ANAPHYLAXIS

Imagine this situation…………..
You are on a date, watching a movie or a game………….when your date pops
a handful of nuts into his/her mouth………..
The next thing you know………….he/she breaks out in hives, starts
scratching everywhere, turns red and may start gasping for breaths……….

Though it may seem severe and far fetched, " ANAPHYLAXIS" may occur in
upto 15% of the population (United states data).

Simply put, its an allergy of massive proportions and may terminate fatally.

In non scientific terms, the body's immune system becomes over
protective and identifies a potentially harmless substance like a
peanut as a dangerous invader. The IgE immunoglobulin, a component of
the immune system, activated by the offending nut; attaches to
certain cells in our body. This releases chemicals like histamine.

Once this happens the effects are seen. It so happens that these
special cells (mast cells) are highest in number in the skin, in the
intestinal and respiratory linings……….hence the skin turns red and
swollen, hives appear, diarrhea starts, wheezing, breathing
difficulties set in.
In its most severe form, the blood pressure drops, leading to shock
and if untreated, death.

WHAT CAUSES THIS CONDITION??
Virtually anything; but food allergies to nuts( peanuts, walnuts),
sea food, milk, eggs, soy are the commonest. Others include bee
stings, antibiotics ( penicillins), agents used for anesthesia etc.

You recognize this condition by its rapidity, typical features and
common history of eating any of the foods mentioned above or following
a bee sting.

Since this is an emergency, medical care is a must. However, removal
of the allergen, basic cpr measures, laying the person flat are some
of the intelligent measures one could do.

Administering adrenaline terminates the episode…and in fact people
prone for anaphylaxis could be taught to administer this drug.

Education is of utmost value………and do remember, prevention is better
than cure…….so its always better not to yield to temptation and regret
later……………….( if you are allergic to certain foods that is!! )

--
(hitr@

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Top five dishes that can keep you healthy!!!

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5.Oats:You or your parents diabetic?Then start on oat meals.It fills your tummy without elevating your blood sugar.

NEW ALTERNATIVE FOR OPEN HEART SURGERY

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Read more about  TETRALOGY OF FALLOT-A congenital heart disorder.

Test tube babies face increased health hazards

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But ongoing research in the health of these children points towards the increased risk of developing diabetes mellitus type 2,obesity,hypertension.
Research done on the children born with the aid of assisted reproductive technology give clues that chromosomal modifications namely DNA methylation show variations in those children when compared to the children born naturally.
The underlining cause for the abnormality in methylation is not yet ascertained.Further researches are on pending.

Breast cancer treatment latest breakthrough

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Tamoxifen is one of the most depended drugs that is used to treat women to prevent cancer returning.In a third of patients,tamoxifen fails in its action.Latest researches have picked out a gene FGFR1 responsible for this condition.Scientists are on their way developing a new drug which willturn off this gene FGFR1.
This novel invention will enable clinicians to treat breast cancer in a new dimension effectively in the future.

Music heals stroke

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The patients who suffers from stroke may be unable to produce meaningful words if their vocal centre is damaged.If these patients are trained to sing,it is found helping them to form a conversation by assigning a simple melody to each letter in the word.The reason behind this is,the centre concerned with singing is located in a different area of the brain.So if the patient's speech area is destroyed,his singing area will be intact.
This finding is an example of how research has made a leap in the welfare of human race.
Medical practitioners are enthusiastic to the new finding and let us hope it will open up new horizons in the treatment of stroke..

Nap boosts brain power

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This process makes the hippocampus afresh to accomodate new information just as like in an email inbox.
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The latest technique is called as personalised analysis of rearranged ends which employs blood tests.
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The major drawback is the high cost which will hopefully come down affordable to a common man
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Wonderland in saliva

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Pericardial tamponade

Fluid or blood gets collected in the pericardial sac.This condition effects the normal functioning of the heart.
The patient complains of breathlessness,chest pain,syncope.
The signs of pericardial tamponade are pulsus paradoxus,raised JVP on inspiration,third heart sounds.
The investigation done are ecg,echocardiography.ECG may show changing cardiac axis,flattening of waves.
The treatment is mainly aimed at clearing the fluid collection.

TETRALOGY OF FALLOT

It is a congenital disorder.It occurs as a result of developmental anomaly.The heart wont be able to function normally due to lack of it’s proper functional structures.


Tetralogy of FALLOT is characterized by obstruction to the right ventricular outflow,hypertrophy of right ventricle,ventricular septal defect and dextroposition of aorta with septal override.

CLINICAL MANIFESTATIONS:-

It depends on the degree to which right ventricle is obstructed,time of onset of symptoms and degree of cyanosis.Cyanosis(bluish colour on lips,oral cavity,face) may be present or absent at birth.It precipitates usually by one year.The other clinical manifestations are clubbing,dyspnea(difficulty to breath)on exertion,squatting at times of attack.Cyanotic attacks precipitate as the child becomes active in his later stages of life and lasts for minutes to hours.The growth of the child will be delayed.The associated symptoms are convulsions,restlessness,hyperpenic,gasping respiration,hypoxia and acidosis.It lasts for minutes to hours.

On examination the heart beat will be normal.On x ray examination a concavity can be seen on the left heart border and elevation of heart border.

Major Complications are:-

Cyanotic spells,cerebral thrombosis,brain abcess,infection of the heart wall with bacteria,Congestive cardiac failure.

TREATMENT:-

Treatment is done by a systematic approach.Severe obstruction to the outflow of right ventricle is treated to increase pulmonary blood flow by keeping pulmonary duct by administration of PGE1 and this is a temporary measure till surgery.In less severe cases,medical management is by prevention and prompt treatment of dehydration.oral propanolol administration.

CYANOTIC SPELL is managed by eeiping the patient in a knee-chest positon,administering oxygen and glucose,morphine .2mg/kg,propanolol I.V 0.1mg/kg,correction of acidosis.

Complications like brain absess is treated by administration of antibiotics for 6 weeks,polycytemia by adequate hydration,phlebotomy and volume replacement,bacterial endocarditis by administration of antibiotics for 6 weeks.

SURGICAL MANAGEMENT:-

1.PALLIATIVE PROCEDURE:-decrease hypoxia,improves growth,augments pulmonary artery growth and increae pulmonary artery blood flow.

2.CORRECTIVE SURGERY:-Often aimed at curing.The patient can lead a near normal life.It is performed in early infancy.