SAMPLE Interactive Cardiovascular Case Study
Patient Notes Name: Catherine Smith, age 68 female Signs/Symptoms of patient: Short of breath, speak only in 3 word sentences Dizziness Chest pain – Quality - Dull ache Severity of 8 on scale of 1 to 10 (10 = Most severe pain imaginable) Pain increases with movement Pain radiates to back, between shoulder blades esp. when coughs Cough – frothy phlegm Swelling in feet and ankles last few weeks, maybe months - not sure Allergies – No known allergies Medications: Patient sometimes forgets to take meds, not sure how often Lasix – diuretic Atenolol – beta blocker for hypertension Past Medical History: Myocardial infarction two years ago, had bypass surgery Chronic hypertension Last oral intake: Chili for lunch, about two hours ago Event: Sitting on couch watching TV |
Day 1 1. There is a lot of information to manage in this case. One way to methodically process this information is to create a list of differential diagnoses. Based on the information presented in the SAMPLE history, what types of disorders would you include on your differential list? It is best to make your initial list more inclusive than exclusive and then rule out disorders as you gain additional information. Give a brief justification for each differential on your list. (What information do you have that matches up with each disorder?) |