Question

After the doctor performs a physical exam on a patient who complains of chest pain, she asks you to record the presence of tachycardia of 140 bpm. What type of PE finding is this?

Option 1: Positive Finding
Option 2: Normal Finding
Option 3: Pertinent Negative Finding
Option 4: Abnormal Finding

Answer 1

A heart rate of 140 bpm in a resting adult patient, as noted after a doctor's examination of someone with chest pain, is considered an abnormal finding, since normal resting heart rates for adults are between 60-100 bpm.

Step-by-step explanation:

The presence of tachycardia of 140 bpm recorded after a physical exam on a patient who complains of chest pain is an indication of an abnormal finding. This is because a normal resting heart rate (HR) for an adult is in the range of 60-100 bpm. Tachycardia, defined as a HR above 100 bpm, can be associated with several conditions including fever, anemia, hyperthyroidism, and cardiomyopathies, among others. While a resting heart rate above 100 bpm can be seen as normal in children or during exercise for adults, an elevated rate in a resting adult patient, such as the reported 140 bpm, is considered abnormal and warrants further investigation to determine the underlying cause.