Dizziness and Palpitations, Case Study Example

The patient is a 57 year old woman who strongly says that she has never tried taking illicit drugs. Relatively, this includes smoking and radical alcohol intake which is assumed as respectively a positive matter about the behavior of the patient. Considerably, such an attitude could impose that the lifestyle of the patient does follow a healthy pattern. The remaining two factors to consider are the patient’s age and gender. Considering that she is a 57 year old woman, it could be noted that there are some ailments that are related to such health factors.

At this point, taking into account the different health conditions that define the patient’s background, the closest assumption is that of the possible occurrence of menopause. Menopause is a phase in a woman’s health that marks the end of a woman’s monthly cycles (Freeman, et al, 2007). This end of cycles specifically indicates the end of the productive years of a woman. This instance affects the physiological, emotional and mental conditions of a woman’s overall health status (Ricklefs, 2011). For the physiological factor, it could be realized that among the symptoms of menopause includes dizziness and heart palpitations accordingly. At ages between late 40’s towards late 50’s, the reproductive system of a woman changes and alters accordingly. This change in the physical condition of the patient specifically affects the regularity of the heartbeat. Palpitation is often the result of the adjustment of blood flow through the veins; which in turn also affects the balance in blood distribution which distinctive develops into dizziness.

To make sure that it is menopause, the process of diagnoses, the patient should also be asked on the last date of her menstruation and if they usually arrive regularly. She should also be asked regarding the number of kids she had [if ever she did] as this would usually affect the occurrence of menopause among women (Ornat, et al, 2012). Given her age at 57, it could be realized that it is much possible that menopause specifically creates the possibility of the occurring emergence of the symptoms she made mention of. Dealing with the situation involves a constructive way of giving the patient some assurance that such symptoms will immediately go away. The need to support her condition through developing more positive thoughts and perceptions about life could better define her outlook about her current situation.

If incase the said health situation has not been confirmed, other possibilities could include panic attack or acute stress reaction. Both conditions are contributed by the aspect of being involved in points of anxiety and worries that most women at the age of 57 are likely concerned with. Here are some of the questions that should be given consideration while diagnosing the patient’s health situation:

1. When was your LMP [last menstrual period]?
2. How much dizziness have you been feeling? How long does the dizziness last?
3. Are there any worries you are most anxious about lately?
4. How long does the palpitations last? DO you feel dizzy alongside such heart case?

These questions are only guide questions to determine whether the case considered is menopause related to anxiety-based physical problems causing the symptoms to occur.

References

Freeman EW, Sammel MD, Lin H, et al. (2007). “Symptoms associated with menopausal transition and reproductive hormones in midlife women”. Obstetrics and gynecology 110 (2 Pt 1): 230–40.

Ornat L, Martínez-Dearth R, Muñoz A, Franco P, Alonso B, Tajada M, Pérez-López FR. (2012). “Sexual function, satisfaction with life and menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women.”. Maturitas 75 (3): 261–9.

Ricklefs R.E., Wikelski M. (2002). “The Physiology/Life-history Nexus”. Trends in Ecology & Evolution 17 (10): 462–468.