Postgraduate medical journal
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Reactive thrombocytosis is found in a number of clinical situations including infectious diseases such as pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). To examine the possible role of interleukin (IL6) in reactive thrombocytosis and acute phase response in PTB this study measured serum IL6, C reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), albumin concentrations in 62 PTB patients and 20 healthy volunteers. ⋯ IL6 might play a contributory part in reactive thrombocytosis and acute phase response in PTB.
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Challenging issues confront emergency physicians routinely when performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Ethical issues surrounding resuscitation may include issues of futility, withholding or withdrawing interventions, advance directives, family presence, practising procedures on the newly dead, palliative care, and communication. Principles of bioethics can be valuable in assessing and debating ethical dilemmas. In many cases where curative care is not possible or is not desired, the goal of medical care at the end of life is to provide comfort to the patient and family, rather than initiating technological interventions that are unlikely to benefit the patient.
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Cocaine is the second commonest illicit drug used and the most frequent cause of drug related deaths. Its use is associated with both acute and chronic complications that may involve any system, the most common being the cardiovascular system. ⋯ Patients, health care professionals, and the public should be educated about the dangers and the considerable risks of cocaine use. This review concentrates on the cardiovascular effects of cocaine and their management.