Intro to clinical skills Flashcards
Pulse depends on
Intermittent injection of blood from the heart into the aorta which alternately increases and decreases the pressure
Flexibility of the arterial wall which allows expansion with each injection of the blood and then recoil
Importance of the pulse
Can tell us about the heart through the force of contraction
the rate of heart contraction
Gives us clues to any outflow problems
Tells us circulating blood volume
Occasionally indicates state of blood vessels
When can a pulse be felt
Wherever an artery lies near the surface and over a bone or other firm background
Limb pulses
Brachial artery Radial artery Femoral artery Popliteal artery Posterior Tibial artery Dorsalis Pedis artery
Brachial artery
At the bend of the elbow along the inner margin of biceps muscle, used to measure bp
Radial artery
At the outer aspect of the wrist, base of thumb
Brachial artery
Inner aspect of the wrist, equivalent to brachial
Popliteal artery
Behind the knee
Posterior Tibial artery
Behind medial malleolus
Dorsalis Pedis artery
On the dorsum of the foot along the line between 1st and 2nd toes
Head and Neck pulses
Common Carotid artery
Temporal artery
Facial artery
Examination of the pulse
Rate Rhythm Character Auscultation Strength Volume
Normal heart rates
New-born: 70-120 bpm
Infant: 80-160 bpm
Preschool child: 75-120 bpm
School child: 70-100 bpm
Reasons for fluctuation of temp
Diurnally
Exercise and eating
W/ menstruation
NOT w/ environment
Temp measuring sites
Oral Axillary Rectal Tympanic Temporal
Hyperthermia/ pyrexia causes
Infection Drugs Heat stroke Stroke Autonomic and infl diseases Malignancy and Gout
Hypothermia causes
Multifactorial Alcohol, drugs Hypoglycaemia, hypoadrenalism Infections (paradoxical - associated w/ poor prognosis) Post-op
Method of taking bp
Apply cuff
Inflate cuff while palpating brachial artery
Deflate cuff while auscultating artery
Record systolic and diastolic to nearest 2 mmHg and debrief patient
Apply cuff
Expose arm and choose correct size
Centre cuff over brachial artery, 2-3 cm above pulse point
Tubes should be superior or slightly off centre
Inflate cuff
Close valve
Place finger on pulse (brachial or radial)
Pump air until pulse disappears
Pump another 20-30 mmHg
Deflate cuff
Replace fingers w/ stethoscope over pulse position
Listen for Korotkov sounds
Korotkov phases
Tapping starts - systolic Tapping softer and swishing - auscultatory gap Tapping louder, sharper, clearer Tapping muffled Tapping disappears - diastolic
Taking history
Presenting complaint History of presenting complaint Past medical history Drug history Allergies Social history Family history
Intro before taking history
Introduce yourself (name and role) Check patients name and dob Explain what you want to do and gain consent
Systemic enquiry
Are you otherwise well?
Have you got any other symptoms
Problems w/ SAWTEM
SAWTEM
Sleep Appetite Weight Temp Energy Mood
Presentation of MSK disease
Pain Stiffness Deformity Swelling Paraesthesia Numbness
Principles of MSK examination
Look
Feel
Move
Assess do normal side first for comparison
Hip examination - Look
Leg length discrepancy - measure true then apparent Muscle wasting Flexion deformity ---> OA Scars overlying hips Lumbar lordosis Stance - straight or no Pelvic tilt - looking at iliac crests
Hip examination - Feel
Bony landmarks incl: Iliac crest ASIS Greater trochanter Pubic tubercle
ASIS
Anterior Superior Iliac Spine
Hip examination - Move
Abduction Adduction Flexion Extension Internal rotation External rotation Move leg against your hand w/ resistance - soft tissue injury if only pain w/ Trendelburg's test Thomas test
True leg length
ASIS to medial malleolus
Foot and ankle examination - Look
Observe feet, comparing for symmetry
Look at forefoot for nail changes or skin rashes
Look for alignment of the toes - hallux valgus of big toes or sublimation of joints
Callus formation
Patients footwear - asymmetrical wearing of the sole or upper
Foot and ankle examination - Look (w/ weight-bearing)
Toe alignment and whether in contact w/ ground
Foot arch position - look at midpoint (low arch resolves when on tip toes)
Achilles tendon thickening or swelling - hindfoot
Normal alignment of the hindfoot - varus/ valgus deformity
Foot and ankle examination - Feel
Bony landmarks
Palpate for tenderness
Squeeze MTP joints - discomfort?
