Health Assessment

• Bulimia


  An eating disorder characterized by regular, often secretive bouts of overeating followed by self-induced vomiting or purging, strict dieting, or extreme exercise, associated with persistent and excessive concern with body weight
• Anorexia


  An eating disorder that causes a severe and strong fear of gaining weight
• AAA


  Abdominal aortic aneurysm
• IAPP


  To delay uncomfortable and alter results
• Paralytic ileus


  The condition where the motor activity of the bowel is impaired, usually without the presence of a physical obstruction
• Hyperthyroidism (Grave's Disease)


  When the thyroid gland makes too much thyroid hormone (High appetite, weight loss, diarrhea)
• Hypothyroidism (Hashimoto's disease)


  Where the thyroid gland does not produce enough hormones (Low appetite, weight gain, constipation)
• Constipation


  A condition in which a person has uncomfortable or infrequent bowel movements, generally fewer than three times a week (poor fluid, low water, low fiber)
• Diarrhea


  When stools are loose and watery (infection, spoiled food)
• Borborygmi


  A rumbling or gurgling noise made by the movement of fluid and gas in the intestines (hyperperistalsis), leading to diarrhea and problems with digestion when the GI tract doesn't have enough time to break food down properly and absorb its nutrients
• Bruit


  Indication of alcoholic (hepatitis) means inflammation of the liver
• Venous Hum


  Obstruction = artery (aorta)
• Friction Rub


  Splenic problems (Infarction)
• Tympany


  Stomach & Intestine (organ)
• Dullness


  Dense organ (liver)
• Resonance


  Lungs (Air filled)
• Ascites


  A condition in which fluid collects in spaces within your abdomen (fluid build up)
• Hepatic Encephalopathy


  Advanced liver dysfunction, severe liver disease
• Ileocecal valve


  A sphincter muscle situated at the junction of the ileum (last portion of your small intestine) and the colon (first portion of your large intestine)
• Bowel Sounds


  Diaphragm stethoscope
• Vascular Sounds


  Bell of the stethoscope
• Types of Pain

  • Visceral pain - a hollow organ distend or contract forcefully
  • Parietal pain - parietal peritoneum becomes inflamed (peritonitis/appendicitis)
  • Referred pain - distant sites
• COLDSPA mnemonic

  • Character
  • Onset
  • Location
  • Duration
  • Severity
  • Pattern
  • Associated Factors
• Thrombus


  Blood Clot
• Embolus


  Wandering Clot
• Pulmonary Stenosis


  Narrowing of pulmonary valve
• Atrial septal defect


  Hole in the wall (septum)
• Rheumatic Heart Disease


  Damage to valves can cause rheumatic scarlet fever (Flushed Skin)
• Polycythemia


  Increase in red blood cells
• Cushing Syndrome


  Too much hormone cortisol
• Cardiac tamponade


  Pressure on the heart that occurs when blood or fluid builds up in the space between the heart muscle and the outer covering sac (pericardium) of the heart
• Precordium


  The portion of the body over the heart and lower chest
• Carditis


  Inflammation of the heart
• Heaves/Lifts


  Forcefully rising
• Cardiovascular disease


  Pulmonary edema
• Thromboangiitis Obliterans


  Buergers Disease
• Ischemia


  A condition in which blood flow (and thus oxygen) is restricted or reduced in a part of the body
• Atherosclerosis


  Plaque build up
• Arteriosclerosis


  Hardening of blood vessel
• Myocardial infarction


  Heart attack