Which finding would best suggest that dyspnea is related to heart disease rather than a primary respiratory problem?

• A. Wheezing.
• B. Bilateral peripheral edema.
• C. Normal chest X-ray.
• D. Productive cough with purulent sputum.

Answer: (B)

Distinguishing cardiac from pulmonary dyspnea hinges on signs of systemic congestion. Bilateral peripheral edema signals fluid overload from impaired cardiac function, which leads to dyspnea through pulmonary congestion and reduced forward flow. This pattern points to heart disease rather than a primary respiratory problem. Wheezing tends to come from airway narrowing in asthma or COPD, not a reliable indicator of heart failure. A normal chest X-ray can occur in various situations and doesn’t specifically indicate a heart issue. A productive cough with purulent sputum suggests an infection in the airways or lungs rather than heart-related edema. So the presence of bilateral edema is the finding most indicative of heart-related dyspnea.