I was taught, and continue to hear it taught, that the history of present illness (HPI) should be crafted to "convince the listener/reader of your suspected diagnosis."

I think this framing is problematic...

1/
The HPI should outline the patient's experience of illness chronologically, and include with some neutrality details relevant to the *differential* diagnosis.

As well as those symptoms particularly emphasized by the patient (in case you aren't thinking of all differentials).

2/
Teaching that the HPI should "sell" or "build a case for" a diagnosis essentially encourages us to ignore and hide inconvenient truths that don't fit with our top suspicion, or overemphasize those that do - which is the definition of confirmation bias.

3/
This seeking of false certainty is a setup for diagnostic error in any setting.

But the mindset seems particularly counterproductive in the setting of a team care, training, or consultation.

4/
If an attending or specialist is to contribute to accurate diagnosis, they should form an opinion based on the case - not the first clinician's sales pitch of a single interpretation of the case.

5/
I think this is part of a cultural problem in medicine.

We often favor confidence over truth.

False certainty over the challenging navigation of uncertainty.

6/
One example of that:

When we want trainees to prioritize, we tell them to "put your nickel down." Commit to a diagnosis!

We could achieve the same goal by asking "What is your #1 suspicion, and what % likely do you think it is?"

But we skirt that complexity (reality).

7/
To be clear, I'm not saying an HPI shouldn't filter information at all. That's critical. I'm just suggesting a slight re-framing: to objectively include information relevant to the differential, rather than actively "crafting a narrative" around a single favored diagnosis.

8/
I also think some view the "sales pitch" framing as a way to teach trainees clinical reasoning. But I would argue that the time to "build the case for what you think it is" is in the Assessment and Plan (the interpretation) rather than the HPI (the facts).

9/
Would love to hear #medtwitter's thoughts on this.

Have you heard that "sales pitch" framing?
Do you agree there's a downside?
Any counter-perspectives?

10/

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More from @sargsyanz

25 May
This was an MI of the RV + inferior LV, with complete heart block, caused by a thrombotic occlusion of the proximal RCA.

Thanks all for commenting. 🧵 below has some basic stuff + nerdy stuff, hopefully something helpful for everyone.

1/
Most people quickly noticed the marked ST elevations and jumbo T-waves in the inferior leads. Some inferior STEMIs can be very subtle. This one isn’t.

You're right to want to page the interventional cardiologist the minute you see this.

2/
But several folks also pointed out that this ECG exemplifies the importance of a systematic approach.

My system is Rhythm-QI-ACS.

Rhythm and rate
QRS
Intervals
Axis
Chambers
ST/TW/Q aka ischemia

3/

Read 18 tweets
23 Apr
When an adverse health event happens shortly after a covid vaccine, it's hard not to try to make a connection.

"I got the shot Monday and had a heart attack Wednesday... is it really a coincidence?"

Let's do some quick math:

1/12
Let's round the US population to about 300 million.

Around 3 million people per day are getting a vaccine dose.

Now let's look at heart attack rates in the US (we'll abbreviate them MI for myocardial infarction):

2/
There are 1.5 million MIs in US per year

That's 1/200 ppl per year (1.5 M / 300 M)

That's 1/73,000 ppl per day (1/200 / 365 d)

That means that every single day, out of every 3 million people, ~40 have an MI.

3/
Read 12 tweets
8 Mar
Interesting experience at the dentist, with #zentensivist and #healthpolicy lessons.

Had a cleaning a couple weeks ago, she said I had a small cavity worth filling. I went back today to do that.

1/5
She pokes around, makes eyebrows, says let me go look at that X-ray again.

Pokes around some more, pauses for a moment.

“Let’s just leave it alone and watch it.”

2/
I’m de facto happy but also curious about the reasoning. She explains. It makes sense (but not quite enough for me to relate it here).

On my way out I ask her if there’s a billing code for her careful consideration.

Nope. You only get paid if you do stuff.

3/
Read 5 tweets
7 Dec 20
As you turned the corner on the second flight of stairs, you felt your breath pull a little deeper, the next one come a little earlier. Your heart said 👋🏼, bounding softly in your neck.

Ten seconds down the hall, all that faded. You were back to mulling some thought.

1/
But hold on. Let’s pause for a minute and retrace the steps.

A lot happened before the extra breath and the tug in your neck caught your attention.

And it’s all so damn cool.

2/
At the foot of the stairs, anticipation of exertion 🔔 and the stretch of muscle fibers 🦵🏽sent a signal to the sympathetic nervous system: start the car.

3/
Read 13 tweets
27 Nov 20
I’m fascinated by the question raised in this great blog post (read first).

“Always address the abnormal vital signs first”

I’m gonna think through some physiologic uncertainties and hope that @smithECGBlog @JSawallaGusehMD @MKIttlesonMD @BCMHeart can help me.

Thread 1/
I’ve always thought of severe hypertension as a cause of increased myocardial oxygen demand. Which makes sense for the SBP (afterload, wall stress)... it’s what the LV is contracting against.

2/
But what role does the DBP play?

Not much of one as far as the LV’s workload far as I can think...

But diastole is when coronary perfusion happens. Applying Ohm’s law in that vascular bed,

DBP - LVEDP = coronary blood flow (CBF) x coronary vascular resistance (CVR).

3/
Read 7 tweets
11 Nov 20
Folks always confuse 1:1,000 vs. 1:10,000 epinephrine, when you're supposed to use which, what the dosing is, etc

Here's what helps me remember/teach.

Thread 1/9 Image
There's two main indications for epi - code blue and anaphylaxis.

1. Code blue is a 1mg IV dose of 1:10,000 epi

2. Anaphylaxis is 0.3mg IM dose of 1:1,000 epi

Shouldn't be that hard to remember... but it is.

2/
There's the route, the dose, and the concentration.

The route is easiest. Think of epi being pushed IV during a code. Think of the epipen people jab into their thigh muscle for anaphylaxis.

1. Code – IV

2. Anaphylaxis - IM

Great, moving on.

3/
Read 9 tweets

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