Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome I. Introduction Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), a new atypical pneumonia, originated in Guangdong Province, China in November 2002. This syndrome appears to have some association with infection with a novel coronavirus. By the end of March 2003, many countries were deeply alarmed by reports of a rapidly spreading viral pneumonia with a very high death rate. Singapore closed all schools and threatened huge fines on anyone in contact with an SARS sufferer if they left their homes, Hong Kong also told a million students and children to stay at home. Other nations were also proposing radical action to save lives and their health care systems from meltdown. A single case was enough to close an entire hospital - with rapid spread to health care workers and threats to other sick patients and family members. Medical teams badly affected, Hong Kong Chief Medical Officer described his horror as seeing over 60 doctors and nurses struck down, decimating the ability of his hospitals to cope, and creating terrible fear. Travelers in Japan, China and Hong Kong began to see large numbers of local citizens covering their faces in public places with medical masks or make-shift pieces of cotton. Ontario, Canada declared a provincial SARS emergency allowing legal action to remove personal freedoms for those affected if necessary to prevent spread
Case study on how hypoxia and electrolyte imbalances can cause Confusion/Delirium.
Case study on how hypoxia and electrolyte imbalances can cause Confusion/Delirium According to Whitaker (1989), elderly surgical patients appear to have a higher tendency to post-operative delirium in comparison to other age groups. Through countless researches (Lindesay, Macdonald & Starke, 1990; Mentes, Culp, Maas & Rantz, 1999) the determinant(s) contributing to this phenomenon remained a puzzle. Delirium is a state of temporary but acute mental confusion (Lewis Heitkemper & Dirksen, 2003). Clinically, delirium is rarely caused by a single factor. It is often the result of the interaction of the patient's underlying condition with a precipitating event. It may be the result of a combination of factors including anesthesia, major surgery, infection and prolonged sleep deprivation (Lewis et al, 2003). Delirium can also arise from hypoxia and water-electrolyte imbalances, which are caused by disruption to oxygenation and ventilation, metabolism and elimination, respectively. Since Mr Munro has had insomnia since 6 years ago after the death of his wife, him exhibiting signs of confusion post-operatively is expected. Hypoxia, an inadequate amount of oxygen in body tissue cells can occur on anyone. However, post-operative patients are at an increased risk of being diagnosed with delirium after surgery. Hypoxia is caused by the reduction in partial pressure of oxygen,
Should Smoking Be Banned? Should smoking be banned in public?
SHOULD SMOKING BE BANNED? SHOULD SMOKING BE BANNED IN PUBLIC? Prepare a special feature pull-out section for a magazine on SMOKING. Over the past years smoking has always been a factor of life, being either a good of bad one. Smoking can have severe effect on the way in which peoples bodies operate and how they react. This is why over the past few years smoking has become an important question in life...... SHOULD SMOKING BE BANNED? Smoking is taken up by many people from a range of different ages. It is usually a problem dealt with the younger age these days. Each school around the country has dealt with this problem one time or another. Not only are the schools attempting to crack down on this situation due to the general smoking but also other commonly used illegal drugs such as Cannabis and many others. Many young teenagers are also persuaded onto other drugs apart from smoking. The effect of walking the wrong path in the past as a teenager, can greatly affect their future as an adult. Is your hard-earned money going up in smoke, literally! Not as the result of a fire, but the result of smoking cigarettes. If you're a smoker now, you're ready to turn the page to avoid any preaching. There will be no preaching, just notes and coins analysis of smoking as a habit. To a non-smoker the thought of spending money to quit a physically harmful habit is hard to
Identify causes of non-infectious disease using an example from each of the following categories: -inherited disease, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental disease.
