Real Life USMLE Question
Wayfaring: Wow, your blood pressure is still pretty high.
Patient (who is Austrian): Ja, Ja, I don’t know why is all of a sudden going higher but it is better today. Last week it was higher.
Wayfaring: Has your diet changed? Do you eat a lot of salty food?
Patient: No, maybe little more since coming to US but not a lot.
Wayfaring: I’m going to increase your blood pressure medication to this.
[later during encounter]
Patient: So I was eating a lot of - I don’t know how you say but it is black candy? We call lakritz? And it made my stomach hurt so I quit a few days ago.
Wayfaring: Wait, LICORICE?
Patient: Ja, you know it?
Wayfaring: How much licorice?
Patient: A LOT. I really like it.
Wayfaring: It’s the licorice!! I never thought I’d have to know that piece of information from medical school!
Patient:
Wayfaring: Your blood pressure! You gotta cut back the licorice. It’s raising your blood pressure!
Patient: Is zis a real thing?
Wayfaring: Yeah! It was on my board exams! But I never thought I’d need to know it in real life.
