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Dad got sick again

June 21, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Dad got sick last week and we started to get worried again. We took him to Urgent Care and the doctor said he had some pleural effusion in his lungs, which meant that the CHF caused some liquid to collect in his lungs again. “uh oh”, we thought.  One thing different this time…we’ve been on top of his breathing treatments religiously. 

The doctor gave him a round of antibiotics, upped his water pill for a week and we just brought him back Friday. Everything looks good so far. He is recovering, however, he stopped having a productive cough. So, he had a follow up appointment and the doctor told prescribed him Prednisone to open up his airways. He is still wheezing. 

With all of the meds he is on, his blood level (coumadin) is high, so we need to take him YET again for another blood test. Poor Dad, everytime we tell him of a new appointment, he gets frustrated and asks, “why? again? why do I always have to go to the doctor?” . I tell him, “it’s better that we go to the doctor than go to the hospital again!”

We’re trying to prevent that exact thing from happening again……Hopefully, Dad makes a 100% recovery by the end of this week. (cross fingers)

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Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

June 19, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Enlarged view of lung tissue showing the diffe...
Image via Wikipedia

Hby Rose Broyles

What is It?

Refers to chronic bronchitis or emphysema where the airways become narrowed. 

  • Unlike asthma, condition is irreversible most of the time with a few exceptions. In between asthma attacks, the flow in the airways is good. Some people with COPD can take certain medications to help with a partial reversal of the obstruction.
  • People with chronic asthma are considered to have COPD, where consistent  inflammation, narrowing and scarring of the airways occurs.

Symptoms

  • Shortness of breath
  • Chronic cough 
  • Frequent respiratory infections

Causes

  • 90% of COPD in the U.S. is caused from smoking – effects from 2nd hand smoking are not well known.
  • some occupational pollutants such as: cadmium and silica increase risk of COPD (miners, coalworkers, construction workers, etc are at special risk)
  • Alpha 1 Antitrypsin (AAT) deficiency – a rare genetic disorder

How is COPD Diagnosed?

  • Thorough check of medical history which discloses symptoms of COPD plus a physical exam
  • Chest X-rays, CT scan
  • After a hospitalization occurs due to a respiratory infection.
  • In chronic smokers, it is suspected when they develop shortness of breath , chronic persistent cough with sputum and frequent lung infections like bronchitis and pneumonia.

How is COPD Treated?

To prevent further deterioration of the lung, a treatment plan is usually followed as such:

  • Quitting cigarette smoking
  • Taking medication to dilate airways and to decrease inflammation
  • Home oxygen therapy
  • In severe cases, lung transplant or lung volume reduction surgery
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Traumatic Brain Injury Major Cause of Death in Elderly

June 16, 2009 By Leave a Comment
07 February 2001
Image by Zach_ManchesterUK via Flickr

Not too long ago, a well-known stage actress and sometime film actress, Natasha Richardson died of head injuries sustained from a fall while skiing with her family.  What was shocking to most people was the severity of her fall.  She had only lightly bumped her head on the ground. How could anyone suffer from a fatal injury from a seemingly minor bump on the head? Her specific condition was called an epidural hematoma. 

Approximately 1.4 million people sustain a brain injury annually according the National Center of Disease Control. 

Elderly people can suffer from any type of fall that can result in a fatality or long-term permanent injury. Here are a few facts:

  • TBIs are usually caused by falls.  
  • People aged 75 or older are at most risk
  • TBIs caused by falls can be prevented by better prevention techniques and practices.
  • Falls increase with age 
  • Other risks include: falls for medication, visual impairment, other medical conditions, improper footware, orthopedic problems, etc. 

It’s easy to misread the signs and symptoms of head injury in seniors as normal aging or other  medical conditions. However,  it’s important to know what to look for. The best cure for head injury is prevention, and older people especially should actively minimize risks of falling. Should a fall occur, immediate medical attention should be sought, including screening for TBI.

 

 

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