preMEDitated » health

First Patient

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 16:07:00 +0000

She was introduced to us near noon time.
The left side of her body was partially paralyzed. Her speech and facial expressions were normal, but her left hand and foot could as well be just dead weights. Yet though her movements were strictly limited, her speech was definitely unhindered.
I was standing at her bedside inquiring at her medical history when she reached out her hand and slightly touched my finger. My finger reflexively drew itself back. I hurriedly righted its position as I remembered our doctors’ lessons.
As medicine became highly technical, the personal side of medicine was soon forgotten. Patients became persons to be cured first, and actual persons second. The rise of harassment cases have also been of no help. Many doctors soon stopped touching their patients unless otherwise necessary.
Yet according to our doctors’ experience, many patients, particularly the elderly, crave physical touch. They want human comfort and human empathy more than they need drugs and therapy.
She answered our questions coherently. And for someone who just woke up, she was talkative. I could feel that a relationship was being formed, and as much as I would have liked to not be involved personally, it was impossible not to be involved. A sacred relationship was being built between us, a relationship protected from outside intrusion by the patient-physician confidentiality.
Then something hit me. As she shared her life and as we performed tests on her, I could not help but realize what patients saw in doctors. I was aware of a heavy weight that seemed to fall on my shoulders. They viewed doctors as saviors, whether they may like it or not. A whole legal and ethics system has even evolved because of this expectation.
I almost shuddered at this realization. Even though doctors may be seen as the very image of high status and freedom, in reality they are as paralyzed as our patient, unable to move to their full potential, constrained by laws, expectations, and duty; yet inwardly also craving to be treated as human, not as saviors or gods…

What Every Woman Should Know About Diet Sodas

admin — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:31:35 +0000

If you are a woman and drink diet sodas, then you need to know about recent findings regarding diet sodas and kidney problems.
A recent study presented presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 2009 annual meeting in San Diego, California reports that women who drink diet sodas are at greater risk for developing kidney disease. The study used kidney function data from 3,256 women enrolled in the Nurse’s Health Study to arrive at the conclusion.
The study also noted that sodas with sugar based sweeteners were found to have no effect on kidney function decline. A diet of two or more diet sodas a day, however, was associated with a doubling of the risk for kidney disease.
The mechanism for kidney decline associated with artificial sweeteners is as of yet unknown. Nevertheless although men were not included in the study, it is safe to assume that diet sodas could also damage their kidneys.

Cough and Phone

admin — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 07:30:53 +0000

Aside from being used for texting, calling, and playing innumerable games; the cell phone now has a chance for a more health oriented reason for existence. It may one day be used to diagnose diseases from the way a cough sounds.
Coughs are formed from a complex process starting as a sudden inhalation followed by silent expulsion of air, culminating in a burst of sound that can give clues to a patient’s condition. For example, a cough from a healthy individual is 2% louder than a sick one. Other factors such as the amount of mucus involved and the duration of the cough could aid in a quick diagnosis of disease conditions.
Unfortunately, variations of such sounds are too subtle for doctor’s and nurse’s ears to detect. Nevertheless, thanks funding from the Bill & Melissa Gates Foundation, a research firm called STAR Analytical Services is working on a project titled “Using Acoustic Analysis of Cough to Diagnosis Pneumonia.”
STAR would gather the characteristics of coughs from to produce a database that would be used to form cough profiles of diseases. In the future, it may then be possible for populations without immediate access to health professionals to receive prompt diagnosis and treatment from them via the use of cell phones.
A similar study that has also received funding from the Gates foundation attempts to bypass some of the work of health professionals. Thanks to Udantha Abeyratne of the University of Queensland in Australia, a software installed on cell phones or MP3 players may one day be used to diagnose disease based on coughs.
Anyone want to play iCough?

Source: STAR Analytical Services Press Release

Female doctors ‘to outnumber male’

admin — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:26:00 +0000

By 2017, women would outnumber men in the medical field according to the BBC.
This does not come as a surprise to me considering that the current male to female ratio in my med school is about 1:3. I don’t know about the other schools in the country, but I’m guessing that we have the same figures. I have, however, heard that PGH artificially sets their ratio at 1:1.
Pretty soon women would occupy most of health care leadership. We might even have a female Health Secretary in the near future! If that means clinical duties would be led by the “gentler” sex, then I bet all medical students, interns, and residents whether male or female would breathe a collective sigh of relief.
NO MORE 24-HOUR DUTIES! YES TO HIGHER PAY!
Then the remaining male medical professionals would be such a rarity that health institutions would do everything to get a hold on them. Ahhh. It’s just the best of both worlds…

PS Not only would doctors of both sexes benefit from this, patients would also benefit from this. They would be treated with more empathy as this would soon become standard policy should females overrun the health sector…

Swine Flu Vaccine Available

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 16:52:05 +0000

In the race to produce a vaccine against (A) H1N1, Novartis AG has just won first place. A day after the World Health Organization (WHO)’s upgrade of the swine flu outbreak status into a pandemic, the company announced that it produced the first batch of vaccines against the virus.
Unfortunately, the vaccine would not be available for public use until about September. Clinical trials to ascertain effectiveness and side effects would have to be done before distribution to begin.
In the meantime, people are advised to follow the cliche old rule of frequent hand washing and not touching the face. They could also opt to take the ordinary flu vaccine, which btw protects against the deadlier flu viruses, otherwise known as ordinary flu.

