Cardio Examination Flashcards
First three things to do in intro
Hands
Both ID
Explain, consent, pain
After ‘explain, consent, pain’ what 3 things do you do to prepare the patient?
Position to 45’
Remove necessary clothing and cover with bed linen
State that you’re gonna turn to examiner throughout (jargon)
What general observations do you state of the patient when you walk in?
1) don’t need to make an immediate intervention
2) No sign of distress secondary to pain, cough, dyspnoea
3) The patient doesn’t appear to be sweaty or cyanosed
What 3 general observations of the room (minus chart) do you make when you walk in?
Medications: GTN spray, inhalers/nebulisers
Oxygen
Check contents of sputum pot
Observations of chart when you walk in?
Is NEWS chart available?
And if it is there: are there any trends
and does it belong to the patient
Summarize the peripheral examination (4)
Hands and arms incl. pulse
Head and neck
Chest
Lower limbs
What’s in the hands and arm section?
1) Lift hands for TAR STAINING
2) Also IV track marks
3) Interlace fingers for nail colour for PERIPHERAL CYANOSIS
Are hands warm/sweaty?
4)
Clubbing for CO2 RETENTION
5)
a) SPLINTER HAEMORRHAGES in nail beds b) capillary refill time- 5 seconds
6) Fine tremor- arms outstretched and fingers apart 15 secs
What’s about, after arms and hands, pulse and that?
Palpate radial pulse (thumb side remember) for 15 secs then x 4
Then discreetly count resp rate
After pulse what do you do
head and neck
What happens in the head and neck section?
Malar flush in face
Patient to pull down eyelids, for pallor/anaemia, corneal arcus and xanthelasmata
Stick out tongue- check for central cyanosis of blue lips and tongue, or red tongue of iron deficiency anaemia
What happens after the head and neck section?
lower limbs
State the three things of lower limbs:
Pitting oedema- apply firm pressure with fingers or thumb for a few seconds
