[contentuser]

The initial evaluation of a cardiac patient consists of performing a physical examination and obtaining a medical history. During physical examination, the physician looks for an underlying cause for symptoms that have presented (chest pain, shortness of breath) and assesses heart function. A stethoscope is used to detect abnormal heart sounds (murmurs) that may indicate a leaky or narrowed (stenotic) valve, and to detect fluid accumulation in the lungs. The physician will feel the thyroid gland...Read the full article