ECPI Medical Providers Use Scientific Method to Work via Examination & Diagnosis Ques

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rzc19

Science

ECPI College of Technology Concord

Description

Addresses Learning Outcomes:

  • Use knowledge of biological principles and the Scientific Method to ask and answer relevant questions about human health and disease
  • Analyze information to distinguish between diseased and healthy structure and functioning.
  • Analyze how internal and external factors cause disruption of healthy body function, leading to disease and disorders.

Mr. Smith is 60 years old. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer five years ago. Over the past few days, Mr. Smith has been feeling weak and increasingly tired and has also been suffering from a headache that did not respond to over-the-counter medications. He scheduled an appointment with his physician.

His physician performed a physical examination and recommended a battery of laboratory tests and imaging procedures.

The table below shows Reference values in the right-hand column. These values reflect the normal range of values for patients without disease or illness. The center column reflects the resulting values for medical test results obtained for Mr. Smith.

Take note whether Mr. Smith’s values are within normal limits.

Mr. Smith

Reference Values

K+

2.6 mmol/L

3.8-4.9mmol/L

Hb (Hemoglobin)

7.5 g/dL

13.8 to 18.2 g/dL

Hct (Hematocrit)

20.4%

45-52%

Platelet Count

49x109/L

150-400x109/L

After receiving Mr. Smith’s test results, his physician admits him to the hospital. Hospital staff treated him and discharged him.

The following week, Mr. Smith returns to his physician with the same complaint of weakness and a new complaint of shortness of breath. His blood pressure is 160/100 mmHg. MRI reveals the metastasis of prostate cancer to osseous tissue. Abdominal CT shows obstruction of the intestine due to nodular enlargement of adrenal glands.

Laboratory results from Mr. Smith’s second hospital admission and medical tests show the following findings:

Mr. Smith

Reference Values

K+

2.6 mmol/L

3.8-4.9mmol/L

Hb

7.3 g/dl

13.8 to 18.2 g/dL

Hct

20.4%

45-52%

Platelet Count

20x109/L

150-400x109/L

HCO3

38 mmol/l

22-26 mmol/L

Urinary K+

70 mmol/L/24 hr

25-120 mmol/L/24 hr

Blood Glucose

460 mg/dl

64.8-104.4 mg/dL

Serum Aldosterone

1 ng/dl

24 hour Urinary Aldosterone

8.4 mcg/24 hr

2.3-21.0 mcg/24 hr

Renin

2.1 ng/ml/hr

0.65-5.0 ng/ml/hr

ACTH (Adrenocorticotropic Hormone)

1082 pg/ml

9-46 pg/ml

Cortisol

155.5 microg/dL

0-25 microg/dL

CONCLUSION AND DIAGNOSIS

Laboratory findings, MRI, and CT confirmed metastatic prostate adenocarcinoma, hypertension and refractory hypokalemia due to ectopic ACTH production. High levels of circulating cortisol caused continuous activation of mineralocorticoid receptors resulting in hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, and hypertension.

After reading the provided scenario, answer the following questions:

1. What are the components of physical examination? Describe each component. (See Module 1, Commentary, Topic 8. Disease Categories, Part B. Steps in Diagnosis)

2. Mr. Smith’s blood pressure was 160/100 mmHg. How does a medical provider take or measure blood pressure? What do the top (numerator) and bottom (denominator) numbers mean in the biological sense? What is the significance of the size of these two numbers? Is Mr. Smith’s blood pressure within the normal range? Explain how you concluded whether Mr. Smith’s blood pressure is/is not within the normal range.

3. Based on the data provided, what laboratory tests were performed, and what samples were taken from the patient? Select one of the laboratory tests ordered for Mr. Smith and discuss why Mr. Smith’s physician might have ordered the test and the information she might have expected to obtain from that particular test.

4. Compare Mr. Smith’s values with reference values and indicate whether MR. Smith’s values are below, above, or within the normal range (compare Mr. Smith’s values with the Reference values) for each laboratory test in the table above from the second set of tests.

5. What imaging procedures did Mr. Smith undergo? Discuss the distinctions and similarities between the two different imaging approaches. What were the results of imaging procedures in Mr. Smith’s case?

6. Select one of the medical terms from the CONCLUSION and DIAGNOSIS section above and define what it means. Also, discuss, in your own words and based on what you can gather about Mr. Smith’s condition, how the laboratory or imaging tests helped with drawing a conclusion or making the diagnosis. In your own words, discuss how medical providers use the scientific method to come to work through the examination and diagnosis of a patient.

You should write a short paper addressing all six questions and submit it to the assignment folder. Your grade will depend upon the content, clarity, and originality of responses written in your own words. Good writing practices, including the use of correct grammar, sentence and paragraph structure, and punctuation, and the presence of logical reasoning, will account for a portion of your grade.

Cite all sources in APA format within your answer text as well as full citations in APA format at the end of the assignment.

User generated content is uploaded by users for the purposes of learning and should be used following Studypool's honor code & terms of service.

Explanation & Answer

Attached. Please let me know if you have any questions or need revisions.

CASE STUDY

1

Case Study
Student’s Name
Institutional Affiliation

CASE STUDY

2
Case Study
Question 1: Physical examination components

A comprehensive physical examination session generally includes a series of deliberate
questions regarding the client's health history, a system-based assessment that is based on
subjective symptoms, and a series of diagnostic procedures to either validate or negate the
clinician's findings.
History taking
This is a systematic, explorative, and goal-directed question-and-answer session between
a patient and a health care provider, whose core intent is to provide more insight into the patient's
health background (Seitz et al., 2019). Key areas of focus include; the history of present
complaint, past medical history, family history, social history, system review, and an obstetric
and gynecological history for female clients.
Physical examination/ assessment
This is an evaluation of body function, usually based on the general appearance findings
and vital signs. The assessment data is meticulously integrated with the client's medical history
findings and the pathophysiological aspects of the patient's symptoms.
Key elements of the physical assessment process include; inspection, palpation,
percussion, and auscultation. The doctor is expected to review each body system and accurately
note the inspection findings (Davis & Murray, 2016). Different body areas are inspected for
color, shape, symmetry, consistency, inflammation, etc. In palpation, the practitioner uses the

CASE STUDY

3

hands or finger pads to determine the shape, location, size, texture, or firmness of an organ or
body part or the location of an aberration that is suggestive of disease. When percussing, the
health practitioner taps different body parts to evaluate the underlying tissues based on the
sounds produced, using fingers, hands, and medical small instruments. Based on the character of
the percussion tones, i.e. tympany, dullness, flatness, resonance, the practitioner can determine
the size and borders organs, as well the absence or presence of fluids in body cavities.
Auscultation is performed using assistive devices such as the stethoscope to amplify and allow
for the assessment of normal and disease-su...


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