Abstract This paper presents a discussion about general medical issues. The paper discusses some general cardiac problems, gastrointestinal (GI) issues and issues relating to the use of anticoagulants. The paper addresses a basic background of each area of medical study and then gives a few examples, in each area, of the typical medical problems that may be encountered.
Table of Contents:
Cardiac
Anticoagulants GI Problems
From the Paper "When receiving anticoagulants, there are four areas of education that should be addressed with the patient and the patient's family.
Anticoagulants are powerful medications that can have life saving results, however, they also have several important issues that should be addressed with the patient and their family. The first area of education that the family needs to be aware of is the instruction to tell all medical doctors, dentists and pharmacists that they are on that medication. The medication has other medications that it cannot be mixed with. In addition before surgery or dental work is performed precautions must be taken so that the patient does not hemorrhage.
Abstract This paper examines how Factor Five Van Leidenis, also known as Factor V Leiden Thrombophilia, is a disorder that is characterized by a poor anticoagulant response to the APC or the so called 'activated protein C'. It looks at how it is most likely to occur in women with a history of venous thromboembolism during pregnancy, or in association with a high usage of oral contraceptives or in cases where members of one's family have suffered from venous thromboembolism.
From the Paper "It is also as yet unknown whether the prophylactic treatment of asymptomatic carriers or of carriers with a previous obstetric history is effective or not. This means that those patients with or even without a coagulopathy who may develop an acute thromboembolism during the term of their pregnancy would require a complete and full anticoagulation with intravenous unfractionated heparin, for five to ten days. Therefore, an intravenous dosage of intravenous anticoagulation of heparin, which is followed by a continuous infusion, is recommended for these pregnant women at high risk due to Factor V van Leiden disorder."
Abstract This paper describes the different therapies available for the secondary prevention of stroke. Each treatment is explained, and the pros and cons are presented. The different therapies available for the secondary prevention of stroke provide individual benefits and risks. The paper outlines the statistics for the amount of stroke-caused deaths and stroke-related visits to the emergency room. The immense stress that the high incidence of stroke places on emergency healthcare is discussed.
From the Paper "Stroke is an all too common affliction that often leads to permanent disability or death. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, stroke is the cause of 167,661 deaths and 639,000 emergency department visits annually in the United States (these figures are based on statistics for the years 2000 and 1997 respectively). There are several risk factors associated with stroke. One of these factors is aging, which has been shown to significantly increase the risk of stroke (Carolei et. al., 2002). With the growing elderly population, the above statistics are bound to increase as time passes."
Abstract This paper discusses many studies and finds that saline was as effective as heparin in maintaining patency, preventing phlebitis and increasing the duration of peripheral intravenous lines. The author concludes that using normal saline rather than heparin as a flushing solution improves the quality of patient care by eliminating problems associated with anti-coagulant drug use and drug incompatibilities. The author also concludes that it is time saving in terms of nurse-hours needed and is cost-effective.
From the Paper "According to LeDuc (1997), reports in the literature support the use of a normal saline solution for maintaining patency in peripheral intermittent intravenous devises in adults, but the data regarding its use in children is very limited. LeDuc thus designed a study to examine the effects of a heparin flush compared to a saline flush in maintaining the patency of infusion devices in pediatric patients, and to examine the cost saving implications of the treatments."
Abstract This paper describes the causes, diagnosis and medications used to treat cardiovascular accidents (CVAs), also known as strokes. The paper also gives an outline of the responsibilities of nurses caring for such patients and what is expected of them.
From the Paper "A stroke or cardiovascular accident causes damage to the brain when the blood supply is reduced or stopped completely usually by the bursting of a blood vessel or the occlusion of a vessel by a blood clot . A thrombotic stroke occurs when a blood clot forms in an artery and blocks the blood supply to part of the brain. An embolic stroke occurs when a blood clot or piece of plaque breaks away in another part of the body and blocks an artery in..."
