Abstract This paper examines pertussis, or whooping cough as it is commonly known, a highly contagious bacterial disease that affects the respiratory system and produces bursts of numerous, rapid, high-pitched coughing in patients of any age. It looks at how, although this whooping sound is not always present, the patient suffers severe coughing attacks, without inhaling, that end in a piercing, crowing sound when inhaling. It also explores how the prevalence of whooping cough and its resurgence in our contemporary world is a cause for concern in the medical profession and how much of the present research has centered on causes for its resurgence.
From the Paper "Whooping cough is caused by a bacterial infection Bordetella Pertussis, which only lives in human throats. It invades the nose and throat, the breathing tube (trachea) and the lungs; it starts with symptoms similar to the common cold and progresses to spasms (paroxysms) of coughing after about 12 days. The incubation period is normally 7 days while the infection lasts about 6 weeks. Recovery begins about 4 weeks after the onset of symptoms; paroxysms of coughing may recur over the next few months, which is usually due to irritation caused due to an upper respiratory infection."
Abstract The paper reveals the symptoms and treatments for whooping cough. The paper relates that adults and adolescents generally recover from whooping cough without serious complications but infants, particularly those under the age of 2, can have severe complications. The paper discusses the pertussis vaccine, the most effective prevention against this illness. The paper quotes the World Heath Organization's belief that pertussis had been neglected as a disease and basic laboratory surveillance and control measures need to be strengthened globally.
From the Paper "Whooping Cough, known medically as Pertussis, is a serious respiratory tract infection that attacks the lining of the breathing passages, especially the windpipe area (Whooping 2006). Caused by Bordetella Pertussis bacteria, whooping cough is extremely contagious and can be fatal, however widespread vaccination has made the disease rare in the United States (Whooping 2006). Whooping cough gets its name from the patient's labored inhalation that causes the individual to make a high-pitched whooping sound when breathing (Whooping 2006)."
Abstract This paper provides a brief overview of the severe respiratory illness pertussis, otherwise called "whooping cough". The paper explains the incubation period of the illness, its signs and symptoms. It also examines vaccinations and other treatment of the illness.
From the Paper "Because the early stage of pertussis may not look like a condition requiring early and aggressive medical treatment, and because of the significant mortality rate, especially in infants, prevention is the most important treatment for pertussis. The vaccine, first developed in the 1940?s, (AMA, 2002) prevents most cases but is not always effective. If a person does catch pertussis, early treatment with antibiotics (often erythromycin) is crucial, as the disease is much harder to treat in the second stage (Todar, 2002; CHP; 2002)."
Abstract This paper focuses on three symptoms of pulmonary tuberculosis: low-grade fever; weight loss, which may or may not be associated with anorexia; and coughing, which often brings up bloody phlegm as the condition progresses. The author points out that the disease is transmitted through particulate matter in the air, but it is not highly contagious when compared with the common cold. The paper relates that the mainstream treatment is pharmacological intervention, but increasing attention is being paid to complimentary or alternative interventions, such as diet, in terms of treatment of the symptoms and of prevention.
Table of Contents
Symptoms
Epidemiology
Options for Management
Complimentary Medicine Methods
From the Paper "A person is more likely to be a host for the disease if their immune system is not working properly. This is one of the associations made between TB and AIDS/HIV epidemics, because the decreased immune system functioning makes it easier for these people to get tuberculosis. This is also likely one of the reasons that people over the age of sixty five are more likely to be hosts for the disease. Once a person inhales the disease, in its pulmonary form it finds its way to the alveoli, and from there it goes through the lymph nodes and spreads."
Tags: extrapulmonary, aids, cough, pharmacological, alternative
Abstract The author presents an extensive report on cystic fibrosis, its causes, treatments and future. Despite much research, the cause of cystic fibrosis has baffled the medical community. Recently the genetic link and mapping of cystic fibrosis has been pursued with some success. Many aspects of the disease including the enzyme treatments that are currently being studied, are presented.
From the Paper "It is the leading genetic killing disease in the nation with 30,000 Americans having it currently. It is not particular about gender and strikes males and females equally often. It is also not picky about what race it affects, though studies indicate that there are more white people with the disease than there are other races with it. "
Abstract The paper shows that the common cold is the commonest cause of visits to physicians with sales of over-the-counter cough and cold medications totalling more than $3 billion annually. The paper discusses causes, symptoms and the search for a cure for the common cold with a focus on zinc as a possible cure.
