Documenti di Didattica
Documenti di Professioni
Documenti di Cultura
Definition:
It is a sudden alteration in normal brain activity that causes distinct changes in behavior
and body function. They are thought to result from abnormal, recurrent, uncontrolled electric
discharges of neurons in the brain. It is also known as convulsions, epileptic seizures, and if
recurrent, epilepsy.
Seizures are classified as partial or generalized by the origin of the seizure activity and
associated clinical manifestations.
a. Simple partial seizures manifest motor, somatosensory, and psychomotor symptoms
without impairment of consciousness.
b. Complex partial seizures manifest impairment of consciousness with or without
simple partial symptoms.
c. Generalized seizures manifest a loss of consciousness with convulsive or
nonconvulsive behaviors and include tonic-clonic, myoclonic, atonic, and absence
seizures.
Etiology:
Head or brain trauma, tumors, cranial surgery, metabolic disorders (hypocalcemia,
hypoglycemia or hyperglycemia, hyponatremia, anoxia); central nervous system infection;
circulating disorders; drug toxicity; drug withdrawal states (alcohol, barbiturates); and congenital
neurodegenerative disorders.
Clinical Manifestations:
Some people may experience feelings, sensations or changes in behavior hours or days
before a seizure. These feelings are generally not part of the seizure, but may warn a
Unsual Smells
Unsual Sounds
Unsual Tastes
Pleasant feelings
Racing thoughts
Strange feelings
Dizzy or lightheaded
Headache
Nausea or other stomach feelings (often a rising feeling from the stomach to the throat)
Distracted, daydreaming
lapses
or pass out
Formed visual hallucinations (objects or things are seen that arent really there)
Feeling detached
Feeling of panic, fear, impending doom (intense feeling that something bad is going to
happen)
Sweating
flushed)
Difficulty breathing
Heart racing
than normal
Complications:
Psychological Problems
Pregnancy Dangers
Permanent Brain Damage
Sudden Unexplained Death in
Epilepsy (SUDE
Definition:
Etiology:
High blood pressure is the major contributor to hypertensive cardiovascular
disease. When blood pressure increases, it places pressure on blood vessels. This causes
the heart to have to pump harder, which overtime affects the heart muscle causing it to
enlarge.
High blood pressure can also cause stroke and heart disease due to the increased
amount of oxygen that is needed by the heart. It also contributes to blood vessel walls
thickening, which can worsen atherosclerosis, increasing the risks of stroke and heart
attacks.
Clinical Manifestations:
Fatigue.
Irregular pulse or palpitations.
Swelling of feet and ankles.
Weight gain.
Nausea.
Shortness of breath
Medications that are used in preventing the blood from clotting, improving the flow of
shoulders.
Difficulty sleeping flat in bed
(orthopnea)
Bloating and abdominal pain
Foot and ankle swelling
Hypertension
Beta-blockers for lowering blood pressure and reducing the amount of oxygen used by
the heart
Complications:
Angina
Heart attack
Stroke
Heart failure
Arrhythmias
Sudden death
Ischemic heart disease
Cardiac arrest
Arthiritis
Definition:
Family History
Age Old
Sex Male
Previous joint injury
Obesity
Etiology:
Clinical Manifestations:
Pain
Stiffness
Swelling
Redness
Decreased range of motion
Analgesics. These types of medications help reduce pain, but have no effect on
inflammation.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). NSAIDs reduce both pain and
inflammation.
Counterirritants. Some varieties of creams and ointments contain menthol or capsaicin,
arthritis, DMARDs slow or stop your immune system from attacking your joints
Biologics. Typically used in conjunction with DMARDs, biologic response modifiers are
genetically engineered drugs that target various protein molecules that are involved in the
immune response.
Corticosteroids. This class of drug, which includes prednisone and cortisone, reduces
artificial one. Joints most commonly replaced are hips and knees.
Joint fusion. This procedure is more often used for smaller joints, such as those in the
wrist, ankle and fingers. It removes the ends of the two bones in the joint and then locks
those ends together until they heal into one rigid unit
Complications:
Twisted joints
Deformed joints
Pneumonia
Definition:
Etiology:
Bacteria
Viruses
Long-term or chronic disease like asthma, heart disease, cancer, or diabetes
Clinical Manifestations:
Cough
Fever.
