Cardiovascular
Case 6: A 72‐Year‐Old Patient with Shortness of Breath
CASE
A 72‐year‐old woman has been referred to the chest clinic due to gradually increasing progressive shortness of breath. She is known to suffer with atrial fibrillation and has been treated with digoxin to give rate control. She is also on warfarin.
On examination, she has flushed cheeks and appears well, although is slightly short of breath at rest. She has a low, rumbling murmur heard in mid‐diastole and has a tapping apex beat which is undisplaced. A right ventricular (parasternal) heave is noted. Her heart rate is 67 beats/min irregularly irregular, and her jugular venous pressure is elevated at 3 cm. She also has mild oedema of her ankles.
QUESTION 1
Your score this session: 0 of 0
What is the significance of the parasternal heave?