Cardiac Assessment Flashcards
1
Q
history
A
- any chest pain or tightness?
- any shortness of breath?
- do you have difficulty breathing when laying down? How many pillows do you use when sleeping or lying down?
- do you have a cough
- do you seem to tire easily? Are you able to keep up with your friends and family?
- have you ever noticed your facial skin turn blue or ashen?
- Do you wake up at night with the urgent need to urinate?
- do you have any history of hypertension, a heart murmur or diabetes? Ever had heart disease or a heart attack? When was the recent ECG?
- Any family history of hypertension, obesity, diabetes, or sudden death at a young age?
- please describe your usual daily diet. Do you smoke or drink? Do you exercise weekly, how often? How do you manage the stress in your life?
2
Q
History - peripheral vessels
A
- any leg pain or cramps? Are you on your feet all day or do you sit at a desk? Any history of vascular problems?
- Have you noticed any changes on your arms or legs involving colour, temperature or soreness? Have you felt a change in temperature or noticed any ulcers or enlarged veins?
- do you have any swelling in your arms or legs, in one extremity or both?
- have you noticed or felt any swollen glands or lumps?
- Are you currently taking any medications?
3
Q
Inspect CV and PV
A
- inspect the patients appearance, no signs of pallor or cyanosis on the lips, ears or face. Not any abnormalities
- no signs of shortness or breath, no accessory muscle use or gasping of breath
- lift both the patients hands in your hands and inspect the colour, temperature and texture. Also noting cap refill, and symmetry bilaterally
- uncover patients legs and inspect the legs and feet, noting skin colour, lesions, temperature. Note cap refill
4
Q
Auscultate
A
- carotid artery x 3 on both sides using the bell of the stethescope. At the angle of the jaw, midcervical area, and the base of the neck. , noting any bruit (there shouldnt be any)
- palpate the carotid artery 1 at a time on either side
- inspect for JVD, ask patient to turn head side to side to inspect for JVD, neck vessels healthy by inspection.
- examine the precordium for any flicker of movement, there is no presence of heave of lift on precordium inspection
- using the bell listen to all four heart sounds, stating if any s3 and s4 sounds are heard, using the diaphragm to then listen to all four noting s1 and s2 sounds.
- listen to apical pulse for one minute using the diaphragm .
5
Q
Palpate
A
- palpate the precordium using palmar aspects of your fore fingers, noticing temperature, pulsations and thrills
- check pulses bilaterally, radial, dorsalis pedis and tibial, not rhythm and rate.
- note any edema to arms and leg
