Cardiac History & Physical Flashcards¶
Anki-compatible flashcards for Cardiac History & Physical Exam board review.
Q: What are the key symptoms to ask about in cardiac history? A: Cyanosis, syncope, chest pain, palpitations, exercise intolerance, poor feeding (infants), diaphoresis with feeds, failure to thrive Tags: cardiac-exam, history, high-yield
Q: What family history is critical to obtain in cardiac evaluation? A: Sudden death <50 years, cardiomyopathy, arrhythmias, CHD, Marfan/connective tissue disorders, LQTS Tags: cardiac-exam, history, family
Q: What is the grading scale for murmurs? A: Grade 1-6: 1=barely audible, 2=soft but heard, 3=moderately loud, 4=loud with thrill, 5=very loud with thrill, 6=audible without stethoscope Tags: cardiac-exam, murmur, grading, high-yield
Q: Where do you auscultate for aortic valve murmurs? A: Right upper sternal border (RUSB/aortic area), radiates to carotids Tags: cardiac-exam, auscultation
Q: Where do you auscultate for pulmonary valve murmurs? A: Left upper sternal border (LUSB/pulmonic area) Tags: cardiac-exam, auscultation
Q: Where do you auscultate for tricuspid valve murmurs? A: Left lower sternal border (LLSB/tricuspid area) Tags: cardiac-exam, auscultation
Q: Where do you auscultate for mitral valve murmurs? A: Apex/left ventricular area (5th intercostal space, midclavicular line) Tags: cardiac-exam, auscultation
Q: What does a fixed split S2 indicate? A: ASD - right heart volume overload causes delayed pulmonic valve closure without respiratory variation Tags: cardiac-exam, s2, asd, high-yield
Q: What does a widely split S2 indicate? A: RBBB, pulmonary stenosis, or ASD (anything delaying RV emptying) Tags: cardiac-exam, s2
Q: What does a single S2 suggest? A: Aortic atresia, pulmonary atresia, truncus arteriosus, severe aortic/pulmonary stenosis, or TGA Tags: cardiac-exam, s2, high-yield
Q: What is the significance of an S3 gallop in children? A: May be normal in young children; pathologic if associated with heart failure (volume overload) Tags: cardiac-exam, gallop
Q: What does an S4 gallop indicate? A: Decreased ventricular compliance (HCM, restrictive cardiomyopathy, hypertension) - always abnormal Tags: cardiac-exam, gallop
Q: What pulse finding suggests coarctation of the aorta? A: Diminished or delayed femoral pulses compared to brachial; BP gradient >20 mmHg upper to lower extremities Tags: cardiac-exam, pulses, coarctation, high-yield
Q: What pulse finding suggests aortic regurgitation or PDA? A: Bounding pulses with wide pulse pressure (water-hammer pulse) Tags: cardiac-exam, pulses
Q: What is hepatomegaly a sign of in pediatric cardiac disease? A: Right heart failure/venous congestion Tags: cardiac-exam, heart-failure
Q: What does clubbing of digits suggest? A: Chronic cyanosis (cyanotic CHD, pulmonary disease with hypoxemia) Tags: cardiac-exam, cyanosis
Q: How do you assess for cyanosis on exam? A: Look at lips, tongue, nail beds, mucous membranes; central cyanosis suggests cardiac/pulmonary cause Tags: cardiac-exam, cyanosis
Q: What is the significance of differential cyanosis? A: Lower extremity cyanosis with pink upper extremities suggests PDA with right-to-left shunting (pulmonary hypertension) Tags: cardiac-exam, cyanosis, pda
Q: What murmur timing indicates regurgitation? A: Holosystolic (pansystolic) murmurs - VSD, MR, TR Tags: cardiac-exam, murmur, timing, high-yield
Q: What murmur timing indicates stenosis or flow murmurs? A: Systolic ejection murmurs (crescendo-decrescendo) - AS, PS, innocent murmurs Tags: cardiac-exam, murmur, timing