Saunders Module 10 Practice Exam

Pleuritic chest pain is the sign most commonly associated with a pulmonary embolism because a clot in the pulmonary vessels often irritates or inflames the pleura, or causes a small infarct, leading to sharp, localized chest pain that worsens with deep inhalation or coughing. This pain pattern is more characteristic of PE than the other options. Cough can occur but is nonspecific; hemoptysis can happen in some cases but is less common; diaphoresis can accompany many acute conditions and isn’t as closely linked to PE itself. So the pleuritic chest pain pattern best fits the typical PE presentation.