Clinical examination of Cardiovascular system

1) Hands

* Clubbing

*Splinter haemorrhages

2) Radial pulse

*Rate

*Rhythm

3) Blood pressure

4) Carotid pulse 

*Bruits

Bruit, also called vascular murmur, is the abnormal sound generated by turbulent flow of blood in an artery due to either an area of partial obstruction or a localized high rate of blood flow through an unobstructed artery.

5) Face , mouth , eyes

*Pallor

*Central cynosis

*Malar flush

*Dental caries

*Retinopathy

6) Jugular venous pulse

8) Auscultation

*Bell - for low pitched heart sound , mid diastolic murmur

9) Back

*Lung crepitations

*Sacral oedema

10) Palpation of Abdomen for

*Hepatomegaly
*ascites

11) Tendon Xanthomas

Tendon xanthomas are cholesterol deposits in tendons. They appear as slowly enlarging papules or subcutaneous nodules attached to tendons, ligaments, fascia and periosteum and commonly affect the tendons of the dorsal surface of the hands and the achilles tendon

*Hyperlipidemia

12) Femoral Pulses

*Radio femoral delay 

radial and femoral pulses are palpated simultaneously. An appreciable delay in the femoral pulse is suggestive of coarctation of the aorta

13) Legs

*Edema

*Peripheral pulses

Observation 

Symptoms and Well being

* Breathlessness

*Distress

Body Habitus

*Body mass (Obesity , Cachexia )

*Marfan's syndrome

Tissue perfusion

*Skin temperature

*Sweating

*Urine output