Case 11-1997

Presentation of CaseA 51-year-old man was admitted to the hospital with respiratory failure.He was known to have had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease since the age of 46 years, and he had a history of long-standing alcohol abuse. At 36 years of age, he had received the diagnoses of intermittent explosive disorder, ethanol intoxication, and depression with paranoid features.He had had low-grade fever and worsening dyspnea for three days before admission and was transferred from another hospital with respiratory failure. A specimen of arterial blood showed that the partial pressure of oxygen was 67 mm Hg, the partial . . .