Presence of a peripheral pulse - dorsalis pedis
Integrity of Achilles tendon - calf squeeze test
Bony landmarks in foot and ankle
Lateral/ medial malleolus Calcaneus 5th metatarsal bone Medial longitudinal arch Joints
Foot and ankle examination -Move
Inversion and eversion at the subtalar joint
Dorsi and plantar flexion at big toe and ankle joint - restriction and/or crepitus
Passively invert and evert forefoot w/ heel fixed
Knee examination - Look
Compare knees for symmetry and alignment Look at back of knees Normal posture Muscle wasting of quadriceps Gait Swelling and redness --> infl/infection
Valgus deformity
Leg deviated laterally
Varus deformity
Leg deviated medially
Types of swelling
Effusion
Soft tissue
Bony
Knee examination - Feel
Bony landmarks
Use resistance and look at dflexion and extension
Feel skin temp using back of hand, mid-thigh vs over knee
Palpate for tenderness along borders of patella
Feel behind knee for popliteal cyst
Sweep/ bulge test
Patellar tap
Ballotement test
Follow up w/ hip exam - hip arthritis can present as knee pain
Knee examination - Move
Active movement - full extension
Passive movement
Flex knee to 90 degrees and check stability of ligaments
Anterior draw test and posterior draw test
Asess medial and lateral collateral ligament stability
How do deaths occurs after an accident
Trimodal death distribution
Peaks in trimodal death distribution
1st peak - within seconds to minutes at accident site
2nd peak - within minutes to hours at Hosp
3rd peak - days to weeks in hosp icu
1st peak of trimodal death distribution
Death due to laceration of the brain Laceration of the brainstem Rupture of major vessels e.g. aorta Laceration of the spinal cord Rupture of heart
2nd peak of trimodal death distribution
Brain haemorrhage such as extradural and subdural
Haemothorax, tension pneumothorax, open pneumothorax
Pelvic fracture
Long bone fractures
Abdominal injuries e.g ruptured liver and spleen
Golden hour principles
Save life
Save limb
Save joint
3rd peak of trimodal death distribution
ARDS MODS Renal failure Pneumonia Sepsis
ATLS
Advanced Trauma Life Support A - airway w/ cervical spine control B - breathing w/ ventilation C - control of haemorrhage D - disability brain protection E - exposure
SIRS
Systemic Infl response
Leads to leaky vessels –> multiple organ failure
Can last a few days or a few weeks
IL-6 is a proven marker
CARS
Counter-regulatory anti-infl response
After trauma there’s a balance between SIRS and CARS
Terrible triad
Acidosis
Coagulopathy (platelet count <90,000)
Hypothermia (<32 degrees)
MODS
Multiple organ dysfunction syndrome
Can be fatal
ARDS
Adult respiratory distress syndrome
Can be fatal
Joint injections
Injecting steroid into a joint to reduce infl but also reduces function of immune system
Shingles
Reactivation of chicken pox virus, presents as v. red rash (blistering) and stays in one dermatome
Treatment of shingles
Aciclovir
Pneumonia
Infection of lung
Alveoli gets filled w/ WBCs and becomes consolidated
Can be fatal if suffering from other illnesses
Amoxicillin
Dosage of 250/300 mg TDS for a week to treat a chest infection
Tendonitis
Infl of tendons
Glucose in urine
Diabetes
Pregnancy
Leaky kidney
HBA 1C in urine (glycated hb)
If found do a blood test
Indicates sugar levels over last 3 months