come back to hospital with shortness of breath. She is struggling to breath at rest, has a respiratory rate of 28, pulse 115, BP 105/60 mmHg, temperature 37.4° C. On examination she has an audible wheeze and cough. Investigations reveal a PO2 of 9.5 kPa on arterial blood gas and a PCO2 3.7 kPa, pH 7.36, base excess -3.4. A chest x-ray shows some upper lobe diversion and bilateral diffuse shadowing with an enlarged heart. Her haemoglobin is 8.9 g/dL, white blood count 11.1 × 109/L and C-reactive protein 21 mg/L. What is the most likely cause of her symptoms?
