Lesson 1Social and behavioural history: smoking, alcohol, occupation, living conditions, exercise, salt intakeCovers obtaining a targeted social and behavioural history, encompassing smoking habits, alcohol use, job-related exposures, home environment, diet, physical activity, and salt consumption, and their effects on cardiopulmonary health risks.
Smoking history, pack-years, and quitting stageAlcohol consumption, screening, and adviceOccupation, dust, and chemical exposuresHome environment, heating, and dampnessPhysical activity, exercise, and limitationsDietary habits, salt intake, and weightLesson 2Red flag and alarm symptoms: syncope, chest pain, hemoptysis, sudden worsening, severe hypotensionExplains identifying and probing red flag symptoms like fainting, sudden chest pain, coughing blood, abrupt breathlessness, and low blood pressure, stressing onset timing, linked features, and urgent care escalation points.
Describing sudden chest pain and its startEvaluating fainting, near-fainting, and collapseAssessing coughing blood volume and causesSudden breathlessness and possible lung clotsSpotting shock, low blood pressure, and poor circulationEscalation points and urgent referralsLesson 3Communication skills and documentation: open questions, focused clarifying questions, safety netting and recording key timestamps and responsesEmphasises building trust, employing open and specific questions, addressing patient worries, summarising discussions, providing safety advice, and documenting symptoms, times, and replies in a clear, legally sound clinical note.
Structuring the cardiopulmonary consultationUsing open questions to get the storySpecific questions for main symptomsConfirming understanding and setting shared goalsSafety advice, warning signs, and follow-upPrecise, time-stamped clinical recordsLesson 4Past medical history probes: hypertension, ischaemic heart disease, valvular disease, rheumatic fever, COPD, sleep apnoea, anaemia, renal diseaseAddresses focused queries on heart and lung related conditions, such as high blood pressure, heart artery issues, valve problems, rheumatic fever, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, sleep apnoea, low blood count, and kidney problems, and their influence on risks and possible diagnoses.
Clarifying previous heart diagnoses and treatmentsNoting high blood pressure duration and managementHistory of rheumatic fever and valve effectsDetails on chronic lung issues, COPD, and asthmaSleep apnoea, obesity breathing issues, and CPAP useKidney problems, anaemia, and heart-kidney linksLesson 5System-specific symptom screens: cough, wheeze, chest pain, palpitations, oedema distribution, urinary symptomsDirects system-focused checks for lung, heart, and kidney symptoms, covering cough, wheezing, chest discomfort, irregular heartbeat, swelling patterns, urine changes, and overall signs that help narrow down possible causes.
Lung check: cough, phlegm, and wheezingHeart check: chest pain and heart fluttersSwelling pattern and spreadNighttime urine, low output, and kidney congestionGeneral signs: fever, weight loss, tirednessConnecting system signs to possible diagnosesLesson 6Targeted symptom history: dyspnoea onset, progression, orthopnoea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnoea, exertional toleranceInstructs on detailed probing of breathlessness, lying-flat breathing difficulty, sudden night breathlessness, effort tolerance, cough, and related symptoms, highlighting start, worsening, triggers, and daily life effects.
Start and worsening of breathlessness timelineBreathing trouble when lying flat and night episodesEffort tolerance and activity limitsCough, phlegm, and wheezing detailsChest tightness, pain, and heart fluttersEffects on sleep, work, and daily lifeLesson 7Family history and risk factors: premature cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathies, thrombophiliaDiscusses gathering family history of early heart disease, heart muscle conditions, irregular rhythms, clotting disorders, and sudden deaths, and incorporating genetic and shared lifestyle risks into overall risk assessment.
Early heart artery disease in familyInherited heart muscle and rhythm disordersFamily clotting issues in veinsSudden unexplained deaths and rhythm problemsShared lifestyle and environment factorsWhen to refer for genetic adviceLesson 8Medication review and adherence: prescription, OTC, herbal, adherence barriers, recent changesExamines thorough medication history collection, covering prescribed drugs, over-the-counter and herbal remedies, recent adjustments, sticking to regimen challenges, side effects, and interactions pertinent to heart-lung conditions and worsening.
Listing all prescribed and over-the-counter drugsSpotting heart and lung affecting medicationsRecent drug changes and condition worseningChecking adherence, beliefs, and habitsDetecting side effects and drug clashesInhaler use and device problems
