A comprehensive clinical examination is the basis for selecting further diagnostic steps:
- General physical examination – including blood pressure, pulse, body weight, height; further:
- Inspection (viewing).
- Skin, mucous membranes and sclerae (white part of the eye) [xanthomas – small yellowish-white skin lesions].
- Auscultation (listening) of the heart [early atherosclerosis (arteriosclerosis, hardening of the arteries) → coronary artery disease (CAD)]
- Palpation (palpation) of the abdomen (abdomen) (pressure pain?, knock pain?, cough pain?, defensive tension?, hernial orifices?, renal bearing knock pain?)
- Inspection (viewing).
- Health check
Square brackets [ ] indicate possible pathological (pathological) physical findings.