Approach to the Cardiovascular Patient

Abstract

April 2005

Section 1 Cardiovascular Medicine

I Approach to the Cardiovascular Patient

Catherine M. Otto,
Professor of Medicine and Acting Director, Division of Cardiology, and Director, Cardiology Fellowship Program, University of Washington School of Medicine

David M. Shavelle,
Interventional Fellow, Good Samaritan Hospital, Los Angeles

The complete evaluation of the cardiovascular patient begins with a thorough history and a detailed physical examination. These two initial steps will often lead to the correct diagnosis and assist in excluding life-threatening conditions. This chapter discusses the cardiovascular conditions that frequently require evaluation—chest pain, dyspnea, palpitations, syncope, and cardiac murmurs—and reviews the background, history and physical examination, and diagnostic tests available for each. Diagnostic algorithms are provided, and the appropriate use of invasive and noninvasive cardiac testing for each condition is discussed. This chapter contains 51 references.

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