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Updated: Aug 18, 2026

Voluntary Breath-hold Technique for Reducing Heart Dose in Left Breast Radiotherapy
Published on: July 3, 2014
Breathlessness in a drug user
1Royal Liverpool and Broadgreen University Hospitals, Liverpool, UK.
Abstract:
A 40-year-old heroin smoking man presented with acute onset severe shortness of breath. Radiological investigations revealed an unexpected loculated pneumothorax. Respiratory physicians inserted a chest drain which relieved his breathlessness. His exercise tolerance is much improved 6 months on. The side effects of smoking illicit substances are poorly understood. There is a growing trend for drug users to smoke rather than intravenously inject. It is therefore important for clinicians to be aware of the associated morbidity. The authors believe this is the first ever reported case of loculated pneumothorax associated with heroin smoking.
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