BY Jose Poulose Relevancy Score: 100 Mon Jun 22, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Dr Jose Poulose MINEOLA CARDIOLIGIST
The physician also looks for enlarged (distended) veins in the neck and for swelling (edema) in the legs (particularly the ankles and feet) and/or the abdomen; checks the blood pressure in both arms (rare conditions produce different blood pressures in each arm); and may also look at the back of the eyes with an ophthalmoscope, to examine the small blood vessels there for signs of damage (e.g., from chronic high blood pressure).
Obtaining a medical history requires the doctor or nurse to ask the patient for information. The doctor usually asks if there is a history of heart problems (such as heart attack) or chest pains (which might suggest coronary artery disease); if the patient has suddenly developed a sensation of shortness of breath and chest pains (which can suggest that a blood clot has broken off from a blood vessel in the legs and traveled to the lungs); if the patient is losing weight or feels hot all the time (symptoms of an overactive thyroid gland); and if the patient regularly consume alcohol. READ»
