About-Cardio
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We provide our users the most up-to-date and accurate information on the treatment and prevention of cardio pathologies in accordance with current American and European clinical guidelines.
The information provided on this website is for educational purposes only and should not be considered medical advice. Always consult a licensed physician for diagnosis and treatment.
Heart Physical Exam
Introduction
A heart physical exam is a crucial component of cardiovascular assessment. It helps doctors detect heart diseases early and assess cardiac function. The exam consists of several steps, including inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation.
Steps of the Heart Physical Exam
1. Inspection
- The doctor looks for visible signs of heart disease, such as chest deformities, visible pulsations, and signs of fluid retention (e.g., swelling in the legs).
- Skin color is also evaluated for signs of poor blood circulation (e.g., cyanosis or pallor).
2. Palpation
- The physician places their hands on the chest to feel for abnormal movements or vibrations (thrills), which may indicate turbulent blood flow.
- The apical impulse (heartbeat felt at the chest wall) is assessed—displacement may suggest an enlarged heart.
3. Percussion
- This step is less commonly performed today due to improved imaging techniques.
- The doctor taps on the chest to estimate the size of the heart by detecting where dullness begins (heart borders).
4. Auscultation
- Using a stethoscope, the doctor listens to the heart sounds at key areas of the chest (aortic, pulmonic, tricuspid, and mitral areas).
- Normal heart sounds (S1 and S2) are assessed.
- The presence of extra sounds (S3, S4), murmurs, or pericardial rubs may indicate underlying heart conditions such as heart failure, valve disease, or pericarditis.
Clinical Significance
A heart physical exam provides important clues to conditions such as: - Heart failure (S3 gallop, displaced apical impulse) - Valve diseases (murmurs from stenosis or regurgitation) - Pericarditis (pericardial friction rub) - Congenital heart defects
Summary
A heart physical exam is an essential, non-invasive tool for identifying cardiovascular conditions. It provides key information that guides further diagnosis, such as ECG, echocardiography, or other imaging studies.
Source recommendations
1. American Heart Association Guidelines for Cardiovascular Examination
- https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/consumer-healthcare/what-is-cardiovascular-disease/heart-health-screenings
- https://elearning.heart.org/course/437
- https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements
- https://atlas.heart.org/
- https://professional.heart.org/en/guidelines-and-statements/prevent-calculator
2. European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on Clinical Cardiovascular Examination
- https://www.escardio.org/Guidelines/Clinical-Practice-Guidelines/ESC-Guidelines-on-non-cardiac-surgery-cardiovascular-assessment-and-managem
- https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36017553/
- https://www.escardio.org/Education/Career-Development/European-Exam-in-Core-Cardiology-(EECC)
- https://academic.oup.com/eurheartj/article/35/35/2383/425095
- https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIR.0000000000001063
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If you or your loved ones experience any of these symptoms, you should consult a doctor in time. Remember that self-medication can be dangerous, and timely diagnosis will preserve the quality and life expectancy.
The heart is an organ that does not know how to "keep silent" if something goes wrong. Chest pain, shortness of breath, swelling, dizziness, and rhythm disturbances are the symptoms that require our attention. The best prevention of heart disease is careful attention to your health, regular checkups with a doctor, and a healthy lifestyle. Take care of your heart, and it will serve you for many years!
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Our answers to your questions are based on the clinical recommendations of countries with the most developed healthcare systems in the field of cardiology in the USA, the EU and Japan.
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Every 3-5 years, half of the scientific approaches to treatment in the field of cardiology are reviewed as a result of specialized scientific discoveries. With us, you don't have to wait these years to learn about the best ways to treat you and your loved ones.