Dilated cardiomyopathy physical examination

Overview

Patients with [disease name] usually appear [general appearance]. Physical examination of patients with [disease name] is usually remarkable for [finding 1], [finding 2], and [finding 3].

Physical Examination

Appearance of the Patient

• Patients with DCM usually appear [general appearance].

Vital Signs

• High-grade / low-grade fever
• Tachycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
• Bradycardia with regular pulse or (ir)regularly irregular pulse
• Tachypnea / bradypnea
• Kussmal respirations may be present in _____ (advanced disease state)
• Weak/bounding pulse / pulsus alternans / paradoxical pulse / asymmetric pulse
• High/low blood pressure with normal pulse pressure / wide pulse pressure / narrow pulse pressure

Skin

• Cyanosis
• Pallor

HEENT

• Abnormalities of the head/hair may include ___
• Evidence of trauma
• Icteric sclera
• Nystagmus
• Extra-ocular movements may be abnormal
• Pupils non-reactive to light / non-reactive to accommodation / non-reactive to neither light nor accommodation
• Ophthalmoscopic exam may be abnormal with findings of ___
• Hearing acuity may be reduced

Neck

• Jugular venous distension
• Carotid bruits may be auscultated unilaterally/bilaterally using the bell/diaphragm of the otoscope
• Hepatojugular reflux

Lungs

• Asymmetric chest expansion OR decreased chest expansion
• Lungs are hyporesonant OR hyperresonant
• Fine/coarse crackles upon auscultation of the lung bases/apices unilaterally/bilaterally
• Rhonchi
• Vesicular breath sounds OR distant breath sounds
• Expiratory wheezing OR inspiratory wheezing with normal OR delayed expiratory phase
• Wheezing may be present
• Egophony present/absent
• Bronchophony present/absent
• Normal/reduced tactile fremitus

Heart

• Chest tenderness upon palpation
• PMI within 2 cm of the sternum (PMI) / Displaced point of maximal impulse (PMI) suggestive of ____
• Heave / thrill
• Friction rub
• S1
• S2
• S3
• S4
• Gallops
• A high/low grade early/late systolic murmur / diastolic murmur best heard at the base/apex/(specific valve region) may be heard using the bell/diaphgram of the stethoscope

Abdomen

• Abdominal distension
• Hepatomegaly

Back

• Back examination of patients with DCM is usually normal

Genitourinary

• Genitourinary examination of patients with DCM is usually normal.

Neuromuscular

• Neuromuscular examination of patients with [disease name] is usually normal.

OR

• Patient is usually oriented to persons, place, and time
• Altered mental status
• Glasgow coma scale is ___ / 15
• Clonus may be present

Extremities

• Cyanosis
• Pitting/non-pitting edema of the upper/lower extremities

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