Postgraduate medical journal
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Secondary hyperkalaemic paralysis is a rare condition often mimicking the Guillain-Barré syndrome. There have been a few case reports of hyperkalaemia caused by renal failure, trauma, and drugs where the presentation has been with muscle weakness. A case of hyperkalaemic paralysis caused by an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor is reported.
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My elective was spent at a teaching hospital in Galle, in Sri Lanka. My time was spent shadowing final year students in the specialties of general medicine and paediatrics. This period provided me with much food for thought in comparing and contrasting the health service in Sri Lanka with that of the UK and also considering the differences in the style of medical education. ⋯ In this report, I have attempted to integrate an account of my observations with a discussion of the thoughts and emotions that I experienced while working in a developing country. Studying in Sri Lanka facilitated my appreciation of facets of British health care and medical education that I had not previously considered. However, fewer resources do not necessarily mean poorer patient care: could Britain have something to learn from the Sri Lankan Health Service?