All questions on the exam relate to the competencies outlined in the book Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy: Description of Specialty Practice (DSP).
The content outline lists major content areas and components of the exam. The exam is composed of case histories, each accompanied by multiple-choice questions. The cardiovascular and pulmonary diagnosis that may be included in the exam content are listed below with their frequency of occurrence.
Examination Content Outline
A. Professional Behaviors: Leadership, Education, and Administration 10%
B. Consultation 4%
C. Evidence-Based Practice 10%
D. History Taking and Systems Review 10%
E. Test and Measures 10%
F. Evaluation 30%
- Analyzing, interpreting, diagnosis, prognosis,
outcome determination
G. Interventions 12%
- Procedural interventions;
- Coordination, communication, and documentation
H. Foundational, Clinical and Behavioral Sciences 14%
TOTAL 100%
Diagnoses Seen by Specialists
The following lists the most commonly seen patient/client diagnoses seen by specialists. They are listed by frequency seen and rank ordered within each category. The cardiovascular and pulmonary clinical specialist exam will contain cases in a distribution that reflects these diagnoses seen frequently (60% of exam items), occasionally (30% of exam items), or rarely (10% of exam items), based on the survey of specialists.
Cardiovascular Diagnoses
Diagnoses Seen Frequently
- Atherosclerotic disease, coronary atherosclerosis
- Atherosclerotic disease, peripheral vascular occlusive disease
- Chronic (left side) heart failure
- Patients at high risk for development of cardiovascular disease or complications
- Hypertension
- Rhythm disturbances/dysrhythmia
- Atherosclerotic disease, peripheral vascular, and cardiovascular complications of diabetes
- Hypertensive heart disease
- Ischemic conditions, myocardial infarction
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, coronary angioplasty
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, coronary artery bypass graft
- Ischemic conditions, angina
- Cor pulmonale/right heart failure
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, cardiac pacemaker insertion
- Atherosclerotic disease, intermittent claudication
- Cardiomyopathy
- Valvular disorders
- Atherosclerotic disease, venous stasis
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, aortofemoral or other vascular bypass grafts
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, valve replacement
- Aneurysms
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, vascular stent placement
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, defibrillator implant
- Ischemic conditions, intermediate coronary syndrome
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures intraaortic balloon pump
Diagnoses Seen Occasionally
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, aortic aneurysm repair
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, aortic dissection repair
- Pericarditis
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, ventricular assist device placement
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, heart transplant
- Congenital defects, septal
- Ischemic conditions, Prinzmetal's angina
Diagnoses Seen Rarely
- Congenital defects, patent ductus arteriosus
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation
- Status post invasive or surgical procedures, correction of congenital heart defects
- Lymphedema
- Congenital defects, coarctation of the aorta
- Lymphadenopathy
- Congenital defects, tetralogy of Fallot
- Congenital defects, common ventricle
- Congenital defects, transposition of great vessels
- Congenital defects, Eisenmenger's syndrome
Pulmonary Diagnoses
Diagnoses Seen Frequently
- Pulmonary edema
- Emphysema/bronchitis (acute or chronic)
- Pulmonary artery hypertension/primary pulmonary hypertension
- Asthma
- Pneumonia (bacterial, viral, pneumococcal, aspiration, bronchopneumonia)
- Atelectasis, adult primary
- Pulmonary effusion
- High risk for development of pulmonary disease or complications
- Acute respiratory failure
- Status post surgical procedure, abdominal surgery
- Postoperative pulmonary complications (other than atelectasis)
- Status post surgical procedure, tracheotomy
- Acute upper-respiratory infection
- Pneumothorax
- Status post surgical procedure, other thoracic surgery
- Adult respiratory distress syndrome
- Pulmonary embolism
- Bronchiectasis
- Pulmonary fibrosis, primary/idiopathic
- Neoplastic diseases, carcinoma in situ (bronchus/lung)
- Orthopedic impairment, fractured ribs
Diagnoses Seen Occasionally
- Orthopedic impairment, kyphoscoliosis
- Cystic fibrosis
- Neoplastic diseases, malignant neoplasm (trachea/bronchus/lung/larynx/pleura)
- Status post surgical procedure, lung reduction, or resection
- Influenza
- Status post surgical procedure, lung transplant (single or double)
- Bronchiolitis
- Pulmonary fibrosis, iatrogenic (radiation/chemotherapy)
- Lung abscess
- Emphysema
- Status post surgical procedure, esophagectomy
- Orthopedic impairment, flail chest
- Spinal cord lesion or injury, cervical
- Sarcoidosis
Diagnoses Seen Rarely
- Graph versus host disease
- Spinal cord lesion or injury, thoracic
- Spinal cord lesion or injury, lumbosacral
- Pneumoconiosis
- Tuberculosis
- Bronchopulmonary displasia (BPD)
- Status post surgical procedure, heart-lung transplant
- Atelectasis, newborn
- Hepatopulmonary syndrome
- Meconium aspiration