Chest pain that often feels worse when you cough or breathe in.
Fast heartbeat.
Diarrhea
Antibiotics
Bronchodilators
Nebulisation
Metered-dose inhalers
Oxygen therapy
Fluid resuscitation
Corticosteroids
Dotrecogin Alfa
Complications:
Meningitis
Pleural Effusion
Sepsis
Hypoxia
Hypoxemia
Bacteremia
Lung abscess
Difficulty breathing
Definition:
A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection in any part of your urinary system
your kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra. Most infections involve the lower urinary tract
the bladder and the urethra
Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are very common particularly in women, babies
and the elderly. Around one in two women and one in 20 men will get a UTI in their lifetime.
Etiology:
The most common UTIs occur mainly in women and affect the bladder
and urethra.
Infection of the bladder (cystitis). This type of UTI is usually caused by Escherichia coli
(E. coli), a type of bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Sexual
intercourse may lead to cystitis, but you don't have to be sexually active to develop it. All
women are at risk of cystitis because of their anatomy specifically, the short distance
from the urethra to the anus and the urethral opening to the bladder.
Infection of the urethra (urethritis). This type of UTI can occur when GI bacteria spread
from the anus to the urethra. Also, because the female urethra is close to the vagina,
sexually transmitted infections, such as herpes, gonorrhea and chlamydia, can cause
urethritis.
Other causes:
Diabetes Melllitus
Pregnancy
Menopause
UTIs as a child
Gender
Obesity
Age
Kidney problems
Chronic illnesses
Long-term catheter use
Clinical Manifestations:
Antibiotics
Increase Fluid Intake
Proper Hygine
Antipyretics for fever
NSAIDs or Pain Relievers for pain
Complications:
Systemic Infection
Bacteremia
Ascending infection
Definition:
Acute Gastroenteritis is an extended and possibly fatal attack of stomach flu. It is
an inflammation in the bowels caused mainly by an infection.
Also known as "stomach flu," which is an infection of the stomach and intestines.
Etiology:
Bacterial infection
Infection by parasites like giardia
Accidental poisoning or exposure to toxins
Clinical Manifestations:
Diarrhea
Vomiting
Stomach pain
Complications:
Dehydration
Fluid and electrolyte imbalance
Definition:
An inguinal hernia happens when contents of the abdomen, usually fat or part of
the small intestine bulge through a weak area in the lower abdominal wall. The abdomen
is the area between the chest and the hips. The area of the lower abdominal wall is also
called the inguinal or groin region. Inguinal hernias occur at the inguinal canal in the
groin region.
Indirect inguinal hernias. A defect in the abdominal wall that is present at birth causes an
indirect inguinal hernia. During the development of the fetus in the womb, the lining of
the abdominal cavity forms and extends into the inguinal canal. In males, the spermatic
cord and testicles descend out from inside the abdomen and through the abdominal lining
to the scrotum through the inguinal canal. Next, the abdominal lining usually closes off
the entrance to the inguinal canal a few weeks before or after birth. In females, the
ovaries do not descend out from inside the abdomen, and the abdominal lining usually
closes a couple of months before birth. It appears in 2 to 3 percent of male children;
however, they are much less common in female children, occurring in less than 1 percent.
Direct inguinal hernias. Direct inguinal hernias usually occur only in male adults as aging
and stress or strain weaken the abdominal muscles around the inguinal canal. Previous
surgery in the lower abdomen can also weaken the abdominal muscles. Females rarely
form this type of inguinal hernia. In females, the broad ligament of the uterus acts as an
additional barrier behind the muscle layer of the lower abdominal wall. The broad
ligament of the uterus is a sheet of tissue that supports the uterus and other reproductive
organs.
Etiology:
heredity
personal history of hernias
being male
premature birth
being overweight or obese
pregnancy
cystic fibrosis
chronic cough
frequent constipation
frequently standing for long periods of time
Clinical Manifestations:
For open hernia repair surgery, a single long incision is made in the groin.
If the hernia is bulging out of the abdominal wall (a direct hernia), the bulge is
pushed back into place. If the hernia is going down the inguinal canal (indirect),
the hernia sac is either pushed back or tied off and removed.
