Differential Diagnosis of Cardiovascular Diseases
Cardiovascular diseases encompass a wide range of disorders affecting the heart and blood vessels. The following is a categorized list of common CVDs along with their clinical features for systematic diagnosis. --- 1. Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) Examples: Stable Angina Acute Coronary Syndrome (Unstable Angina, NSTEMI, STEMI) Clinical Features: Retrosternal chest pain, often radiating to the left arm, neck, jaw, or back. Pain triggered by exertion or emotional stress and relieved by rest (stable angina). Dyspnea, nausea, diaphoresis, and palpitations during acute events. Elevated cardiac biomarkers (troponin, CK-MB) in myocardial infarction. ECG changes: ST-segment elevation/depression or T-wave inversion. --- 2. Heart Failure Examples: Left-Sided Heart Failure Right-Sided Heart Failure Congestive Heart Failure Clinical Features: Dyspnea on exertion or at rest. Orthopnea (difficulty breathing when lying flat). Paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea (PND). Peripheral edema, ascites (right-sided ...