Differential Diagnosis

You will prepare a 3-5 page paper on the following

1. Define Differential Diagnosis.  Expand on the importance of differential diagnosis
2. Describe (in detail) 2 processes for working through a differential diagnosis.
3. Select a symptom that was present in your patient from one of your case studies completed this term.  Identify the underlying pathophysiologic process that is the cause of the symptom.
4. Identify another diagnosis that can be the cause of the same symptoms and differentiate the underlying pathophysiologic processes.

(Example:  Your patient from the case study had Congestive Heart Failure and has been experiencing a dyspnea. Patients with Asthma also experience dyspnea.  Compare and contrast the pathophysiologic mechanisms for dyspnea experienced with these two diagnoses).

5. What other clinical symptoms and factors would be important to consider when working through the differential diagnosis for the patient in your case study that you are working on.

6. Identify how you would determine a diagnosis or rule out the diagnoses in your list of a differential.

7.  Use APA formatting for your work

8.  Support your work with evidence