Complications:
Incarceration. An incarcerated hernia happens when part of the fat or small intestine from
inside the abdomen becomes stuck in the groin or scrotum and cannot go back into the
abdomen. A health care provider is unable to massage the hernia back into the abdomen.
Strangulation. When an incarcerated hernia is not treated, the blood supply to the small
intestine may become obstructed, causing strangulation of the small intestine. This lack
of blood supply is an emergency situation and can cause the section of the intestine to die.
Definition:
Infection of the specific areas of the upper respiratory tract can be named
specifically. Examples of these may include rhinitis (inflammation of the nasal cavity), sinus
infection (sinusitis or rhinosinusitis) - inflammation of the sinuses located around the nose,
common cold (nasopharyngitis) - inflammation of the nares, pharynx, hypopharynx, uvula, and
tonsils, pharyngitis (inflammation of the pharynx, uvula, and tonsils), epiglottitis (inflammation
of the upper portion of the larynx or the epiglottis), laryngitis (inflammation of the larynx),
laryngotracheitis (inflammation of the larynx and the trachea), and tracheitis (inflammation of
the trachea).
Etiology:
Direct invasion of the inner lining (mucosa or mucus membrane) of the upper airway by
Clinical Manifestations:
Rest is an important step in treating upper respiratory infections. Usual activities, such as,
from runny nose, fevers, and poor appetite associated with upper respiratory infections.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) can be used to reduce fever and body aches.
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) can be used for
codeine all have shown benefits in reducing cough in upper respiratory infections.
Steroids such as (dexamethasone (Decadron )and prednisone orally (and nasally) are
sometimes used reduce inflammation of the airway passage and decrease swelling and
congestion.
Honey can be used in reducing cough.
Decongestants such as pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) Actifed oral, phenylephrine (Neosynephrine nasal) can be used to reduce nasal congestion (generally not recommended in
children less than 2 years of age and not recommended for individuals with high blood
pressure).
Antibiotics are sometimes used to treat upper respiratory infections if a bacterial infection
is suspected or diagnose
Complications:
Hypertension
Definition:
High blood pressure; transitory or sustained elevation of systemic arterial blood
pressure to a level likely to induce cardiovascular damage or other adverse consequences.
Etiology:
The exact causes of high blood pressure are not known, but several factors and
conditions may play a role in its development, including:
Obesity
Smoking
Diabetes
Sedentary lifestyle
High level of salt intake
Insufficient calcium, potassium, and magnesium consumption
Vit D deficiency
Aging
Stress
Alcohol consumption
Use of birth control pills
Genetics
Chronic Kidney Disease
Adrenal and thyroid problems
Clinical Manifestations:
There is no guarantee that a person with hypertension will present any symptoms
of the condition. For this reason, it is advisable to undergo periodic blood pressure
screenings even when no symptoms are present.
Severe headache
Fatigue
Confusion
Dizziness
Nausea
Blurred vision
Chest pain
Breathing problems
Irregular heartbeat
Presence of blood in the urine
The main goal of treatment for hypertension is to lower blood pressure to less than
140/90 mmHg or even lower in some groups, such as people with Diabetes and Chronic
Kidney Disease.
Diuretics. They help the kidneys eliminate sodium and water from the body.
Anti-adrenergics lower blood pressure by limiting the action of the hormones epinephrine
and norepinephrine, thereby relaxing the blood vessels and reducing the speed and force
of the hearts contractions
Calcium-channel blockers slow the movement of calcium into the smooth-muscle cells of
the heart and blood vessels. This weakens heart muscle contractions and dilates blood
vessels, lowering blood pressure.
Ace Inhibitors. These agents prevent your kidneys from retaining sodium and water by
deactivating angiotensin-converting enzyme, which converts inactive angiotensin I to the
active angiotensin II.
Complications:
Stroke
Heart attack
Heart failure
References
Enrico Forte and Valerie Forte. (2014). What is Hypertensive Cardio Vascular Disease?
Retrieved from http://www.mediterraneanbook.com/2011/02/09/hypertensive-cardiovascular-disease/
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2015). Viral gastroenteritis (stomach flu). Retrieved from
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/viralgastroenteritis/basics/complications/con-20019350