Cardiovascular: History
- Chest pain, discomfort
- Dyspnoea
- Palpitations
- Fatigue
- Syncope, dizziness
- Intermittent claudication
- Ankle swelling
- Past medical, surgical history
- Family, social,
drug history
- Systems
- SOCRATES.
- Onset: recent pattern changes.
- Character: dull discomfort (angina).
- Timing: at rest vs. exertion, meals (GERD).
- Exacerbating: inspiration, movement.
- Alleviating: sublingual nitrates, leaning forward.
- Exertional: how far can you walk?
- Orthopnoea: sleep with pillows?
- Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea: gasp at night?
- Ever unusually aware of heartbeat?
- SOCRATES.
- Onset: sudden vs. gradual.
- Timing: slow vs. fast.
- Timing: regular vs. irregular.
- Missed beat sensations.
- Change in fatigue levels.
- SOCRATES.
- Onset: saw blood (vasovagal).
- Onset: stood up (HTN drugs, angina drugs).
- Onset: felt it coming on.
- Conscious vs. unconscious.
- Distance walked before leg pain.
- Symmetrical vs. asymmetrical.
- How far up leg.
- MI, angina.
- Rheumatic fever.
- HTN, HTN of pregnancy.
- Congenital heart problems.
- STDs, infections.
- Dental work (S. viridans).
- Investigations: angiogram.
- Surgery: CABG, transplant, valve replacement, angioplasty.
- Condition in a relative, what age.
- MI.
- Angina.
- Congenital heart dz.
- Mitral valve prolapse.
- Marfan's.
- DM.
- HTN.
- Smoking: ever smoked, how many per day, for how long, type [cigarette,
pipe, chew].
- Alcohol (hypercholesteremia risk).
- Occupation: stress, work interruption.
- Activity levels.
- High cholesterol diet.
- See Atherosclerosis Risk
Factors Reference.
- Describe your home: stairs, etc.
- Who is with you there at home [help if MI, help with tasks].
- HRT.
- Thyroid drugs.
- Diabetic drugs.
- Prostate dz drugs.
- Steroids.
- Vasodilator (cause of ankle edema).
- Allergies.
- Allergies to drugs, dyes.
- Pulmonary (dyspnea cause).
- Alimentary GERD (chest pain cause).
- Nervous (syncope cause).
Cardiovascular Exam »