1
Case Study One
Student Name
University
NUR 529 Advanced Pathophysiology
Professor
Date
, 2
CASE STUDY ONE
Directions: Be sure to review the Case Study 1 Grading Rubric for details on expectations of
quality of answer. Read the case study and complete the answers in your own words to the ten
questions below using the following guidelines:
• Use complete sentences.
• Use at least four sentences for each question.
• Include an in-text citation at the end of each question.
• Include at least four references with one being your textbook. No websites unless it is
epocrates, uptodate or medscape, please use medical textbooks, and NP or MD journal articles.
Note: Plagiarism or cut and paste from the internet will result in a zero for the assignment.
Case Study for NP students
A 38-year-old African American male presents to the clinic with mild headache, dizziness, and
fatigue. He has not seen a health care provider in 8 years. He states that he is “tired of being
tired all the time.” Weight: 240 lbs; Height 5’10”; waist to hip ratio > 2:1. He rates his headache
5/10 and describes as a constant, throbbing pressure distributed evenly over the top of his head.
His symptoms are worse in the morning than evening. Tylenol and Ibuprofen help, pain is 2/10
after medication. He thinks he may have “blood pressure problems like his father”. He also
reports increased thirst, hunger, and urination. Denies chest pain, injuries, physical trauma, or
recent illness. His family history is positive for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and Type
II Diabetes. Vital signs: HR 96, BP 160/86, RR 20, SpO2 98%.
Psychosocial: sells insurance, occasionally feels stressed from work.
Diet & Lifestyle: sedentary, frequently eats at local fast food restaurants. Denies tobacco use.
Occasionally consumes alcohol, three or four times/year.
Physical Exam:
General: Alert & oriented to person, place, and time. Appropriately dressed & groomed with
good hygiene. Calm & cooperative.
Mental status: Oriented x3, speech appropriate, clear.
HEENT: normocephalic, without deformities, no evidence of trauma. Hair with normal
distribution & texture. Eyelids, sclera, and conjunctiva normal. PERRLA, EOM full, no
cataracts, fundoscopic exam revealed mild nicking of retinal vessels and a few cotton wool spots.
Ears w/normal appearing pinnae & auditory canals, tympanic membrane pearly gray, glistening,
w/o retraction or bulging, normal light reflex, hearing intact. Nose without deformity, patent
nares, pale pink, moist mucosa, normal turbinates, no deviation of septum or polyps noted. No
tenderness to palpation of frontal or maxillary sinuses or nares. Buccal and tongue mucosa pink
and moist. No lesions noted under tongue or inside mouth. Teeth in good repair, no evidence of
Case Study One
Student Name
University
NUR 529 Advanced Pathophysiology
Professor
Date
, 2
CASE STUDY ONE
Directions: Be sure to review the Case Study 1 Grading Rubric for details on expectations of
quality of answer. Read the case study and complete the answers in your own words to the ten
questions below using the following guidelines:
• Use complete sentences.
• Use at least four sentences for each question.
• Include an in-text citation at the end of each question.
• Include at least four references with one being your textbook. No websites unless it is
epocrates, uptodate or medscape, please use medical textbooks, and NP or MD journal articles.
Note: Plagiarism or cut and paste from the internet will result in a zero for the assignment.
Case Study for NP students
A 38-year-old African American male presents to the clinic with mild headache, dizziness, and
fatigue. He has not seen a health care provider in 8 years. He states that he is “tired of being
tired all the time.” Weight: 240 lbs; Height 5’10”; waist to hip ratio > 2:1. He rates his headache
5/10 and describes as a constant, throbbing pressure distributed evenly over the top of his head.
His symptoms are worse in the morning than evening. Tylenol and Ibuprofen help, pain is 2/10
after medication. He thinks he may have “blood pressure problems like his father”. He also
reports increased thirst, hunger, and urination. Denies chest pain, injuries, physical trauma, or
recent illness. His family history is positive for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and Type
II Diabetes. Vital signs: HR 96, BP 160/86, RR 20, SpO2 98%.
Psychosocial: sells insurance, occasionally feels stressed from work.
Diet & Lifestyle: sedentary, frequently eats at local fast food restaurants. Denies tobacco use.
Occasionally consumes alcohol, three or four times/year.
Physical Exam:
General: Alert & oriented to person, place, and time. Appropriately dressed & groomed with
good hygiene. Calm & cooperative.
Mental status: Oriented x3, speech appropriate, clear.
HEENT: normocephalic, without deformities, no evidence of trauma. Hair with normal
distribution & texture. Eyelids, sclera, and conjunctiva normal. PERRLA, EOM full, no
cataracts, fundoscopic exam revealed mild nicking of retinal vessels and a few cotton wool spots.
Ears w/normal appearing pinnae & auditory canals, tympanic membrane pearly gray, glistening,
w/o retraction or bulging, normal light reflex, hearing intact. Nose without deformity, patent
nares, pale pink, moist mucosa, normal turbinates, no deviation of septum or polyps noted. No
tenderness to palpation of frontal or maxillary sinuses or nares. Buccal and tongue mucosa pink
and moist. No lesions noted under tongue or inside mouth. Teeth in good repair, no evidence of
