Cardiovascular systemBlood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm.
Jugular venous pressure (JVP), peripheral oedema and evidence for pulmonary oedema.
Precordial exam (cardiac exam)
Lungs
Jugular venous pressure (JVP), peripheral oedema and evidence for pulmonary oedema.
Precordial exam (cardiac exam)
Lungs
4 parts: examination, auscultation, palpation, percussion
Examination involves observing the respiratory rate which should be in a ratio of 1:2 inspiration:expiration. An acidotic patient will have more rapid breathing to compensate known as Kussmaul breathing. Another type of breathing is Cheyne-Stokes respiration, which is alternating breathing in high frequency and low frequency from brain stem injury. Also observe for retractions seen in asthmatics. Observe for barrel-chest (increased AP diameter) seen in COPD. Observe for shifted trachea or one sided chest expansion, which can hint pneumothorax.
Lung auscultation is listening to the lungs bilaterally at the anterior chest and posterior chest. Wheezing is described as a musical sound on expiration or inspiration. It is the result of narrowed airways. Rhonchi are bubbly sounds similar to blowing bubbles through a straw into a sundae. They are heard on expiration and inspiration. It is the result of viscous fluid in the airays. Crackles or rales are similar to rhonchi except they are only heard during inspiration. It is the result of alveoli popping open from increased air pressure.
For palpation, place both palms or medial aspects of hands on the posterior lung field. Ask the patient to count 1-10. The point of this part is to feel for vibrations and compare between the right/left lung field. If the pt has a consolidation (maybe caused by pneumonia), the vibration will be louder at that part of the lung. This is because sound travels faster through denser material than air.
On percussion, you are testing mainly for pleural effusion or pneumothorax. The sound will be more tympanic if there is a pneumothorax because air will stretch the pleural membranes like a drum. If there is fluid between the pleural membranes, the percussion will be dampened and sound muffled.
There is always difficulty differentiating between pneumonia and pleural effusion based on just auscultation since both will have crackles or rhonchi. That is why such exams like palpation will help differentiate between the two. If there is pneumonia, palpation should reveal increased vibration and percussion should be decreased. If there is pleural effusion, palpation should reveal decreased vibration and percussion should also be decreased.
Lung auscultation is listening to the lungs bilaterally at the anterior chest and posterior chest. Wheezing is described as a musical sound on expiration or inspiration. It is the result of narrowed airways. Rhonchi are bubbly sounds similar to blowing bubbles through a straw into a sundae. They are heard on expiration and inspiration. It is the result of viscous fluid in the airays. Crackles or rales are similar to rhonchi except they are only heard during inspiration. It is the result of alveoli popping open from increased air pressure.
For palpation, place both palms or medial aspects of hands on the posterior lung field. Ask the patient to count 1-10. The point of this part is to feel for vibrations and compare between the right/left lung field. If the pt has a consolidation (maybe caused by pneumonia), the vibration will be louder at that part of the lung. This is because sound travels faster through denser material than air.
On percussion, you are testing mainly for pleural effusion or pneumothorax. The sound will be more tympanic if there is a pneumothorax because air will stretch the pleural membranes like a drum. If there is fluid between the pleural membranes, the percussion will be dampened and sound muffled.
There is always difficulty differentiating between pneumonia and pleural effusion based on just auscultation since both will have crackles or rhonchi. That is why such exams like palpation will help differentiate between the two. If there is pneumonia, palpation should reveal increased vibration and percussion should be decreased. If there is pleural effusion, palpation should reveal decreased vibration and percussion should also be decreased.
Breasts
Abdomen
Abdominal examination notes in particular any tenderness, bloating, organ enlargement, or aortic aneurysm.
No abdominal examination is complete without a Rectal examination
Genitalia
Musculoskeletal system
Nervous system, including mental status
Head and neck (HEENT)
Abdominal examination notes in particular any tenderness, bloating, organ enlargement, or aortic aneurysm.
No abdominal examination is complete without a Rectal examination
Genitalia
Musculoskeletal system
Nervous system, including mental status
Head and neck (HEENT)
Skin
Check of the hair to see if the hair growth is receding (baldness) or there is loss of hair (alopecia).
Check of the skin will tell if there are marks such as hemangioma or strawberry marks or changes to the skin. Dark spots on the skin, nevi are also places where cancerous changes can appear because the face, head and neck are most usually sun exposed. Specific skin conditions (e.g. pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, acanthosis nigricans) may be associated with specific diseases (ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, respectively).
Check of the skin will tell if there are marks such as hemangioma or strawberry marks or changes to the skin. Dark spots on the skin, nevi are also places where cancerous changes can appear because the face, head and neck are most usually sun exposed. Specific skin conditions (e.g. pyoderma gangrenosum, erythema nodosum, acanthosis nigricans) may be associated with specific diseases (ulcerative colitis, sarcoidosis and polycystic ovary syndrome, respectively).
