Assignment: Anyone Who Had a Heart: A Case Study in Physiology

Assignment: Anyone Who Had a Heart: A Case Study in Physiology

Assignment: Anyone Who Had a Heart: A Case Study in Physiology

Question 1

What are the major structural diff erences between the fetal and the adult human heart? Draw and label these diff erences on your diagram of the fetal heart. How do these structures alter the circulation of blood?

Question 2

Why is the pulmonary circulation reduced in the human fetus?

Question 3

Are heart rates of 130 to 160 normal in a human fetus?

Question 4

What vital signs or symptoms do the two babies exhibit?

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Question 5

What is cyanosis?

Question 6

Would you be alarmed that Brianna has cyanosis and Christopher does not? Why?

Question 7

Why would the cyanotic baby have a faster breathing rate?

Question 8

What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis.

Question 9

What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis.

Question 10

What additional signs or symptoms do the two babies exhibit?

Question 11

What creates the lub heart sound?

Question 12

What creates the dub heart sound?

Question 13

What is a heart murmur?

Question 14

Do murmurs have diff erent sounds and are they correlated with different problems?

Question 15

What creates the whirring sound between the lub and the dub in Brianna’s heart?

Question 16

What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis.

Question 17

If you were the pediatrician, what tests would you perform to help you narrow the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition?

Question 18

What new signs or symptoms do the two babies exhibit?

Question 19

What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis.

Question 20

If you were the pediatrician, what tests would you perform to help you narrow the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition?

Question 21

What are the possible diagnoses for Brianna’s condition at this time? For each diagnosis that you come up with, describe the signs or symptoms that relate to that diagnosis. Try to think logically—sometimes the line of reasoning and the correct questions are more important than the answer.

Question 22

Does a heart murmur necessarily indicate a dysfunctional valve? What other defects could produce the murmur heard through the stethoscope?

Question 23

Does this diagnosis fit Brianna’s vital signs?

Question 24

What created Brianna’s heart murmur?

Question 25

Why is Brianna’s blood pressure lower than Christopher’s?

Question 26

Why is Brianna’s blood pressure lower than Christopher’s?

Question 27

Is it reasonable that Brianna’s arterial PO2 is the same as Christopher’s?

Question 28

Why is Brianna breathing rapidly and deeply?

Question 29

Do you think Brianna’s blood pressure is normal? Explain your answer.

Question 30

Why is Brianna congested?

Question 31

What is the long-term treatment for Brianna’s condition?