Skip to main content

APTA Specialist Certification - Governed by ABPTS

APTA Specialist Certification - Governed by ABPTS

All questions on the exam relate to the competencies outlined in "Description of Specialty Practice: Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Physical Therapy."

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

Below are the knowledge areas and topics that make up the exam, by percentage.

Expand to review percentages.

 

I. Knowledge areas  
A. Professional behaviors, leadership, education, administration, consultation 5%
B. Evidence-based clinical practice, including critical inquiry principles and methods 10%
A. Examination 15%
B. Evaluation 30%
C. Diagnosis and prognosis 5%
D. Plan of care and interventions 15%
E. Outcomes 5%

TOTAL

100

Diagnoses Seen by Specialists

The following lists the most commonly seen patient and 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 Diagnosis

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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

  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
Share This