الفهرس 
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Abstract
Respiratory diseases constitute a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide (Olufemi et al., 2009). Cardinal respiratory symptoms include cough, expectoration, haemoptysis, dyspnea, and wheeze and chest pain. They share in the high prevalence in medical consultations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cardinal respiratory symptoms in patients presenting to internal medicine outpatient clinic at Suhaj Teaching Hospital. The evaluation was in light of final clinical diagnosis. This study was conducted upon 500 patients (220 males and 280 females) at the internal medicine outpatient clinic in Suhaj teaching hospital in the period from March 2011 to June 2011. All patients were subjected to the following: Detailed medical history taking with emphasis on the analysis
of the complaint. Thorough clinical examinations including general as well as local chest examination. Routine laboratory investigations. The following investigations were done to some patients according to the medical necessity: - Chest X-ray. - 12-lead surface electrocardiogram (ECG). - Echocardiography. - Abdominal and chest ultrasonography. - Abdominal and chest computed tomography (CT). The suspected diagnosis obtained by the examining physician as well as the suggested management plan were documented.
The following results were obtained: At initial presentation, (136) patients representing (27٫2٪)
presented with pure respiratory symptoms, 332 patients representing (66٫4٪) presented with non-respiratory symptoms, whereas the remaining 32 patients representing (6٫4٪) presented with combined respiratory and non-respiratory symptoms. After history taking, (148) patients representing (29٫6٪) had pure respiratory diseases, (205) patients representing (41٪) had non-respiratory diseases with respiratory symptoms, whereas (147) patients representing (29٫4٪) had non-respiratory diseases with no respiratory symptoms. There was highly significant statistical difference regarding the prevalence of pure respiratory and non-respiratory symptomatology among patients at initial presentation and after history taking. (35) patients (7٪) were admitted, (30) of them had pure respiratory diseases representing (6٪) of the patients in this study and (87٫7 %) of the admitted patients. Out of the (500) patients in this study, the residents of the internal medicine at the outpatient clinic were the chief controller responsible for the medical management as they managed 452 patients constituting (90٫4٪), specialists played the role only in 37 patients constituting (7٫4٪), while consultants were responsible for the decision making only in 11 patients constituting (2٫2٪). Out of the (148) patients with pure respiratory diseases; consultants, specialists and residents were responsible for the decision making in 4, 19, and 123 cases, respectively.