Chest pain is responsible for approximately 1% of primary care encounters. Although most etiologies are benign and self-limited, some reflect underlying pathology associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The initial office evaluation for patients presenting with...
Palpitations are a common symptom, characterized by the unpleasant or alarming awareness of heartbeats. Patients may describe sensations of rapid heart rate, fluttering, pounding, or skipped beats, typically localized to the precordium, neck, or throat. Palpitations may be...
Syncope is an abrupt, transient, and complete loss of consciousness associated with an inability to maintain postural tone, followed by rapid and spontaneous recovery. Syncope is caused by temporary cerebral hypoperfusion. Presyncope describes symptoms such as lightheadedness...
Lower extremity edema results from an imbalance between capillary hydrostatic pressure, oncotic pressure, and lymphatic drainage, leading to fluid accumulation in the interstitial space. Most cases are bilateral, typically due to systemic causes of volume overload such as...
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