Questions in Medicine
Question One
The leukemia and lymphoma website offers things that assist healthcare professionals and patients of access information. These include patient education programs, resource centers, support programs and discussion boards. The support programs offer a link for people with blood cancers to connect with other people with common problems. As such, this program offers mutual support by creating opportunities for discussing concerns and anxieties with people with similar experiences. The patient education programs offer free web education and telephone programs, video support and local education programs for caregivers and patients regarding blood cancers, support an the treatment options available. This helps inform the patients in order to facilitate informed decision making. The resource centers offer free fact sheets, booklets, archived audio files and other additional resources regarding blood cancers. The resource center also helps create awareness by availing information (The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, 2014).
Question Two: Case Study
- During the early stages of a disease, the cardiac output increases. At this point the total peripheral resistance is normal. However, the cardiac output decreases to reach normal levels over time while the total peripheral resistance increases.
- High diastolic pressure is associated with the deterioration of the arteries in on’s brain, thereby leading to brain damage in certain areas of one’s brain. It is also associated with decreased cognitive skills and memory problems (Alcena, 2013).
- The reversible vasoconstriction of blood vessels in the retina due to essential hypertension causes optic disk edema, flame-shaped hemorrhages, arteriovenous thickening, all which can lead to loss of vision.
- Congestive heart failure can develop from prolonged hypertension. This is because it causes changes in the coronary vasculature, myocardial structure and the conduction system. As a result of these changes, left ventricular hypertrophy develops manifesting as congestive heart failure (Alcena, 2013).
- Possible signs of congestive heart failure include extreme shortness of ones breath and palpitations of the heart, which are manifested by irregular and unusually fast heartbeat (Alcena, 2013).
- One class of medication used by doctors to treat hypertension is diuretics. These drugs help one's kidneys to eliminate water and sodium from the body. In so doing, this reduces the blood volume. A reduced blood volume means that the heart has less blood to pump, thereby lowering the blood pressure. Another class of drugs used by doctors to treat hypertension is anti-adrenergics. These drugs limit the action of norepinephrine and epinephrine, thereby lowering the blood pressure. The limited action of the two hormones relaxes blood vessels and reduces the force and speed with which the heart contracts (Harvard Women’s Health Watch, 2009).
References
Alcena, V. (2013). Anthology of medical diseases. Bloomington. AuthorHouse.
Harvard Women’s Health Watch, (2009). Medications for treating hypertension. Retrieved from>http://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletters/Harvard_Womens_Health_Watch/2009/ August/Medications-for-treating-hypertension
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (2014). Available at> http://www.lls.org/#/ researchershealthcareprofessionals/
