Cardiology Question

[EMNP]

Hi Guys-

I posted this under specialties in the cardiology section, but no replies.  Was wondering if maybe some of you experienced guys have any insight.

I work inpatient cardiology and have been doing this for approximately 5 months as a new grad. As part of my role, we do cardiology consults in the inpatient setting.

Do you guys have a template/outline for the cardiology consults you guys do? What does your complete cardiac work up entail? I know this varies by the admission dx, but in general perspectives do you guys have anything like this that you could share?

Thanks!

 

[lkth487]

Adult or peds? I assume adults? I can help with peds cards if by chance it's that. 

For babies, the usual format that I have in my pedi cardiology consult template is:

HPI, birth history (full term, pre-term any complications, NICU stay), prenatal care and any echo/ultrasounds, family history of any congenital cardiac disease, etc.  Baseline growth rate and feeding issues (how much feeding, what kcals, how are they doing on growth chart, any tachypnea or getting tired with feeds, etc....VERY important to diagnose cardiac dz). If available, baseline saturations if they've had past cardiac surgeries (many babies, depending on the lesion & surgery, normally sat between 75-85% on RA which is nice to know so you don't freak out as soon as you walk into the room and see the monitor). Past surgeries as above.  Vitals should obviously include 4 point BPs, pre- and post- ductal sats, exam should include pulses in all extremities, a good heart, lung and abdomen exam.  Obviously any labs, CXRs (look for enlarged heart, pulm edema etc), EKGs.  And then your assessment and recs.  Workup varies but if you're suspecting congenital heart dz, a formal echo, a full set of lytes.  You'd talk about a potential Cath or other workup based on the echo results.  We get things like troponins or BNPs but not generally as useful in babies given the different pathophysiology of their problems. 

[EMNP]

Thanks for the input! I appreciate it.

Its actually for Adult inpatient Cardiology.