Diagnosing Disease

Question 1

What can visual examinations reveal?

Answer 1

Arthritis which causes visible swelling and distortion to some joints. It can also show skin rashes.

Question 2

What can a stethoscope be used to listen to?

Answer 2

Heart, lungs, arteries and digestive system

Question 3

What is a stethoscope?

Answer 3

A simple device that channels sound from a small metal dish along two tubes to the Gp’s ears.

Question 4

What is meant by palpation?

Answer 4

It means to feel the patients body with the fingers

Question 5

What can a palpation help to detect?

Answer 5

Can detect abnormalities within organs such as tumours or swellings which can be felt through the skin. It can also help the GP to see where the patient feels pain when pressure is applied.

Question 6

What is percussion?

Answer 6

A diagnostic technique where the GP holds one or two fingers to the patients body, then taps them using the other hand while listening to the resulting sound.

Question 7

What can percussion be used for?

Answer 7

Assessing the condition of the lungs

Question 8

What does a hollow sound from percussion indicate?

Answer 8

That the lung is clear of fluid

Question 9

What can a dull muffled sound from percussion indicate?

Answer 9

It could indicate fluid in the lungs sometimes identifying pneumonia

Question 10

What can testing reflexes enable a GP to detect?

Answer 10

Damage to the nerve pathways

Question 11

When is the patellar reflex tested?

Answer 11

When the leg is relaxed and the weight of the leg is supported by the thigh.

Question 12

What is the patella?

Answer 12

The kneecap

Question 13

How does the patellar reflex work?

Answer 13

The point just below the patella is tapped using a rubber hammer. This stretches the tendon and sends a nerve impulse to the spinal cord. This impulse will cause another impulse from the spinal cord causing the thigh muscle to contract which results in the leg jerking upwards.

Question 14

What can the absence of a response from the patellar reflex test indicate?

Answer 14

Damage or disease to the nerve ending pathway or spinal cord

Question 15

Where can a GP use a thermometer to take a temperature reading?

Answer 15

Ear, mouth (under the tongue), anus

Question 16

What is a normal temperature reading?

Answer 16

Around 37 degrees

Question 17

What temperature can indicate illnesses such as meningitis and the flu?

Answer 17

Temperatures over 39 degrees

Question 18

What can measuring blood pressure assess?

Answer 18

The condition of a patients cardiovascular system.

Question 19

What conditions can high blood pressure increase the risk of contracting?

Answer 19

Strokes and kidney disease

Question 20

What can low blood pressure be a sign of?

Answer 20

Diabetes

Question 21

What apparatus is used to measure blood pressure?

Answer 21

A sphygmomanometer

Question 22

Explain the process for taking blood pressure.

Answer 22

A hollow cuff is placed on the patients arm just above the elbow, a pump is used to inflate the cuff. The cuff will then grip the arm tightly stopping the blood flowing past the cuff along the artery leading to the hand.
The GP now places a stethoscope on the arm below the cuff, then slowly begins releasing air from the cuff while listening through the stethoscope. A pulse can be heard through the stethoscope when the patients blood pressure is just enough to force blood through the arteries. This is called the systolic blood pressure.
GP then let’s more air out of the cuff until the pulse disappears. This means there is no pressure difference between the air in the cuff and the blood at its lowest pressure. This is the diastolic blood pressure.

Question 23

What is meant by visual examination?

Answer 23

Looking at the affected part of the body.

Question 24

What is a normal systolic blood pressure?

Answer 24

It ranges from 80 to 130 mmHg (millimetres of mercury)

Question 25

What is a normal diastolic blood pressure?

Answer 25

It ranges between 50 and 85 mmHg (millimetres of mercury)

Question 26

Why will a GP question the patient in an initial appointment?

Answer 26

To get a brief medical history, find out the symptoms the patient is experiencing, so they can make a provisional diagnosis