Assessing the Heart, Lungs, and Peripheral Vascular System

Note: To access this week’s required library resources, please click on the link to the Course Readings List, found in the Course Materialssection of your Syllabus.

Ball, J. W., Dains, J. E., Flynn, J. A., Solomon, B. S., & Stewart, R. W. (2015). Seidel’s guide to physical examination (8th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

  • Chapter 13, “Chest and Lungs” (pp. 260-293) 

    This chapter explains the physical exam process for the chest and lungs. The authors also include descriptions of common abnormalities in the chest and lungs.

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  • Chapter 14, “Heart” (pp. 294-331) 

    The authors of this chapter explain the structure and function of the heart. The text also describes the steps used to conduct an exam of the heart.

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    • Chapter 15, “Blood Vessels” (pp. 332-349) 

      This chapter describes how to properly conduct a physical examination of the blood vessels. The chapter also supplies descriptions of common heart disorders.

    Dains, J. E., Baumann, L. C., & Scheibel, P. (2016). Advanced health assessment and clinical diagnosis in primary care (5th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier Mosby.

  • Chapter 8, “Chest Pain” (pp. 81–96) 

    This chapter focuses on diagnosing the cause of chest pain and highlights the importance of first determining whether the patient is in a life-threatening condition. It includes questions that can help pinpoint the type and severity of pain and then describes how to perform a physical examination. Finally, the authors outline potential laboratory and diagnostic studies.

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  • Chapter 11, “Cough” (pp. 118-147) 

    A cough is a very common symptom in patients and usually indicates a minor health problem. This chapter focuses on how to determine the cause of the cough through asking questions and performing a physical exam.

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  • Chapter 14, “Dyspnea” (pp. 159–173) 

    The focus of this chapter is dyspnea, or shortness of breath. The chapter includes strategies for determining the cause of the problem through evaluation of the patient’s history, through physical examination, and through additional laboratory and diagnostic tests.

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  • Chapter 26, “Palpitations” (pp. 310-317) 

    This chapter describes the different causes of heart palpitations and details how the specific cause in a patient can be determined.

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    • Chapter 33, “Syncope” (pp. 390-397) 

      This chapter focuses on syncope, or loss of consciousness. The authors describe the difficulty of ascertaining the cause, because the patient is usually seen after the loss of consciousness has happened. The chapter includes information on potential causes and the symptoms of each.

    Sullivan , D. D. (2012). Guide to clinical documentation (2nd ed.). Philadelphia, PA: F. A. Davis.

    • Chapter 6, “Outpatient Charting and s” (pp. 119–141)

    Note: Download these Adult Examination Checklists and Physical Exam Summaries to use during your practice cardiac and respiratory examination.

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