CLINICAL-HYPERTENSION EXAMINATION
SUMMARY
1. General inspection - features of Cushing's, acromegaly.
2. Finger clubbing.
3. Pulse - radio-radial delay (subclavian artery stenosis); radio-femoral delay (aortic coarctation).
4. Measure BP from right and left arms.
5. Measure postural BP - wait 2 min after change of posture.
6. Examine JVP - raised due to heart failure.
7. Examine apex - heaving apex, displaced due to ventriculomegaly.
8. Auscultation - S3 gallop rhythm.
9. Ask to examine - fundus (hypertensive retinopathy), abdomen (renal artery stenosis, AAA, ballotable kidneys, ascites, tender & palpable liver).
Reference(s)
Wilkinson, I., Furmedge, D. and Sinharay, R. (2017). Oxford handbook of clinical medicine. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Get it on Amazon.
Feather, A., Randall, D. and Waterhouse, M. (2020). Kumar And Clark’s Clinical Medicine. 10th ed. S.L.: Elsevier Health Sciences. Get it on Amazon.
Hannaman, R. A., Bullock, L., Hatchell, C. A., & Yoffe, M. (2016). Internal medicine review core curriculum, 2017-2018. CO Springs, CO: MedStudy.
Therapeutic Guidelines. Melbourne: Therapeutic Guidelines Limited. https://www.tg.org.au [Accessed 2021].