Lesson 1Directed chest pain history: characteristics, radiation, duration, exertional vs rest, associated symptoms (diaphoresis, nausea, syncope)This part teaches a targeted, organised way to take a chest pain history, covering where it is, how it feels, where it spreads, how long it lasts, what starts it, and other signs, to tell apart heart, lung, muscle, or stomach causes and plan next actions.
Location, quality, and radiation of chest painOnset, duration, and temporal pain patternsExertional, positional, and pleuritic featuresAssociated symptoms: diaphoresis, nausea, syncopeDifferentiating cardiac from noncardiac painLesson 2Genitourinary and endocrine screening: polyuria, polydipsia, nocturia, ED, weight changes, family history of diabetesThis part covers focused checks for urinary and hormone issues linked to heart and metabolic diseases, like frequent urination, thirst, night urination, erection problems, weight shifts, and family diabetes history, to find hidden or uncontrolled conditions.
Polyuria, polydipsia, and hyperglycemia cluesNocturia patterns and volume status assessmentErectile dysfunction and vascular riskUnintentional weight loss or gain patternsFamily history of diabetes and endocrine diseaseLesson 3Medication, allergy, and supplement review: OTCs, herbal remedies, NSAID use and potential BP effectsThis part shows how to get an accurate list of medicines, allergies, and supplements, including over-the-counter drugs, herbs, and pain relievers, focusing on clashes, blood pressure impacts, sticking to treatment, and recording for safe prescribing.
Systematic prescription medication reconciliationIdentifying and classifying drug allergiesOTC and herbal supplement interaction risksNSAID use, fluid retention, and BP elevationAssessing adherence and barriers to regimensLesson 4Symptom red flags and timeline: sudden worsening, syncope, hemoptysis, lower-extremity swelling, feverThis part deals with spotting warning signs in symptoms and time patterns, like quick worsening, fainting, coughing blood, leg swelling, and fever, and how to build timelines that help sort cases, diagnose, and act fast.
Eliciting sudden versus gradual symptom onsetRecognizing syncope and presyncope red flagsHemoptysis, fever, and infection concernsLower-extremity swelling and volume overloadConstructing a clear symptom chronologyLesson 5Functional and cognitive screening: activities of daily living, depression/anxiety screening, cognition relevant to shared decision-making and adherenceThis part looks at checking daily functions and thinking skills in heart and metabolic care, including daily tasks, mood checks, thinking, and health understanding, to spot limits that affect outlook, joint choices, and treatment sticking.
Assessing ADLs and instrumental ADLsScreening for depression and anxiety symptomsBrief cognitive screening tools in practiceEvaluating health literacy and understandingLinking function and cognition to adherenceLesson 6Social determinants and behavioral risk factors: tobacco use history (pack-years), alcohol use screening (AUDIT-C principles), diet, sleep, occupational activityThis part explains how to check social factors and habits that affect heart and lung risks, like smoking, drinking, eating, sleep, and work activity, and how to record and advise patients well.
Assessing tobacco history and pack-year calculationScreening alcohol use with AUDIT-C principlesEvaluating diet quality and cardiometabolic impactSleep duration, quality, and cardiopulmonary effectsOccupational activity, sedentary time, and workloadLesson 7Cardiovascular risk and past medical history: prior hypertension, hyperlipidemia, known CAD, stroke, PAD, medications and adherenceThis part reviews how to get targeted heart risk and past health history, including high blood pressure, high fats, known heart disease, stroke, leg artery issues, diabetes, and medicine sticking, to gauge risk and fit prevention and treatment.
Documenting hypertension and BP control historyHyperlipidemia, statin use, and lipid goalsPrior CAD, MI, revascularization, and anginaHistory of stroke, TIA, and peripheral artery diseaseDiabetes, CKD, and other risk-enhancing factorsLesson 8Dyspnea and exertional intolerance: onset, orthopnea, PND, DOE, activity level quantification, prior baseline functionThis part focuses on organised checking of shortness of breath and effort tiredness, including start, triggers, lying-down breathing, night attacks, effort limits, and usual function, to separate heart, lung, or other causes and set urgency.
Characterizing onset, pattern, and progressionOrthopnea and paroxysmal nocturnal dyspneaQuantifying DOE and activity limitationsComparing current status to prior baselineDistinguishing cardiac from pulmonary dyspnea
