General Approach to Patients With Respiratory Disorders

History taking is a critical aspect of the evaluation of patients with potential respiratory disorders. Patients with pulmonary disease may present with the following symptoms: dyspnea, fatigue, exercise intolerance, wheeze, cough, sputum production, hemoptysis, and chest pain. Another important facet of the evaluation process is the physical examination, which should be thorough and focus on areas highlighted in the history. A differential diagnosis should be ascertained from the history and physical examination. Extended evaluation with investigations utilizing imaging studies or pulmonary function tests may affirm or disregard the differential diagnosis and provide an evaluation of the severity of lung disease.