General Examination Of Cardiovascular System

 Cardiovascular system:

1.General Examination:

                         PICCLE

P - Pallor

I - Icterus

C - Cyanosis

C - Clubbing

L - Lymph Adenopathy

E - Edema

Pallor:

Can be seen in Anemia

     Female - 12.5 to 15.5 gm/dl

     Male - 13.5 to 17.5 gm/dl

Icterus:

Yellowish discoloration of skin in mucous membrane and body fluid.

Bilirubin - 0.1 to 0.2 mg/dl

Hyper bilirubin - 2 to 3 gm/dl

Cyanosis:

Bluish discoloration of skin and mucous membrane.

Seen in peripheral areas.

Example: 

Cynotic heart disease

Clubbing:

Can be seen in cynotic congenital disease.

Clubbing is a painless soft tissue swelling in terminal phalanges.

Schamorth's window - In phalanges

Lymph Adenopathy:

Part of immune system which are involved in tissue fluid circulation is Lymph nodes.

Can be seen in cervical axillary supraclavicular.

Edema:

Tissue swelling due to increase in interstitial fluid.

Can be seen in heart failure.

2.Arterial pulse:

Rate

Rhythm

Volume

Character

Rate:

Normal 60 - 100 beats/min

Sinus bradycardia - < 60 beats/min Hyperthermia, severe hypoxia, sleep (children)

Sinus tachycardia - > 100 beats/min Hypovolumia, myocardial infarction, excercise, emotion (infants)

Rhythm:

Regularly irregular - AV blocks

Irregularly irregular - Atrial fibrillation

Volume:

Refers to strength of the pulse.

    Normal 30 - 60 mmHg

(a) Small volume pulse - Shock, CF

(b) Large volume pulse - High output

3.Blood pressure:

The lateral pressure exerted by the column of blood on the atrial wall while the heart pumps blood constantly to all parts of the body is called blood pressure.

Systolic:

Normal - 120 mmHg

Pre Hypertension - 120 to 139 mmHg

Hypertension Stage 1 - 140 to 149 mmHg 2                                Stage 2 - > 150 mmHg

Diastolic:

Normal - 80 mmHg

Pre Hypertension - 80 to 89 mmHg

Hypertension Stage 1 - 90 to 99 mmHg                                        Stage 2 - > 100 mmHg

4.JVP (Jugular Venous Pressure):

Fluctuation of right atrial pressure during the cardiac cycle generates a pulse that is transmitted backwards into jugular veins.

Patients - 45° lying

Suprasternal notch or behind the sternocoedomastoid muscle measured.

Elevated congestive cardiac failure.

JVP falls during hypovolumic shock.

5.Examination of Pericardium:

Parallel - COPD

Funnel - Depression in lower position of the sternum.

Pigeon chest shape - Sternum displaced anteriorly; anteroposterior diameter.

6.Palpitations:

Finger tips of pulsation

*Base of fingers to trills.

*Base of fingers to heaves.

Aortic, Tricuspid, Erbs sound, Mitral

       ***The End***