Chronic Disease - Lab Exercise
Chronic Disease - Lab Exercise
Completion requirements
**LAB EXERCISE TITLE & INFORMATION**
**Chronic Disease Management: Diagnosing Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia**
**Duration:** 2-3 hours
**Group size:** 4-6 students
**Difficulty level:** STEP3
**LEARNING OBJECTIVES**
* Perform a thorough medical history and physical examination to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Interpret laboratory results, including blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles.
* Develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Demonstrate the use of clinical decision support tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
**BACKGROUND & THEORY**
Chronic diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are two common chronic conditions that require careful management to prevent complications. In this lab, students will learn how to diagnose and manage these conditions through a combination of medical history taking, physical examination, laboratory testing, and clinical decision support.
**Expected outcomes:**
* Students will be able to identify the risk factors for hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Students will be able to perform a thorough medical history and physical examination to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Students will be able to interpret laboratory results, including blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles.
* Students will be able to develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
**MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT**
* Patient simulators or models (e.g. mannequin or doll)
* Blood pressure cuff
* Lipid profile analyzer (or simulator)
* Medical history forms
* Physical examination checklist
* Clinical decision support software (optional)
* Safety equipment:
+ Gloves
+ Goggles
+ First aid kit
**PROCEDURE / PROTOCOL**
1. **Introduction and Patient Selection** (10 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Introduce the lab and explain the objectives.
* Select a patient simulator or model for each group.
2. **Medical History Taking** (15 minutes, 3 minutes per student)
* Have each student take a medical history from their assigned patient.
* Use a standardized form to ensure consistency.
3. **Physical Examination** (20 minutes, 4 minutes per student)
* Have each student perform a physical examination on their assigned patient.
* Use a checklist to ensure thoroughness.
4. **Laboratory Testing** (30 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Have each group collect blood samples from their patient simulator or model.
* Use the lipid profile analyzer (or simulator) to analyze the results.
5. **Interpreting Laboratory Results** (20 minutes, 4 minutes per group)
* Have each group interpret their laboratory results.
* Discuss any abnormalities or concerns with the class.
6. **Developing a Treatment Plan** (30 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Have each group develop a treatment plan for their patient.
* Use clinical decision support software (if available) to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
**DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS**
* Record blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles for each patient.
* Complete a data table or form with the results.
* Analyze results using standard laboratory values.
**CLINICAL CORRELATIONS**
* Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
* Hyperlipidemia can contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
* Regular monitoring and management of these conditions are crucial for preventing complications.
**POST-LAB QUESTIONS**
1. What are the risk factors for hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
2. How do you diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
3. What laboratory tests are used to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
4. How do you interpret lipid profile results?
5. What is the importance of regular monitoring and management of these conditions?
6. How do you develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
7. What are some common side effects of medications used to treat hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
8. How do you communicate treatment plans to patients?
**ASSESSMENT CRITERIA**
* Checklist of skills demonstrated:
+ Medical history taking
+ Physical examination
+ Laboratory testing and interpretation
+ Developing a treatment plan
* Grading rubric:
+ Accuracy of medical history and physical examination (20 points)
+ Interpretation of laboratory results (20 points)
+ Development of a treatment plan (30 points)
+ Communication skills (30 points)
* Common mistakes to watch for:
+ Inconsistent or inaccurate medical history taking
+ Failure to interpret laboratory results correctly
+ Inadequate development of a treatment plan
**REFERENCES & RESOURCES**
* American Heart Association. (2020). Hypertension.
* National Lipid Association. (2020). Lipid Management Guidelines 2019.
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Chronic Kidney Disease.
* Video demonstrations:
+ Medical history taking
+ Physical examination
+ Laboratory testing and interpretation
* Further reading:
+ Textbook on clinical medicine
+ Online resources and guidelines
**Chronic Disease Management: Diagnosing Hypertension and Hyperlipidemia**
**Duration:** 2-3 hours
**Group size:** 4-6 students
**Difficulty level:** STEP3
**LEARNING OBJECTIVES**
* Perform a thorough medical history and physical examination to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Interpret laboratory results, including blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles.
* Develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Demonstrate the use of clinical decision support tools to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
**BACKGROUND & THEORY**
Chronic diseases are among the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Hypertension and hyperlipidemia are two common chronic conditions that require careful management to prevent complications. In this lab, students will learn how to diagnose and manage these conditions through a combination of medical history taking, physical examination, laboratory testing, and clinical decision support.
**Expected outcomes:**
* Students will be able to identify the risk factors for hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Students will be able to perform a thorough medical history and physical examination to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
* Students will be able to interpret laboratory results, including blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles.
* Students will be able to develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia.
**MATERIALS & EQUIPMENT**
* Patient simulators or models (e.g. mannequin or doll)
* Blood pressure cuff
* Lipid profile analyzer (or simulator)
* Medical history forms
* Physical examination checklist
* Clinical decision support software (optional)
* Safety equipment:
+ Gloves
+ Goggles
+ First aid kit
**PROCEDURE / PROTOCOL**
1. **Introduction and Patient Selection** (10 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Introduce the lab and explain the objectives.
* Select a patient simulator or model for each group.
2. **Medical History Taking** (15 minutes, 3 minutes per student)
* Have each student take a medical history from their assigned patient.
* Use a standardized form to ensure consistency.
3. **Physical Examination** (20 minutes, 4 minutes per student)
* Have each student perform a physical examination on their assigned patient.
* Use a checklist to ensure thoroughness.
4. **Laboratory Testing** (30 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Have each group collect blood samples from their patient simulator or model.
* Use the lipid profile analyzer (or simulator) to analyze the results.
5. **Interpreting Laboratory Results** (20 minutes, 4 minutes per group)
* Have each group interpret their laboratory results.
* Discuss any abnormalities or concerns with the class.
6. **Developing a Treatment Plan** (30 minutes, 5 minutes per group)
* Have each group develop a treatment plan for their patient.
* Use clinical decision support software (if available) to aid in diagnosis and treatment.
**DATA COLLECTION & ANALYSIS**
* Record blood pressure measurements and lipid profiles for each patient.
* Complete a data table or form with the results.
* Analyze results using standard laboratory values.
**CLINICAL CORRELATIONS**
* Hypertension is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
* Hyperlipidemia can contribute to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease.
* Regular monitoring and management of these conditions are crucial for preventing complications.
**POST-LAB QUESTIONS**
1. What are the risk factors for hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
2. How do you diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
3. What laboratory tests are used to diagnose hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
4. How do you interpret lipid profile results?
5. What is the importance of regular monitoring and management of these conditions?
6. How do you develop a treatment plan for patients with hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
7. What are some common side effects of medications used to treat hypertension and hyperlipidemia?
8. How do you communicate treatment plans to patients?
**ASSESSMENT CRITERIA**
* Checklist of skills demonstrated:
+ Medical history taking
+ Physical examination
+ Laboratory testing and interpretation
+ Developing a treatment plan
* Grading rubric:
+ Accuracy of medical history and physical examination (20 points)
+ Interpretation of laboratory results (20 points)
+ Development of a treatment plan (30 points)
+ Communication skills (30 points)
* Common mistakes to watch for:
+ Inconsistent or inaccurate medical history taking
+ Failure to interpret laboratory results correctly
+ Inadequate development of a treatment plan
**REFERENCES & RESOURCES**
* American Heart Association. (2020). Hypertension.
* National Lipid Association. (2020). Lipid Management Guidelines 2019.
* Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Chronic Kidney Disease.
* Video demonstrations:
+ Medical history taking
+ Physical examination
+ Laboratory testing and interpretation
* Further reading:
+ Textbook on clinical medicine
+ Online resources and guidelines
Last modified: Sunday, 9 November 2025, 5:47 PM