We report five patients who presented to an on-site medical team with concurrent haemoptysis and shortness of breath at a recent triathlon event. After initial management in the field, three of the five patients were transported to hospital via ambulance for further management, resulting in patients with haemoptysis and dyspnoea being 17 times more likely to require hospital transport. It is important to consider the differential diagnoses for this presentation, particularly exercise-induced pulmonary oedema.
Keywords: dyspnoea; exercise; field hospital; haemoptysis; pulmonary oedema.
© 2013 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.