From the Paper "The zinc must be absorbed into oral tissues where it can then diffuse into nasal tissues. Since colds actually begin in the nose and not the mouth, it would seem that a zinc nasal spray might work even better. Researchers thought so too and tried it. Zinc nasal sprays had a mild, temporary decongestant effect, but did not shorten the duration of the cold. Since nasal mucus is constantly being excreted, zinc diffusion into infected tissues against the flow of mucus is difficult if not impossible."
Abstract The paper begins with a description of the physiology of cystic fibrosis. The causes and effects of the disease on bodily function are discussed. The segments of the population that the disease effects are outlined, as well as the current status of treatments.
From the Paper "That nagging cough we all have may seem like a nuisance, but actually it is serving a very important purpose. When the airways become clogged the extreme causes are severe illnesses relating to breathing problems, such as asthma or emphysema. Cystic Fibrosis occur because of malfunction in the pancreas and lungs in the transportation of body salt, causing a thick mucus to block the breathing airways, and mislocation of the protein sequence, which is usually caused by a single mutation of one gene."
Abstract This paper discusses that many physicians considered opium to be perhaps the best natural pain reliever ever discovered. The paper states that Australia and France are sanctioned by the United Nations to grow opium poppies legally for the production and manufacturing of pharmaceuticals. The author believes by employing new methods of biosynthesis to produce genetically altered plants, researchers hope to grow morphine-free opium poppies, ensuring a stable supply of codeine. This paper is complete with pictures and graphes of the chemical structure.
From the Paper "Papaver somniferum has been used medicinally for centuries for its ability to produce a number of opiates that act as analgesics. The earliest recorded history of opium cultivation is approximately 3400 B.C., in lower Mesopotamia. The tradition of opium cultivation for medicinal purposes was carried on from the Sumerians, to the Assyrians, to the Babylonians, to the Egyptians, and so on to present day. Cultural references to the use of the opium poppy can be found in literary and medical texts, for instance the use of opium can be found in Homer's Iliad (850 B.C.) and with in the Hippocratic Corpus (460 B.C.)".
From the Paper "Statement of the Problem
When most people think of drug abuse, they think of illicit drugs and the people who manufacture them, smuggle them, sell them, and use them. Yet, one of the major types of drug abuse involves none of these people, and indeed the drugs that are abused are completely legal and very accessible. That is in fact the problem--they are accessible, and the abusers have no trouble getting the drug and may even abuse it because it is so easy to acquire. Americans have an abiding faith in medicine, particularly in the sort of medicine they can self-prescribe based on television commercials, word of mouth, or simply guesses as they gaze at the shelves in the drug store. There are non-prescription drugs for nearly every ailment, some based on sound medical principles and some not too far from the folk remedies of..."
Abstract This paper examines the three major treatment options available to cancer patients: surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy. It explores each option in detail and weighs the pros and cons of each one. The paper then discusses the seven most common warning signs to look out for, which could mean the beginning of a tumour. Signs include irregular bleeding, indigestion or a nagging cough.
From the Paper "Like the previous types of therapeutic approaches, radiation has its downfalls. First, as with surgery, radiation is ineffective against metastatic disease far from the sight being treated. It is not practical to try to irradiate the entire body, as vital tissues would be extensively damaged. This results in the need for follow-up treatment with a chemotherapy agent. Probably the worst drawback to radiation, in my opinion, is that radiation exposure is a factor which can lead to the development of cancer. I relate this to putting out oil well fires. Place a high explosive at the base and blow it up. This actually works but it would seem that it could cause a fire as well."
Abstract A thorough study of the basic guidelines on asthma management which includes avoidance of triggers, education aimed at prevention and control of the condition, regular follow-ups, and an action plan that relies on symptoms and lung function measurements for the monitoring of disease severity. The paper explains that the goals of these guidelines are to reduce asthma-related illness and death and to enhance the quality of life of asthma patients. The paper tries to determine if there is a relationship between physician compliance with asthma guidelines and the number of asthma episodes reported by caregivers of asthmatic children as well as the frequency of clinic visits.
From the Paper "In addition to the foregoing, asthma accounts for total annual care costs of more than $6 billion dollars per year in America as well as 15 million physician visits per year (one third of which are made by persons under age 20 years), and over 100 million days of restricted activity. Nearly 5,000 people die from asthma episodes each year, and hundreds of thousands more suffer frightening episodes of coughing, wheezing, chest tightness, and loss of breath (Higgins, 1997).
