Red Flag S/S Flashcards
Arrhythmias
- Sensation of fluttering, flopping, or racing heartbeat in chest
- Acute dizziness
- Chest pain
- SOB
- Hypotension
- Abnormal pulse (too fast, too slow, or irregular)
Hypertension
- Often asymptomatic
- Headache
- Nocturia
- Nosebleeds
Hypertensive Crisis
- Blood pressure over 180/120
- Severe headache
- Confusion
- Blurred vision
- Severe chest pain
- Seizures
- Nausea, vomiting
- SOB
- &/Or unresponsiveness
Medical emergency- call 911
Hypotension
- Dizziness
- Fainting
- Lightheadedness
- Cold skin & extremities
- Nausea
- Blurry visions
Myocardial infarction: (MI) “HT Attack”
- Pain in the chest lasting more than a few minutes (may come and go)
- Pressure or squeezing sensation in chest
- SOB
- Pain that radiates into arm (esp. Left), neck, jaw, or back
Medical Emergency: Call 911
Angina pectoris
- Chest pain and discomfort in middle 1/3 of sternum
- Pain may radiate to left jaw, neck & arm
- Pain follows exertion, eating, meals, or during periods of stres
- Pain relieved by rest
Heart failure: (Congestive Heart Failure- CHF):
- Fatigue
- SOB (esp. lying down)
- Swelling in legs/ankles/feet/abdomen
- Weight gain
- Persistent cough (esp. w/ pink frothy mucus)
- Wheezing
- Irregular heartbeats
Deep vein thrombosis:
- Swelling in ankle or lower leg (if clot in leg)
- Cramp-like pain in calf
- Increased warmth to area
- Color changes of skin in area (red or blue)
May be asymptomatic
Aortic Aneurysm
- Throbbing feeling in abdomen (felt by patient or by physician on physical exam)
- Pain in the abdomen or back
- W/ Rupture: Severe pain
Cerebral Aneurysm:
- Vision difficulties
- Pain in the eye
- Numbness or drooping on one side of face
- Dilated pupil
- W/ Rupture: sudden, severe headache
Pediculus humanus (Head Lice):
- Small whitish flecks on shaft of hair, near scalp
- Seeing lice crawling on hair
- Tickling sensation on head
- Itching
Phthirus pubis: (pubic lice or “crabs”)
- Itching in genital area
- Tickling sensation
- Seeing darker and larger lice crawling on skin and hair
Athlete’s Foot (Tinea pedis):
- Dry, itchy cracked skin on feet
- Commonly skin between toes, on soles, or top of foot
- Deep cracks in skin can lead to bleeding
Scabies
- Intense itching
- Redness seen in area of infection
- Burrows seen under skin
Basal cell carcinoma:
- Shiny, dome-shaped lesions
- Later develop a central ulcer w/ pearly beaded edge
- Most often in sun-exposed areas of face
Squamous cell carcinoma
- Lesions are scaly, reddened papules (small, round elevations)
- Often on scalp, ears, dorsal surfaces of hands, lower lip
Malignant Melanoma
- Lesions appear as spreading brown or black patches
- Can arise spontaneously or develop from a mole or pigmented spot
- ABCDE:
- A=Assymetry
- B=Border
- C=Color
- D=Diameter (6mm)
- E=evolving over time (changes)
Thyroid Storm
(excessive thyroid function)
- Agitation
- Anxiety
- Confusion
- Palpitation
- Arrhythmia
- Diaphoresis
- Heat intolerance
- Diarrhea
- Exopthalmos
- Pretibial Myxedema
Diverticulitis
(Diverticular disease)
- Severe abdominal pain
- Tenderness LLQ, (worse w/ pressure)
- If d/t infection:
- Fever/chills
- Nausea, vomiting
- Cramping
- Bloating
- Constipation
Appendicitis
- Pain in abdomen
- First periumbilical, then RLQ (McBurney’s Point)
- (+) McBurney Point
- (+) Psoas Sign
- (+) Obturator Sign
- (+) Rebound Tenderness
- (+) Rovsing’s Sign
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Inability to pass gas
- Low fever (after other s/s)
- Abdominal swelling
W/ Rupture: Acute Peritonitis (infection in abd. Cavity) can be life threatening
Caution: Women similar S/S Ectopic Pregnancy→ Ruptured Fallopian Tube