Health Assessment Terms

Angina Chest pain signs clenching fist symptoms diaphoresis, cold sweats, pallor, grayness, Palpitations, dyspnea, nausea, tachycardia, fatigue Dyspnea Shortness of breath difficult, labored breathing- quantify exactly. Paroxysmal, (sudden increase in symptoms), constant or intermittent, recumbent, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND) -- heart failure Orthopnea the need to assume a more upright position to breathe (note exact number of pillows used) Cyanosis/Pallor dusky blue mottling of the skin and mucous membranes due to excessive amount of reduced hemoglobin in the blood, occurs with myocardial infarction or low cardiac output states as a result of decreased tissue perfusion Nocturia Recumbency at night promotes fluid reabsorption and excretion this occurs with heart failure in the person who is ambulatory during the day Location of the Apical Impulse Located at the 5th left intercostal space in the midclavicular line Aortic Valve The left semilunar valve separating the left ventricle and the aorta Erbs Point Traditional auscultatory area in the 3rd left intercostal space First Heart Sound (S1) Caused by the closure of the atriventricular (AV) valves signals the beginning of systole Midclavicular Line Imaginary vertical line bisecting the middle of the clavicle in each hemithorax Palpitation Uncomfortable awareness of rapid or irregular heart rate Pericardial Friction Rub High-pitched, scratchy extracardiac sound heard when the precordium is inflamed Mitral Valve Left atrioventricular valve separating the left atria and ventricle Tricuspid Valve Right atrioventricular valve separating the right atria and ventricle Summation Gallop Abnormal mid-diastolic heart sound heard when both the pathologic S3 and S4 are present Physiologic Splitting Normal variation in S2 heard as two separate components during inspiration The Semilunar Valves Aortic valve and Pulmonic valve The Atrioventricular (AV) Valves Mitral Valve and Tricuspid Valve Pulse Deficit Signals a weak