A 32-year-old woman comes to the office "for a prescription of propranolol for stage fright." She tells you that she is professional singer and lately she has been experiencing "butterflies" and palpitations before performances. She has been so worried about having one of these symptoms that she is having trouble sleeping at night. She tells you that a friend of hers has a similar problem and propranolol has "cured her." She has been a patient of yours for the past 10 years and you remember that she has severe asthma, requiring many hospitalizations, the most recent being 2 weeks ago. Her asthma attacks have been increasingly more severe and have been occurring at an increased frequency. She tells you that she is in a rush and all she needs is the prescription. The most appropriate next step is to
A. administer a pulmonary function test
B. explain that propranolol is not a good drug for her
C. give her a referral to a psychiatrist
D. order a chest x-ray
E. prescribe propranolol for her to take before her performances
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