You respond to the scene of a 56-year-old obese female complaining of respiratory distress. she states that she has been feeling weak and a "little sick" for the past two days but the respiratory distress has been getting progressively worse for the past several hours. she states she has "heart problems," suffers from high blood pressure, and takes a "water pill." she is afebrile and has coarse crackles (rales) bilaterally. what is most likely the cause of her respiratory distress.

Congestive heart failure.

Explanation:

Respiratory distress may be defined as the medical condition in which the fluids accumulate and build up in the alveoli of the lungs. The oxygen consumption decreases in the body.

Congestive heart failure requires proper medication and if left untreated can cause respiratory distress. The individual shows the symptoms like weakness, high blood pressure and feels problem in breathing. The congestive heart failure can also affects kidney.

Thus, the answer is congestive heart failure.

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