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Monday, March 26, 2012

Tomorrow = ?

 "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, 
what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. 
Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 


Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, 
and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. 
Are you not much more valuable than they? 

Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "
And why do you worry about clothes? 
See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 
Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 

If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, 
which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, 
will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 

So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' 
or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 
For the pagans run after all these things, 
and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 


But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, 
and all these things will be given to you as well. 


Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, 
for tomorrow will worry about itself. 
Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Matthew 6:34

I have nothing to do with tomorrow. 
My Saviour will make that His care. 
Its grace and its faith I can't borrow. 
So why shall I borrow its care.

____________________

Today is the tomorrow you worried about yesterday. 
Was it worth it?

Sunday, March 18, 2012

CHADS2 + TIMI

1. What is CHADS2 score?
2. What is TIMI score?
3. A male patient presents to you with pyrexia 39'C, nausea/vomiting/diarrhea/abdominal cramp, drowsy. When you assess him, you notice his BP is lowish and pulse rate is irregular, 160/min. CXR showed cardiomegaly. ECG shows atrial fibrillation. He has lid lag sign and proptosis. What is the first line to manage this disease? (hint: this condition is life-threatening).


1. CHADS2 Score [points]
  • C - Congestive heart failure [1]
  • H - Hypertension: blood pressure consistently above 140/90 mmHg (or treated hypertension on medication) [1]
  • A - Age ≥75 years [1]
  • D - Diabetes mellitus [1]
  • S2 - Pior Stroke or TIA [2]    

CHADS2 score estimating the risk of stroke in patients with non-rheumatic AF, and it indicates the need of starting anticoagulant therapy with ASA or warfarin.
  • Score 0: None or ASA daily
  • Score 1: ASA daily or raise INR with warfarin till 2.0-3.0
  • Score 2: Raise INR with warfarin till 2.0-3.0 unless contraindicated.

CHA2DS2-VASc Score [points]
  • C - Congestive heart failure [1]
  • H - Hypertension: blood pressure consistently above 140/90 mmHg (or treated hypertension on medication) [1]
  • A2 - Age ≥75 years [2]
  • D - Diabetes mellitus [1]
  • S2 - Pior Stroke or TIA [2]
  • V - Vascular disease (eg. peripheral artery disease, MI, aortic plaque) [1]
  • A - Age 65-74 years [1]
  • Sc - Sex category (i.e. female gender) [1]
CHA2DS2-VASc score is a refinement of CHADS2 score.

2. TIMI (Thrombolysis in MI) Risk Score

History
  • Age ≥ 65
  • At least 3 risk factors for CAD: HPT or on anti-HPT, smoking, low HDL or high cholesterol, DM, FHx of premature CAD (CAD in male first-degree relative, or father less than 55, or female first-degree relative or mother less than 65).
  • Known CAD (stenosis ≥ 50%)
  • ASA use in the last 7/7 (patient experiences chest pain despite ASA use in past 7days)
Clinical pictures
  • At least 2 angina episodes within the last 24hrs
  • ST changes ≥ 0.5mm on admission ECG
  • Elevated serum cardiac biomarkers
TIMI risk Score is used in patients with UA/NSTEMI. Every criterion carries 1 point. TIMI score estimates risk at 14 days of all-cause mortality, new or recurrent MI, or severe recurrent ischemia requiring urgent revascularization.

Total Score = 7 points
  • Low Risk : < 2 point 
  • Moderate Risk: 3-4 points 
  • High Risk : > 5 points

It is less accurate in predicting events, but is simple and widely accepted. Another scoring system is GRACE prediction score, which estimates all cause mortality from discharge to 6 months, but is a much more extensive scoring system. 

3. Lid lag and proptosis point the diagnosis to hyperthyroid crisis / thyrotoxic storm. The acute abdomen is a bit misleading, at first sight I though is cardiogenic shock or GIT infection.
  • Since patient is hypotensive, we should prevent shock by giving IVI NS 500ml/h. Insert a CVL to monitor hydration status to prevent dehydration but at the same time we need to prevent overhydration since patient might have heart failure indicated by cardiomegaly.
  • NGT to prevent aspiration since patient is vomiting. 
  • Propanolol 1-2mg/6h IV or 40-80mg/6h PO. Contraindication: Pulmonary or peripheral edema, asthma. In these case use atropine 0.4-1mg IV (edema) or diltiazem 60-120mg/6h PO (in asthma)
  • Antithyroid: carbimazole 15-25mg/6h PO or via NGT, or propylthiouracil (PTU)  600mg state + 900-1200mg/d in 4-6 divided dose PO or via NGT.
  • Block T3/T4 release by: Sodium iodide 1g/d slow IVI or potassium iodide 100mg/6h PO (given 1-4h after antithyroid)
  • Hydrocortisone 100mg/6h IV or Dexamethasone 2mg/6h IV (block T3/T4 release and inhibit peripheral conversion of T4 to T3).
  • Treat heart failure with diuretic and O2. Treat AF with digoxin.
  • Heparin 5000U BD SC to prevent thromboembolism due to AF.
  • Infection is the usual cause of thyrotoxic storm. Find source of infection, take blood C+S. Treatment with cephalosporin 3rd-4th generation.
  • Treatment fever with fanning, tepid sponging, PCM. Avoid ASA.
  • Consider sedation with chlorpromazine in sever agitated patient. 
--- UPDATE ---

There is no doubt that the patient comes with thyroid storm as well as unstable fast atrial fibrillation. First step > emergent cardioversion. AF can be acute or chronic. If AF is prolonged, usually more than 48 hours, then it is chronic. An AF with low BP, low consciousness level should be treated as unstable AF. Unstable AF should be reverted with cardioversion.

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Did you realise that...

Your ears were given to you to listen the gospel of Jesus Christ
 
Your eyes were given to you to witness the wonders of God.
 
Your voice was given to you to sing "Halleluiah".
 
Your hands were given to you to hold on to the faith 
that was once for all entrusted to the saints.
 
Your legs were given to you to bring the good news 
to the end of the earth.