clin skills Flashcards
(18 cards)
what to ask when a patient has cough and sputum
> duration
-cough of recent origin+fever=infection
-chronic cough(>8/52) associated w/ asthma or COPD
>changes
-changes in coughing pattern= worsening infection?= tumour?
>contents of cough
-dry cough= atypical pneumonia? GORD? ILD(interstitial lung disease)? ACEi use?
-sputum is present= colour? green/yellow/clear=infection. pink can be from CHF;haemoptysis may be a result from tumor/ trauma/ irritation to airways/ TB
what to ask when a patient presents with dyspnoea
> onset time
-if it came on quickly=emergency?= pneumothorax( also has sharp chest pain)/ PE(pulmonary embolism)? or infection
-progressively worsening=COPD/ILD
-random onsets=asthma
what could it be if a pt presents with a chronic cough >8/52 with wheezing
asthma/COPD
what are DDx of changing coughing patterns
-worsening infection
-tumour
what could a dry cough indicate
-atypical pneumonia
-GORD
-ILD
-ACEi use
what could a green/yellow/clear sputum colour mean
can be infection
what could a pink sputum colour mean
can be from CHF
what may haemoptysis indicate
-tumour
-trauma
-irritation to airways
-TB
what could it mean if there was a quick onset of dyspnoea
-pneumothorax
-PE(pulmonary embolism)
-infection
N.B pneumothorax also has sharp chest pain
what could it mean if dyspnoea is progressively worsening
COPD
ILD
what if there is random onsets of dyspnoea
may be asthma
what can it mean if there is whistling noise on expiration
-obstruction within respiratory tract
-asthma
-COPD
-tumour
what would you ask if a pt presents with chest pain
> onset time?
-quick=pneumothorax/PE
>worse on inspiration?
-pleurisy/pleuritis (from pneumonia, PE or infarct)
what may epistaxis or rhinorrheoa mean
most commonly infection
what to look for on general inspection
-body habitus
-distress i.e pain/discomfort
-SOB
-wheeze/stridor
-cough
is wheeze or stridor a sign of LRT obstruction
wheeze
what may tachypnoea indicate
-LRTI
-COPD
-asthma attacks
-PTx(pneumothorax)
