A patient comes with sudden respiratory distress, on examination, bilateral basal crepts are present over chest suggestive of pulmonary edema with normal alveolar wedge pressure. The likely cause is: (A) Narcotic overdose, (B) Congestive hea failure, (C) Myocardial infarction, (D) Cardiogenic shock
Answer is A. Answer is A (Narcotic overdose): Pulmonary edema with normal pulmonary capillary wedge pressure suggests a diagnosis of ARDS or non cardiogenic pulmonary edema. Narcotic overdose is the only non cardiogenic cause for pulmonary edema (ARDS) amongst the options provided and hence the answer here.