Disclaimer: The swine flu virus as well as other “ordinary” flu viruses could still mutate to become deadlier strains. What should be noted, however, is that the swine flu is considered to be “more dangerous” despite the lower numbers of infections is that it kills otherwise normal and healthy individuals. Nevertheless, other flu viruses could also mutate to achieve this type of severity.

Sources:
1. First batch of swine flu vaccine produced
2. WHO: Full Pandemic Flu Vaccine Production To Start In 2 Weeks
3. WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years

DON’T PANIC: Swine Flu is now a Pandemic!

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:35:51 +0000

June 11, 2009 – The World Health Organization (WHO) has just declared the AH1/N1 outbreak as a pandemic, meaning that the outbreak is now beyond epidemic proportions.
The AH1/N1 virus, more commonly known as swine flu is responsible for 141 deaths and 27,737 confirmed infections in 74 countries. Yet despite those figures, WHO and the Department of Health (DOH) are one in saying, “DO NOT PANIC.”
Most cases, especially all cases (77) found in the Philippines, show only mild manifestations of the disease indistinguishable from the common flu. Symptoms of the disease may include fever, cough, colds, and rarely vomiting.
Unfortunately, the hype has caused many people to panic. Drug companies and some doctors have been quick to ride on the wave of hysteria*. People have been flocking to them in droves. They believe that getting injected with the current flu vaccine would protect them from the swine flue. In effect, their panic is filling up the purses of some doctors and drug companies.
Hygienic practices such as frequent hand washing, and not touching the nose, mouth, and eyes are more effective in preventing swine flu infection than the current flu vaccine. It would take a few more months for vaccine manufacturers to produce vaccines against AH1/N1.
Btw, it would be better for Filipinos to be more cautious against more dangerous diseases such as dengue than the swine flu. In Cagayan de Oro alone, 200 dengue cases were noted with 4 deaths. Swine flu has 27,737 cases worldwide but only 141 deaths.

*A well known drug company in a mall in Cagayan de Oro proudly advertised they had flu vaccines for sale.

Sources:
1. World Health Organization
2. Higher alert sought for rise in dengue cases
3. DOH warns vs overreaction to swine flu
4. WHO: Swine flu pandemic has begun, 1st in 41 years

Swine Flu: Don’t Blame the Pigs!

admin — Thu, 30 Apr 2009 17:20:40 +0000

A/H1N1, otherwise know as the “swine flu”, has caught the world holding its breath for fear of it breathing a lungful of contaminated air.
With a current casualty rating of 151 deaths, thousands of sick and infected persons, and stopping an entire metropolis in its tracks, A/H1N1 can no longer be ignored by the international community. Not to downplay the effects of this virus; which can cause dizziness, coughing, sneezing, and basically everything associated with other flu viruses; but its name has branded a certain population of the planet: pigs.
For the information of everyone, there are many subtypes of swine flu viruses. A/H1N1 is just one type in this category. Nevertheless, this subtype has gained for itself the title of being “the swine flu”. Yet despite its name, “A/H1N1 has not been isolated in pigs! The only thing link it has with the hogs is its structure, which, however, is not even a pure swine flu virus. The strain currently infecting the world has human and avian flu viruses parts in it.
Due to the nature of flu viruses, which are notoriously famous for their crossing over to different species, there is yet no conclusion as to what host (swine, human, or bird) caused the shift of this virus type to become contagious in a human-to-human type of transmission.
So in behalf of all the disparaged pigs in the world.
Please DO NOT:

1. Stop eating pork – Give pigs the chance to fulfill their lives’ yummy purpose, specifically being enjoyed on the dining table.
2. Kill all swine in your country*

Sources:
1. Understanding Swine Flu Spread: Questions and Answers (Update1)
2. International SOS Swine Flu (“Pig Flu”) Update > FAQ
3. Egypt orders slaughter of all pigs over swine flu

* The intelligence of Egyptian Muslim officials is know highly suspect considering their recent order to kill all swine in their country.
Support the Christian minority (10%-30% of the population) in Egypt. Many of them base their income and livelihood and especially their diet on the condemned animals.

No, I Don’t Want that Filariasis in Me!

admin — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:19:56 +0000

Filariasis, specifically lymphatic filariasis, causes the dreaded illness called elephantiasis. Due to the SAFE FOR WORK nature of this blog, no images of elephantiasis would be shown on this site. For the curious and the masochistic among my readers, I suggest you google for pics.
Suffice it to say that I’ve just been given the standard treatment for the prevention of elephantiasis: 5 tablets of diethylcarbamazine (DEC) and 1 tablet of Albendazole. I have yet to actually drink the stuff, but they’re now in my possession.
Call me a little paranoid, but I had been bitten by mosquitoes in a filariasis-endemic-community about 3 days ago. For those not in the know, filariasis is transmitted from the bite of a mosquito carrying filarial worms, taken from biting an infected patient. The government recommends endemic areas to hold mass medication drives to stop the chain of infection.

