[Professor’s name appears here]
[University name appears here]
[Date appears here]
QUESTION 1:
The components of physical assessment are:
Inspection
Palpation
Percussion
Auscultation
These are the four main components and this protocol is followed every time a physical assessment is done on a patient presenting in a clinic.
QUESTION 2:
The blood pressure is measured using two main methods. These two methods are palpatory and auscultatory method. In palpatory method, the systolic values are obtained only and it is done merely to cross check the systolic value obtained through auscultatory method. In auscultatory method, a sphygmomanometer along with a stethoscope is required to listen to both, systolic and diastolic sound. There is a cuff present that is inflated and then the sounds are heard through stethoscope while the cuff is deflated slowly.
The numerator denotes the systolic blood pressure while the denominator shows the diastolic blood pressure values. These pressures are indirectly depicting the quantum of work myocardium has to do every time the heart beats. They should constantly remain within nirmal limits because when raised, its called as hypertension.
According to American Heart Association (2015), a diagnosis of hypertension or high blood pressure is made when the systolic blood pressure is more than 120 mmHg and diastolic pressure is more than 80 mmHg with readings taken at two different occasions at least 3 hours apart.
QUESTION 3:
QUESTION 4:
Most of the laboratory values were deranged and are stated below:
QUESTION 5:
On the contrary, MRI uses a powerful magnet along with radio frequency waves to build images of high quality of bones and soft tissues in the body. However, MRI doesn’t give radiation to the patient. They are useful in diagnosing joint pathology, disc prolapse and ligament injury.
In Mr. Smith’s case, CT and MRI confirmed metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma with adrenal nodule compressing the gut lumen.
QUESTION 6:
”Refractory hypokalemia due to ectopic ACTH production.”
The medical phrase above states that MR. Smith had hypokalemia when his electrolytes were measured the first time. Keeping that in mind, he was given correctional therapy to replenish that hypokalemia. Even after vigorous treatment, the patient showed no improvement, instead the severity got worsened. It was because the prostate carcinoma had originally metastasized to distant location which gave rise to paraneoplastic condition in which there is abnormal production of a normal hormone from an abnormal site called as ectopic. In this case, it is ectopic ACTH production. The hypokalemia is refractory to treatment because there is uncontrolled secretion of ACTH.
The series of tests that are performed when a patient presents in the clinic, actually assists physicians and health personnel to reach to a diagnosis. These tests detect even minute abnormal changes which essentially aids in diagnosing sometimes lethal diseases while they can be cured. (University of California, San Francisco, 2015)
References
American Heart Association,. (2015). How High Blood Pressure is Diagnosed. Retrieved 17 February 2016, from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HighBloodPressure/SymptomsDiagnosisMonitoringofHighBloodPressure/How-High-Blood-Pressure-is-Diagnosed_UCM_301873_Article.jsp
North Central Surgical Center Hospital,. (2016). What’s the difference between an X-ray, CT scan and MRI?. Retrieved 17 February 2016, from http://www.northcentralsurgical.com/whats-the-difference-between-an-x-ray-ct-scan-and-mri/#