CALLAGHAN COLLEGE-JESMOND CAMPUS HSC BIOLOGY ASSESSMENT TASK ONE THE SEARCH FOR BETTER HEALTH "Non-Infectious Diseases and Emphysema" Hayley Watson HBIO2 Mr. J. Leahy Identify causes of non-infectious disease using an example from each of the following categories: -inherited disease, nutritional deficiencies, and environmental disease. A non-infectious disease is defined, according to Alford and others (2002, p. 212), as a disease that cannot be spread from one organism to another. Alford continues to explain that non infectious diseases can be categorised into three distinct classes. These are inherited diseases, nutritional deficiencies and environmental diseases. Inherited Disease An inherited disease is "due to genetic defects passed on from previous generations." (Auburn and others, 2000, p. 384). An example of a genetic disease is glaucoma. "Glaucoma is an eye disease characterised by increased pressure of the fluid within the eye and is a leading cause of blindness worldwide." (Glaucoma, World Book Millennium Encyclopaedia, 2000) The aqueous humour--the fluid that nourishes the cornea and the lens--does not drain properly, and as pressure in the eye increases, the optic nerve is destroyed. This is described in World Book Millennium Encyclopaedia CD Rom Glaucoma article. The article further explains that Glaucoma is caused by an alteration within a gene
Physiological compensation of acute loss of 30-40% of blood volume in a young healthy adult male.
Physiological compensation of acute loss of 30-40% of blood volume in a young healthy adult male. The outcome of such severe blood loss is determined by the equilibrium between the rate and volume of haemorrhage and the ability of powerful physiologic compensatory mechanisms to maintain adequate and ultimately normal blood flow throughout the body. Baskett in 1990 classified hypovolaemic shock according to blood loss. Class III is defined by 30-40% blood loss (1.5-2L) and is associated with reduced SBP and DBP, HR 120, slow (>2s) capillary refill, tachypnoea, a low urine flow rate (10-20ml/h), pale complexion and extremities and anxiousness, aggressiveness or drowsiness. The reasons for these are mentioned below in italics. Haemorrhage decreases blood volume, which in turn results in a reduction in venous return to the heart. In turn, this leads to a decreased cardiac output and hence decreased arterial pressure. This renders tissue perfusion inadequate, leading to a lack of nutrient supply and build-up of waste products. If uncorrected, this clinical state, known as hypovolaemic shock, will ultimately result in multi-organ failure and death. Depending on severity, shock exhibits different characteristics and can be divided into three major stages: * Non-progressive (compensated), shock from which the normal circulatory compensation mechanisms will eventually cause
The nineteenth century
The nineteenth century The nineteenth century is the century of the industrial revolution and early capitalism. It is also the century of the origin of modern empirical-experimental science and medicine, the development of pharmacology, cell pathology and bacteriology (Pasteur). New instruments allowed new scientific investigations, diagnosis and a rationalisation of therapies. During this period the physical and psychical body were further separated and medicine became more and more the science of the material body. With the evolving knowledge of the different body organs, physicians started to specialise in different disciplines according to the corresponding body organs or functions. Medical treatment became available to almost the whole population and medical health and accident insurance institutions were established. The successes booked in physic and chemistry more and more influenced and determined the medical science, methods and therapies, however did not hinder the appearance of different theoretical schools such as : * The natural philosophical physiology with the vegetative (growth, nourishment and reproductive forces), animistic (irritability of the organs and muscles) and sensitive (sensory, nerves and soul) dimension. * The natural scientific physiology which was completely based on the scientific investigation of body functions. * The cell-pathological
An investigation into the effect of exercise on clinical depression.
An investigation into the effect of exercise on clinical depression Problems with depression are by no means limited to those who are clinically diagnosed as being so. Generalised, negative affect is experienced by everyone throughout the course of a lifetime. Usually, non clinical depression is linked to some kind of stressor in the environment which can be clearly identified, for example, the termination of a job. It is only when these depressive episodes go further than certain boundaries of intensity, duration and frequency can the disorder can be labelled clinical depression. Depressive symptoms, e.g. sadness, disturbed sleep and fatigue can also be symptoms of other medical conditions (for example stroke) however, in this situation depression may not require a separate diagnosis. Clinical depression is a very prevalent problem in today's society; 15% of people will have an episode of major depression in their lives and it is said to be the fourth most common cause of disability worldwide (NHS Website 2004). One of the earliest treatments for depression was psychotherapy, but Dishman (1986) notes than in severe cases medication will almost certainly be required. In the past 10 years or so, 'exercise on prescription' schemes have become popular in primary health care, many of which include depression in the referral criteria. (Biddle and Fox 1991) Strict diagnostic
Critically evaluate the evolution of the meaning of 'disease of the mind'.
