This is a quick guide to help for medical and non-medical personnel at the point of need in hospitals, clinics, and home settings. It has clinical case scenarios, questions, and answers. It includes a plan of action based on differential diagnoses at the point of need to help guide you during critical moments. This powerful medical reference note reminds doctors of the different diagnoses to consider and a plan for acute situations when a life is danger or the doctor is alone. When it is nighttime and there are no support specialists, or there is no time to open a large medical book or search the Internet, he still needs to act to save a life. This family health protection guide teaches how to understand when our beloved spouse, grandparents, children, or friends are not feeling well and how we can help them. It explains the causes of common health problems such as chest pain, headaches, slurred speech, and difficulty breathing. It offers helpful lifesaving actions. The book encourages healthy living advice, such as regular exercise, healthy diet, alcohol and smoking cessation, age appropriate vaccinations, mammograms, and other important health topics.
Best Clinical Guide for Your Family and Your Doctor
The Helper in Critical Health SituationsBy Onyechela OgbonnaAuthorHouse
Copyright © 2012 Onyechela Ogbonna
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4685-8807-1Contents
Introduction...................................................................................viiClinical Scenario One..........................................................................1Alcohol and Drugs: Family Health Guide.........................................................3Healthy Habits: Regular Exercise and a Healthy Diet............................................4Common Critical Hospital Situations for Medical Personnel......................................5Family Health Guide: Why Are All These Wires and Machines Connected To Me?.....................7Healthy Diet: Family Health Guide..............................................................11Chest Pain: Is He Having a Heart Attack? How Can I Help?.......................................12Warning Signs of a Serious Medical Problem.....................................................17Why Your Doctor Says to Stop Using Tobacco.....................................................21Warning Signs of Serious Medical Problems......................................................24Why Do I Need an Annual Physical?..............................................................28Secrets of Doctors Who Write Good History and Physical Reports.................................31Family Health Hints............................................................................36When It Is Time to Return Home.................................................................37Prepare Your Family for Major Disaster.........................................................38Medical References.............................................................................41Disclaimer.....................................................................................43About the Author...............................................................................45
Chapter One
Clinical Scenario One
Mr. A. is a forty-five-year-old male. He was brought to the emergency department of the community hospital after his wife called 911. His hands and legs had been shaking, and he was not responding to verbal commands.
When the emergency team arrived, they confirmed he was having seizure. He was given intravenous Ativan by the team. He has a history of heavy alcohol use. He drinks beer and vodka. He has been abusing alcohol most of his life.
His wife said that he had not had alcohol for two days because he was trying to stop drinking. He had lost his job recently due to alcohol use. He had been reporting late to work.
On physical examination in the emergency department, he has tachycardia (irregular heartbeat) and diaphoresis (excessive sweating). His face was flushed. He was awake but confused. He was hallucinating, seeing spiders and objects. He had tremors of both upper extremities.
What should you do?
A. He is withdrawing from alcohol. He needs to be admitted to the hospital for intravenous Ativan, thiamine, and alcohol withdrawal protocol. He is sick.
B. He is malingering (intentional deceptive behavior). It is not a medical problem.
C. He has alcohol withdrawal. He needs to resume alcohol use immediately.
The correct answer is A. He has alcohol withdrawal signs. This is a serious medical condition. He should be admitted to the hospital for treatment.
Options A and C are wrong. He tried to quit, but he needs help to do it safely because his body is addicted and dependent on alcohol. It is safe to get treatment in the hospital. Resuming his alcohol use will result in more harm. It is unsafe to leave the hospital in his current medical condition.
Chapter Two
Alcohol and Drugs: Family Health Guide
Drugs and alcohol are very addictive and difficult to quit. The safest approach is not to start using then. If they already have their grip on you, your best option is to make every effort to quit. Drugs and alcohol damage your brain.
They also cause injuries to the liver, which is an organ needed to remove waste products from your body. Toxins will accumulate and make you sick and confused.
People who become confused due to alcohol use or drug dependence cannot function well at work or at home. The consequences include job losses and broken homes.
Drug and alcohol use are serious financial burdens to you, your family, and society in general. The financial implications are exorbitant; they come from the direct cost of obtaining drugs. People who abuse alcohol are more likely to be jobless and homeless. Society pays a big price to treat dependence-related issues that sometimes require multiple admissions to hospitals.
Chapter Three
Healthy Habits: Regular Exercise and a Healthy Diet
Exercise regularly—outside in the fresh air if the weather permits. A simple way is to park your car at home and walk to the grocery store instead of driving. Consider getting off the bus one stop ahead and walking home.
Dancing is great exercise for your body. Switch on your favorite music and dance. It is even better when you dance with your spouse. This is not only exercise; it helps build a common interest.
Running, bicycle riding, and jogging are wonderful for healthier, younger people. Participating in gym programs with treadmills and weights can be great for those who can afford it. Alternatives include simple home exercises: pushups, stretching, or walking for thirty minutes each day. Do whatever works for your family and job schedule.
Always observe safety precautions during exercise to prevent injuries and falls. Examples of safety measures include wearing helmets when riding and avoiding wet floors. Frail people and the elderly need extra support to prevent falls and injuries.
Chapter Four
Common Critical Hospital Situations for Medical Personnel
You are a physician on call for a local hospital in the open intensive care unit. You are on call for the entire hospital, including the ICU.
The nurse calls your direct phone because of a critical situation. She is up to date with her ACLS certifications. She has great clinical skills and more than twenty-five years of experience in the intensive care unit.
She tells you that the patient in ICU is not doing well. He is not responding to any stimuli—not even a sternal rub. There is no palpable pulse. His blood pressure cannot be recorded because it is too low. The patient is a fifty- five year old male with diabetes mellitus. He had been admitted the night before with acute renal failure and hyperkalemia (high potassium levels in the blood). He is awaiting hemodialysis. His renal has been consulted.
The nurse and her ICU colleagues have initiated ACLS protocol with good CPR. The monitor shows normal sinus rhythm. You confirm that the patient has no pulse.
The printed 12-lead electrocardiogram is normal, but the patient is unresponsive and has no pulse.
What do you call this condition?
A: A: Sleeping Syndrome
B. Ventricular Tachycardia
C. Pulseless Electrical Activity
The correct answer is C. Pulseless Electrical Activity is a serious medical condition managed as per ACLS protocol. This is a life-threatening condition. When in doubt, call senior doctors.
Option A is wrong because he is not sleeping. He is dying. Act immediately.
Option B is wrong. Ventricular Tachycardia is different because the electrocardiogram...
