Postgraduate medicine
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
Case ReportsAddressing unmet needs for diagnosis and management of chronic cough in the primary care setting.
Chronic cough (i.e. cough lasting >8 weeks) has a global prevalence of approximately 10% and is associated with substantial patient burden, including social, psychological, and physical impairments. This burden can be long-lasting, with some patients experiencing cough for many years. Although chronic cough is often a symptom of respiratory diseases (e.g. interstitial lung disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or is associated with comorbid conditions (e.g. asthma, gastroesophageal reflux disease) and may resolve after targeted treatment of these conditions, some patients continue to cough despite optimal treatment of associated conditions (refractory chronic cough (RCC)) or have no identifiable conditions presumed to be contributing to the cough (unexplained chronic cough (UCC)). ⋯ Primary care physicians may be in an important position to provide the initial diagnostic workup of patients with chronic cough as well as identify when referral to specialists (e.g. pulmonologists, allergists, otolaryngologists) is appropriate. In this narrative review, current diagnosis and management guidelines for chronic cough are summarized and recommendations for diagnostic workup in a primary care setting are provided. Increased appreciation of chronic cough as a distinct condition, rather than as only a symptom of other diseases, may help overcome current challenges in diagnosing and managing chronic cough and reduce patient burden.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
Case ReportsAnesthetic consideration for airway management in patient undergoing tracheal resection and reconstruction for severe postintubation tracheal stenosis: a case report.
Introduction Severe postintubation tracheal stenosis (PITS) is a rare iatrogenic complication after endotracheal intubation. Case presentation A case of PITS in a 51-year-old male undergoing partial pericardiectomy with a principal diagnosis of tuberculous constrictive pericarditis. Within 6 hours of extubation, a second emergency intubation lasting 120 hours was performed. ⋯ Mechanical ventilation with a ProSeal laryngeal mask airway (PLMA) and preparation for extracorporeal circulation as a final rescue option were performed to maximize patient safety. The patient underwent a tracheal resection and reconstruction without complications. Conclusion A supraglottic airway mode may be a practical and worthwhile alternative for patients with severe PITS.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
ReviewHome-based exercise can be beneficial for counteracting sedentary behavior and physical inactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic in older adults.
The novel pandemic called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), as a global public health emergency, seems to be having a major impact on physical activity (PA) behaviors. Older adults are at high risk of death from the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS CoV-2). Health authorities around the world have been implementing preventive health measures, including quarantine and self-isolation, to mitigate the COVID-19 outbreak. ⋯ To avoid the harmful effects of periods of exercise cessation, PA could be prescribed to older adults, which is of great importance for breaking their sedentary lifestyle and improving their immunity. The present review discusses the potential impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on sedentary behavior and physical inactivity in older adults. The importance of performing PA to reduce the harmful effects of the COVID-19 pandemic is discussed, and useful recommendations on home-based exercise for the older adults to maintain their level of independence, physical and mental health as well as their well-being are provided.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
Review Case ReportsHydroxychloroquine sulfate related hypoglycemia in a non-diabetic COVID-19 patient: a case report and literature review.
Objective: Hypoglycemia is a serious adverse effect of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) which is very rare in non-diabetic patients. This case report describes a non-diabetic patient without any other chronic diseases, who experienced mild hypoglycemia related to HCQ used for COVID-19 treatment. Methods: All etiologies causing hypoglycemia were investigated and a 72-hour fast test was performed. ⋯ Conclusion: Hypoglycemia may be observed as an adverse effect of HCQ used for COVID-19 infection even in patients without chronic diseases and comorbidities. We must be careful while using HCQ for these patients and must warn them about this effect. The warning about hypoglycemia effect of HCQ must be added to COVID-19 treatment guidelines.
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Postgraduate medicine · Jun 2021
ReviewPrevention of recurrent thromboembolism in myeloproliferative neoplasms: Review of literature and focus on direct oral anticoagulants.
Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), including polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (MF) are stem cell clonal neoplasms characterized by expansion of late myeloid cells. Thrombosis risk is elevated in MPNs and contributes significantly to morbidity and mortality. Current consensus guidelines make no specific recommendations regarding anticoagulant choice for the treatment of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in MPNs, with most evidence supporting the use of vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) for secondary prophylaxis. ⋯ The widespread adoption of DOACs is based on new, high-quality evidence demonstrating safety and efficacy of DOAC treatment for cancer-associated VTE. However, these studies include few if any MPN patients, and MPNs have disease-specific considerations that may elevate thrombosis and bleeding risk. The purpose of this review is to discuss evidence behind current treatment recommendations for thrombosis in MPNs, with special attention to the use of DOACs.