One way in which the medical system has responded to this dire health problem has been the development of national and international guidelines for the diagnosis and management of asthma patients (see: National Institutes of Health, Updated Asthma Guidelines, 1997). These guidelines provide clinicians with several recommendations which are organized into four components of therapy: measures of assessment and monitoring, control of factors contributing to asthma severity, pharmacologic therapy, and education for a partnership in asthma care. The recommendations were formulated based on current information in the available scientific literature and the consensus of an expert panel."
Abstract This paper presents a detailed case of a child with asthmatic symptoms that are discovered to be exacerbated by Parainfluenza A, which contributed to the onset of his asthma. The author points out that the severity of asthma varies greatly from child to child, from a cough associated with exercise or at night to a catastrophic shortness of breath that leads to death. The paper points out that the inability of endogenous, circulating, catecholamines to induce reversal of bronchoconstriction may reflect one or more defects in the patient with asthma. Figure: Asthma Mechanisms
Table of Contents
CC
Pt. Introduction
Admission to System
Pt. Physical Assessment
Lab Data
Isolated for parainfluenza
Diagnostic Data
Medications-Previous
Medications Ordered
Singular
Flovent MDI
Albuterol MDI
Solumedrol
Ranitidine
Ceftriaxone
Treatment
Clinical Course
Pathophysiology of CC
Lab Data
Diagnostic Data
Medications
Summary
From the Paper "The primary mechanical effects of asthma on the lung as a result of BMP are increased work of breathing to overcome airway obstruction and hyperinflation attributable to progressive air trapping results from a ball-valve effect in the airways and causes ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch and right-to-left shunting of unoxygenated blood through the lungs. V/Q mismatch and the increased oxygen demand on the respiratory muscles as they work to overcome airway obstruction result in significant hypoxia early in the course of a wheezing episode. This hypoxia stimulates tachypnea, which partially compensates for the V/Q mismatch and is reflected by significant hypocarbia. If airway obstruction is not rapidly reversed, air trapping and V/Q mismatch can progress till decreased ventilation occurs, Pco2 rises, and ultimately respiratory failure ensues."
Abstract This paper discusses heroin, a powerful, highly addictive drug that is derived from opium, which was first synthesized from morphine in the 1890s and was initially considered to be an effective pain killer and cough suppressant. It looks at how its manufacture and sale is now illegal in most countries because of its widespread abuse and habit-forming qualities and focuses on the long-term and short-term, harmful effects on the human body.
From the Paper "In the longer term, the heroin user becomes totally dependent on the drug until his whole life revolves around the effort to get the next ?fix.? Other long term psychological effects of heroin include loss of enthusiasm and involvement in everyday affairs, withdrawal from hobbies and sports, reluctance to make new friends, irritability and overreaction to criticism, sudden changes in mood and compulsive lying. A heroin user goes to great lengths to deny that he is a drug abuser. Devious and manipulative behavior aimed at getting money for supporting the drug is also a typical long term effect of heroin. Distorted perception, hallucinations, and paranoia are the other long-term psychological effects of heroin."
Abstract This paper explores the topic of asthma and the methods of prevention. The writer explores the interventions that nurses can use to help patients avoid being hospitalized. The writer also discusses preventative measures that nurses can use to educate their patients who have asthma.
From the Paper "Many experts agree that the key to controlling and treating asthma and its symptoms is education. Seminars, pamphlets, books and other methods are used to reach and teach asthma patients nationwide in how to handle their disease. Asthma nurses are often charged with the routine care and treatment of people who have asthma. The patients will see a doctor as well but the nurse who sees an asthmatic patient, both in the middle of an attack and for preventative care has a significant impact on the interventions used to prevent hospitalization of the asthma patient."
Abstract This paper begins by describing sinusitis as the swelling of the paranasal tissues, which can be caused by either communicable or allergic symptoms. The purpose of this paper is to see if x-rays are necessary in diagnosing this condition. The paper explains how x-rays work and, therefore, why they can be useful in obtaining a correct diagnosis in the case of sinusitis.
From the Paper "Sinusitis is basically classified into chronic and acute cases, in which the acute sinusitis involves abnormal secretion and production of mucous, which is a lot similar to cystic fibrosis. This is diagnosed after noticing the air fluid levels in the sinuses after an x-ray. It has been noticed that patients who are suffering from an immunodeficiency diseases like HIV or AIDS are more prone to this acute sinusitis. Chronic sinusitis on the other hand can be diagnosed if the patient has had a sinus infection for more than three weeks to three months. There are different causes for chronic sinusitis that could be allergies, asthma, nasal polyps, and damp weather. The nasal sinus wall thickening and the body sclerosis noticed while x-rays are its best symptoms. This disease can affect a lot of the general population."
