%0 Journal Article
%T Stethoscopes and stories
%J Archive of "Canadian Family Physician".
%D 2017
%X The stethoscope is a simple, elegant technology invented by French physician Ren¨¦ Laennec in 1816, but in 21st-century medicine its value is not always appreciated, especially in the care of the elderly. The stethoscope is familiar; it is relatively unobtrusive. It allows us to listen to crackles at the base of the lung, which might suggest pneumonia, and to hear a diminished sound in the bowel, which might suggest the early stages of bowel obstruction. Yes, I will order an ECG or MRI if it can help me refine my diagnosis. However, these technologies can sometimes cause stress for many frail older patients
%U https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5555332/