Physical examination template

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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Charmaine Patel, M.D. [2]

Introduction to the Physical Examination Page

• The page name should be "(Disease name) physical examination", with only the first letter of the title capitalized.
• Goal:To describe in detail the various aspects of the physical examination with attention to how the disease you are describing may present.
• Remember this section is to describe what characteristics may be found on physical examination, not how to do a physical exam (unless you are including specialized signs, eg Chvostek's sign, in which case you may give a brief description).
• As with all microchapter pages liking to the main page, at the top of the edit box put {{CMG}}, your name template, and the microchapter navigation template you created at the beginning.
• Remember to create links within Wikidoc by placing [[square brackets]] around key words which you want to link to other pages. For more information on how to create links click here.
• Remember to follow the same format and capitalization of letters as outlined in the template below.
• Below you will see examples of what you may describe as part of the physical examination.

Overview

• The overview section should include the disease name in the first sentence.
• The goal is to summarize the physical examination page in several sentences. This section can be the same as the physical examination segment on the overview page.
• To see an example of an overview section on a physical examination page, click here.
• A template sentence for the overview statement is as follows: "Disease name" is commonly associated with the findings of ___ on physical examination. Other pertinent findings include ___".

Appearance of the Patient

• This section should give a general description of what a patient with the disease you are describing may look like. You may include a physical description such as obese, thin, cachectic, well appearing, ill appearing, diaphoretic etc.
• For an example of the appearance of a patient section in the physical examination page, click here.

Vitals

Temperature

• A fever is often present
• Hypothermia may be present

Pulse

Rate

• Tachycardia may be present
• Bradycardia may be present

Rhythm

• The pulse is regular
• The pules is irregularly irregular

Strength

• The pulse may be weak
• The pulse may be bounding
• The pulse may be alternating in strength (pulsus alternans)
• A paradoxical pulse may be present

Symmetry

• The pulses may be asymmetric

Blood Pressure

• Hypotension may be present
• Hypertension may be present
• A wide pulse pressure may be present
• A narrow pulse pressure may be present

Respiratory Rate

• Tachypnea may be present
• Bradypnea may be present
• Kussmaul respirations may be present

Skin

• Cyanosis may be present
• Jaundice may be present
• A rash may be present
• Pallor may be present
• Lesions may be present

Head

• Abnormalities of the head/hair may include ___
• There may be evidence of trauma

Eyes

• Icteric sclera may be present
• Nystagmus may be present.
• Extra-ocular movements may be abnormal
• Pupils may not react to light
• Ophthalmoscopic exam may be abnormal with findings of ___

Ears

• Hearing acuity may be reduced
• Weber test may be positive
• Rinne test may be positive
• There may be exudate from the ear canal
• There may be tenderness on movement of the pinnae

Nose

• Nares may be inflamed
• There may be epistaxis
• There may be purulent exudate from the nares
• There may be tenderness to percussion of the sinuses
• The nares may be congested

Throat

• The throat may be erythematous
• There may be exudate in the throat
• There may be petechiae seen in the throat
• There may be tonsillar inflammation

Neck

• Jugular venous pressure may be elevated
• Carotid bruits may be present
• Lymph nodes may be present
• Thyromegaly may be present
• Hepatojugular reflux may be present

Lungs

• Pulmonary edema and rales may be present
• Wheezing may be present
• Consolidation may be present with reduced breath sounds auscultated
• Rales may be present
• Egophony may be present
• Chest movement may be assymetric

Heart

• A heave may be present
• A thrill may be present

Auscultation

• S1
• S2
• S3
• S4
• Gallops
• A systolic murmur best heard at the base may be present
• A systolic murmur best heard at the apex may be present
• A diastolic murmur may be present

Abdomen

• Abdominal distention may be present
• Abdominal tenderenss may be present
• Rebound may be present
• An acute abdomen may be present
• An abdominal mass may be present
• Hepatomegaly may be present
• Splenomegaly may be present

Extremities

• Clubbing may be present
• Cyanosis may be present
• Edema may be present