Insanity Essay - Written Work, Spring Term Critically evaluate the evolution of the meaning of 'disease of the mind': The purpose of this essay is to examine a number of insanity cases paying particular attention to how the meaning of 'disease of the mind' has developed and come to the meaning that it currently adopts today. Disease of the mind in this context is a legal term not to be confused with that used by the medical profession in relation to what constitutes a 'mental disorder'. The law's main interest is concerned with the question whether the accused is to be held legally responsible for his acts. A person cannot be legally blameworthy for an offence if his mental state was not fitting with the alleged crime. The criteria as to a person's sanity are laid down in the M'Naghten Rules (1943): (1) Every man is presumed to be sane and possess a sufficient degree of reason to be responsible for his crimes until the contrary is proven. (2) To establish the defence of insanity, it must be proven that, at the time of committing the act, the defendant was labouring under such a defect of reason, arising from a disease of the mind, that he did not know the quality of the act. Alternatively, if he did know the nature and quality of the act, that he did not know that what he was doing was wrong. Problems arise between the different terminology employed by psychiatrists
Smoking, and Alcohol Addiction.
ENGLISH ESSAY: DISCURSIVE WRITING Written by: Zinzi de Brouwer SMOKING, AND ALCOHOL ADDICTION A lot of people suffer from the consequences of smoking and drinking alcohol, which often leads to addiction. The word 'addiction' is a very powerful word in this sense, as it means the physical and psychological craving for a substance that develops into a dependency, and continues even though it is causing the addicted person physical, psychological and social harm. The disease of addiction is chronic and progressive; it can lead to extremely dangerous outcomes. This applies to both smoking, and alcohol addiction. Smoking is not just a bad habit, but also a complex addiction. Experts believe that nicotine exerts its powerful addictive effects by altering two chemicals in the brain - dopamine and nor adrenaline - known as neurotransmitters. Within seven seconds of inhaling, a concentrated dose of nicotine is delivered directly to the brain, producing a nicotine "rush". Many smokers interpret this rush as one of pleasure, but in reality the pleasure is misunderstood. It only appears pleasurable, because it satisfies the craving created by the last cigarette. Over time, the smoker has become victim to the classic cycle of addiction. The addiction of smoking leads to serious - at times even life-threatening - dangers to someone's physical health. In the USA, Canada and in most
Addiction - show how drugs alter the way the brain works, and the way it perceives situation.
Addiction In order to fully understand this question it is important to define exactly what is meant by the key terms used; the Oxford English Popular English Dictionary (Parragon, Oxford 1995) defines 'abuse´ as; 'To make bad or wrong use of; to maltreat´, and it defines 'addiction´ as the condition of doing or using something as a habit or compulsively (esp. of drug taking, with adverse effects on ceasing) devotion to an interest. During this essay I hope to show how drugs alter the way the brain works, and the way it perceives situation. I hope to show the consequences of drug use and abuse and also to show what research is being undertaken in an attempt to alleviate these problems. Recently we have seen a huge increase in the use of legal and illegal drugs in our society as some have been used for legitimate purposes, others have also been seriously misused- this misuse can be defined as drug abuse and addiction this addiction encores both psychological and physiological addition, and drug abuse often leads to this addiction. As an example of a drug which can be abused I shall look at Cocaine. Cocaine is a white powder refined from the coca plant, which grows in South America, it is a short acting stimulant which quickly reaches the brain and it produces effects such as talkativeness, excess confidence increased appetite and euphoria. As these