I don’t care if:

1. I was bitten at full noon when filariasis-carrier-mosquitoes (Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and Brugia timori) usually bite at night.
2. the last positive case confirmed by nocturnal blood testing happened years ago.
3. that that case was in a community several kilometers away from were I was bitten.
4. that side effects of the antiparasitic drug DEC include drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, and a host of other rare symptoms.
5. that even some midwives who handle health centers in filariasis-endemic-areas don’t even take the regimen!

I just want to be sure I’m free even from risk. Heck! I don’t even care if elephantiasis does not show up in its irreversible, maiming, and disfiguring glory until 5 to 10 years after exposure.
I’m taking the drugs now. Yes, I’m already unsealing them from their precious containers. Pretty soon, I’ll be gulping them and they’ll do their work against the tiny worms, real or imagined, in my body.

Btw, if you live in a filariasis endemic area, I suggest you take the drugs. They are given free if you only but ask in your respective health center…

Pinoy MD Application (Update)

admin — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:21:10 +0000

Alarmed by the out-migration of Filipino doctors, the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) and the Department of Health (DOH) offers the Pinoy MD scholarship for those aspiring to become doctors. Benefits of the scholarship include:

1. Tuition Fees
2. Miscellaneous/Laboratory Fees
3. Living Subsidy
4. Lodging Allowance
5. Daily Transportation Allowance
6. Book and Uniform Allowance

for a total of Php 65637.00 per semester (as of June 2008).

Interested applicants may inquire at the medical school of their choice. Participating medical schools and their corresponding slots for 2009 Pinoy MD scholars include:

1. Emilio Aguinaldo Educational Group: 9 slots
2. Our Lady of Fatima University: 5 slots
3. Pamantasan ng Lunsod ng Maynila: 9 slots
4. University of the Philippines Manila: 6 slots
5. Cagayan State University: 9 slots
6. West Visayas State University: 9 slots
7. University of St. La Salle (Region VI): 5 slots
8. Iloilo Doctors College of Medicine: 5 slots
9. Southwestern University: 10 slots
10. UP School of Health Sciences: 10 slots
11. Mindanao State University: 14 slots
12. Davao Medical School Foundation: 9 slots
Finally, more details regarding the Pinoy MD scholarship.

Contact details for the schools can be found here.

Btw, they are now accepting participants from all sectors. Priority, however, will still be given to:

1. Applicants who have a combined Gross Family
Income of Php 50,000/month or Php
600,000/annum or lower.
2. Applicants who are part of, or are children of
Barangay Health Workers, government
employees or Indigenous People (IP).

Big downside for this scholarship, however, is the 2-year-service obligation to the government for every year of the scholarship enjoyed. Better be prepared for this!

Additional details can be found in this online brochure.

Piece of Zit!

admin — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 11:08:26 +0000

While I was waiting for my phones to be loaded, a friend’s son sat beside me. He was only about 3 or 4 years old, but he was already knowledgeable with current local nighttime TV shows. He described scenes from Luna Mystica and Gagambino. He pointed to a poster and correctly said the name of the model: Dingdong Dantes. I asked him what show he was featured in. He said Marimar.
Tigtanaw ka ana na mga salida, I condescendingly asked.
You watch those shows?
O, he said enthusiastically.
Yes.
Unfortunately, kids his age could not pick up sarcasm yet. Whereas older people would justify themselves saying there were no other available shows, he got more excited about the story. Not wanting to hear anymore about Tagalog shows, I steered the conversation away.
Tigtanaw kag cartoons, I asked.
Do you watch cartoons?
Unsa na?, he answered.
What’s that?
I was about to say its equivalent Cebuano word, but he had another question.
Unsa na, he asked as he pointed his finger on my nose.
Silently thinking of ways to steer the conversation away from my giant zit on the side of my nose, I asked him to clarify his question.
He repeated the same question, but this time he pointed to the side of his nose. Then he asked, Nganong naa man kay inana?
Why do you have that?
Now I used to have dozens of pimples, but they’ve cleared up. A few recalcitrant ones pop out every now and then. This zit the kid was curious about was particularly large. I couldn’t control myself. I had it popped. It had slightly scabbed over but was otherwise still inflamed, during our conversation.
Knowing that a lecture about comedone types, inflammation reactions, and facial hygiene would be lost on him. I answered him with a simple word.
Germs.
Unsa na?
What’s that?
I told him the Cebuano equivalent.
Kagaw.
Unsa na, he asked again.
So I used the loosest translation I could think of.
Hugaw.
Dirt.
Then I studied his face carefully. He had smooth, fair skin, with very fine pores; the type that would retain its quality without the use of dermatologist-prescribed-medication. He would be growing up without any pimple problems. Hence, I could not scare him with promises that he’ll soon get a lot of pimples.
Fortunately, his mother returned and saved me from my predicament.
Kids just say the darndest things.