Skip to main content

Physical Examination

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
On-Call Geriatric Psychiatry

Abstract

Although a thorough physical examination represents an essential part of a comprehensive psychiatric examination, during the on-call psychiatric consultation there is need for a more directed physical examination based on the chief psychiatric and/or medical complaint(s) and the psychiatric patient’s ability to participate in a physical examination. The on-call physical examination can be done in a targeted fashion and does not always need to cover all the details discussed in this chapter. It may be judiciously guided by the patient’s history in order to assist the on-call psychiatrist with the differential diagnosis in geriatric psychiatric patients.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 99.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 129.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Lu SH, Leasure AR, Dai YT. A systematic review of body temperature variations in older persons. J Clin Nurs. 2010;36:234–5.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Messerl FH. Osler’s maneuver, pseudohypertension and true hypertension in the elderly. Am J Med. 1986;80(5):906–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Ooi WL, Barret S, Hossain M, Kelley-Gagnon M, Lipsitz LA. Patterns of orthostatic blood pressure change and their clinical correlates in a frail, elderly population. JAMA. 1997;277:1299–304.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Mahler DA, Fierro-Carrion G, Baird JC. Evaluation of dyspnea in the elderly. Clin Geriatr Med. 2003;19:19–33.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Chun AA, McGee SR. Bedside diagnosis of coronary artery disease: a systematic review. Am J Med. 2004;117(5):335–43.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Yen EL, McNamara RM. Abdominal pain. Clin Geriatr Med. 2007;23(2):255–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Blankfield RP, Finkelhor RS, Alexander JJ, Flocke SA, Maiocco J, Goodwin M, et al. Etiology and diagnosis of bilateral leg edema in primary care. Am J Med. 1998;105:192–7.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Teasdale G, Jennett B. Assessment of coma and impaired consciousness. A practical scale. Lancet. 1974;2(7872):81–4.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Doti RL, Shannon P, Applebaum SL, Giberson R, Siksorsia L, Rosenberg L. Smell identification ability: changes with age. Science. 1984;226:1491–3.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gladstone DJ, Black SE. The neurological exam in aging, dementia and cerebrovascular disease – Part 1: introduction, head and neck and cranial nerves. Geriatr Aging. 2002;5(7):36–43.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Medical Research Council. Aids to examination of the peripheral nervous system. Memorandum no. 45. London: Her Majesty’s Stationary Office; 1976.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Jankovic J, Fahn S. Physiologic and pathogenic tremor. Diagnosis, mechanism and management. Ann Intern Med. 1980;93:460–5.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Podsiadlo D, Richardson S. The timed up and go: a test of basic functional mobility for frail elderly persons. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1991;39:142–8.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Litvan I, Mangone CA, Werden W, Bueri JA, Estol CJ, Garcea DO, et al. Reliability of the NINDS Myotatic reflex scale. Neurology. 1996;47:969–72.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. van Gijin J. The Babinski sign. Pract Neurol. 2002;2:42–4.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Gladstone DJ, Black SE. The neurological exam in aging, dementia and cerebrovascular disease – Part 4 – reflexes and sensory examination. Geriatr Aging. 2002;5(10):51–7.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Tricia Woo MD .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Woo, T., Hirsch, C.H. (2016). Physical Examination. In: Hategan, A., Bourgeois, J., Hirsch, C. (eds) On-Call Geriatric Psychiatry. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30346-8_2

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-30346-8_2

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-30344-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-30346-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics