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    Assessment of The Peripheral Vascular System

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    patzie
    This document summarizes the assessment of the peripheral vascular system. It discusses peripheral vascular disease, focusing the assessment on inspection and palpation of the skin, hair, nails, pulses, temperature and sensation. Specific conditions like Raynaud's disease and assessment of arterial pulses are explained. The subjective and objective portions of the physical exam are outlined, including inspection and palpation of the arms, legs, pulses and lymph nodes. Specific tests like Homan's sign and assessment of varicose veins are also summarized.

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    Assessment of The Peripheral Vascular System

    Uploaded by

    patzie
    4K views11 pages
    This document summarizes the assessment of the peripheral vascular system. It discusses peripheral vascular disease, focusing the assessment on inspection and palpation of the skin, hair, nails, pulses, temperature and sensation. Specific conditions like Raynaud's disease and assessment of arterial pulses are explained. The subjective and objective portions of the physical exam are outlined, including inspection and palpation of the arms, legs, pulses and lymph nodes. Specific tests like Homan's sign and assessment of varicose veins are also summarized.

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    Assessment of the Peripheral Vascular System

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    This document summarizes the assessment of the peripheral vascular system. It discusses peripheral vascular disease, focusing the assessment on inspection and palpation of the skin, hair, nails, pulses, temperature and sensation. Specific conditions like Raynaud's disease and assessment of arterial pulses are explained. The subjective and objective portions of the physical exam are outlined, including inspection and palpation of the arms, legs, pulses and lymph nodes. Specific tests like Homan's sign and assessment of varicose veins are also summarized.

    Copyright:

    Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
    Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as doc, pdf, or txt
    4K views11 pages

    Assessment of The Peripheral Vascular System

    Uploaded by

    patzie
    This document summarizes the assessment of the peripheral vascular system. It discusses peripheral vascular disease, focusing the assessment on inspection and palpation of the skin, hair, nails, pulses, temperature and sensation. Specific conditions like Raynaud's disease and assessment of arterial pulses are explained. The subjective and objective portions of the physical exam are outlined, including inspection and palpation of the arms, legs, pulses and lymph nodes. Specific tests like Homan's sign and assessment of varicose veins are also summarized.

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    Assessment of the Peripheral Vascular System

    Peripheral Vascular System


    Consists of a system of intertwining veins and arteries which carry blood
    to and from the heart and lungs

    Also involves the capillaries and lymph system

    Peripheral Vascular Disease

    • Disorders which alter the normal flow of blood through the arteries
    and veins

    • Effects the lower extremities more frequently the the upper

    • A client with a diagnosis of PVD implies arterial disease rather than


    venous

    • Some client have both arterial and venous disease

    Focus of Assessment

     Assessment of

     skin

     hair

     nails

     pulses

     temperature

    pain and sensation


    Raynaud’s Disease

    • Caused by vasospasms of the arterioles and arteries of the upper and


    lower extremities

    • Affects hands but can be on toes and tip of nose

    • S/S – chronic, intermittent, numbness, coldness, pain and pallor

    • Women 16-40 years of age

    • Cause is unknown

    • After spasm the skin becomes reddened and hyperemic

    • Nursing care

    • Pain control

    • Teach client to avoid stimuli which may trigger episode (stress,


    cold air temp, smoking)

    • Keep extremity warm

    • Use hair dryer, warm H2O, etc

    • Protect area from trauma


    Review of Assessment of Arterial Pulses

     Palpate the central and peripheral pulses

     Carotid

     brachial

     radial

     femoral

     popliteal

     dorsalis pedis

     posterior tibial

    Subjective data:
    • Leg pain or cramps

    • Where, type of pain

    • Aggravating factors

    • Skin changes on arms or legs

    • Color: redness, blue, brownish discoloration

    • Temp: any changes in temperature

    • Vein bulging or crooked

    • Sores

    • Swelling in arms or legs

    • When did it start, when is it worse, relief

    • Lymph node enlargement

    • Medications

    What medications is the patient taking?

    Focus of Assessment

     Upper extremities: Arms and hands

     Inspection:

     skin

     nails

     hair

     Palpation:

     pulses (describe),
     capillary refill time

     palpate arms for temperature, moisture and edema

    Radial Pulses

    Focus of Assessment

    • Palpate pulses noting:

    • Rate

    • Rhythm

    • Elasticity

    • Force

    • Pulses

    • Grade force (four-point scale)

    • 4+ bounding

    • 3+ increased

    • 2+ normal

    • 1+ weak

    • 0 absent

    • Lower extremities

    • Inspection:

    • skin
    • nails

    • hair

    • presence of varicosities on legs

    • Palpation:

    • pulses, capillary refill time

    Objective Data
    The Physical Exam, continuation

    • Legs- Inspect & palpate

    • Skin & hair

    • Symmetry

    • Temperature

    • Calf muscle

    • Inguinal lymph nodes

    • Legs- Inspect & palpate, continuation

    • Femoral pulse

    • Popliteal pulse

    • Posterior tibial pulse

    • Dorsalis pedal pulse


    Femoral Pulse

    Popliteal Pulse

    Review of Assessment of Arterial Pulses

     Auscultate the carotid and femoral arteries

     Auscultate for bruits, using the bell

    of the stethoscope

    (the bell detects low pitch sound)

     Auscultate for bruit

     Perform the allen test (optional)

    Allen test- the allen test evaluates patency of the radial or ulnar arteries. It
    is implemented when patency is questionable or before such procedures as a
    radial artery puncture.
    Homan’s Sign

    To determine whether a deep vein thrombosis is present

    Varicose Veins
    • Dilated, tortuous leg veins with back flow of blood caused by
    incompetent valve closure, which results in venous congestion and
    vein enlargement

    • Usually affects the saphenous vein and its branches

    • Causes

    – Unknown but may be R/T congenital weakness of valve

    – Thrombophlebitis

    – Venous stasis – pregnancy, prolonged standing

    – Familial tendency

    • Diagnosis

    – History and physical

    – Venogram

    – Trendelburg’s test –demonstrates the backward flow of the blood


    in the venous system
    Catandaunes State Colleges
    COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES
    Virac, Catnduanes

    Submitted by:
    Patricia Dawn G. Molina
    BSN I-A

    Submitted to:
    Mary Elaine Tapel RN MAN
    Clinical Instructor

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