Final answer:
The best tests for a physical therapy exam in this scenario are measuring the patient's heart rate and blood pressure, as these are vital signs that can help assess for cardiovascular issues related to the patient's symptoms of increased fatigue, cold extremities, and edema.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most appropriate tests for a physical therapy examination of a 39-year-old female presenting with increased fatigue, cold hands and feet, and bilateral dependent edema would be measuring heart rate and blood pressure. These measures are directly relevant to assessing cardiovascular function, which could be related to symptoms like edema and cold extremities. Moreover, heart rate and blood pressure are standard vital signs that can indicate a variety of systemic conditions, and their abnormal values could signal the need for further medical evaluation.
Furthermore, the symptoms noted could be indicative of circulatory or cardiac issues, and these basic assessments can provide crucial initial information for further diagnostic decision-making. In contrast, lung auscultation for rales is more specific to respiratory conditions, and while valuable, may not be directly related to the symptoms of cold extremities and edema. A complete blood count (CBC) is not a physical therapy measure, and the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is not relevant to the physical symptoms described.