Cerebrovascular Accident (CVA) Ischemic – thrombotic vs embolic, vasculitis, connective tissue disease, IVDU Hemorrhagic – intracerebral / SAH (majority of trauma) – 90% internal capsule, AVM (h/a and Sz if unruptured & coma/ICB if ruptured), mycotic (septic embolus) Epidural hematoma…
Seizures 1. Consider the possibility of a seizure in the differential diagnosis for a patient with an atypical presentation but without witnessed frank seizure movements (e.g., confused or altered level of consciousness, incontinence, fall/injury/accident, tics in children). Classifications Generalized tonic-clonic…
Eye: Red Eye/Loss of Vision 1. In patients with red eye, do not make a diagnosis of conjunctivitis without having first ruled out more serious possibilities (e.g., glaucoma, iritis, keratitis, foreign body). Red Eye ddx: conjunctivitis, iritis, keratitis, acute glaucoma…
Deep Venous Thrombosis (DVT)/Pulmonary Embolus (PE) 1. In a patient whom you suspect may have a DVT/PE, include the specific elements in the history that will permit an accurate assessment of the patient’s baseline risk of the illness. History: dyspnea…
Ischemic Heart Disease 1. Given a patient with potential acute coronary syndrome (ACS), initiate diagnostic testing without delay and plan ongoing testing until diagnostic resolution (e.g., early and serial ECG, early biomarker testing, chest pain protocols). 2. In patients with…
Chest Pain 1. In a patient with undifferentiated chest pain, assess for life-threatening diagnoses first and promptly recognize clinical presentations that clearly suggest these diagnoses (e.g., ACS, PE, pneumothorax, aortic dissection). Potentially Life threatening chest pain ddx: Unstable angina /…
Allow me to interrupt the usual updates on CCFP exam topics and introduce you to a neat resource made by an old friend of mine. As he puts it: “FP Drug Cards is a deck of flashcards on 120 medications carefully selected for…
Management and Treatment of Specific Syndromes diagnosis by syndrome and laboratory diagnosis by testing for specific organisms are both important and complementary 1. Asymptomatic & at risk for STI Etiology: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, HSV1/2, HPV, HIV, Viral hepatitis Specimens and testing: First-catch…
Primary care setting can incorporate STI primary and secondary prevention in the course of routine patient care Assessing, discussing, helping patients recognize and minimize STI risk. Informing patients about signs and symptoms of STIs (and lack thereof). Offering patient-centred counselling and STI…
Preparing for the CCFP Exam 2015 