A 67 year old male presents to the emergency department with…
A 67 year old male presents to the emergency department with shortness of breath that has worsened over the last 3 weeks. He reports now he cannot lay flat at night, and becomes very fatigue with activity. Initial vital signs reveal an oxygen saturation of 87% on room air. The nurse applies 2L per nasal cannula and the patient’s oxygen saturation improves to 92%. His medical history includes hypertension, COPD, and sleep apnea. He reports non-compliance with his CPAP machine. The nurse practitioner orders a chest x-ray that reveals pulmonary edema. What is the most likely cause of the patient’s pulmonary edema?