Showing posts with label primary care. Show all posts
Showing posts with label primary care. Show all posts

Sunday, 17 March 2019

Tinea

Disease class: Dermatomycosis

Also known as

  • Dermatophytosis
  • Ringworm

 

Subtypes

  • Tinea capitis (of the head)
  • Tinea corporis (of the body)
  • Tinea cruris (of the leg), jock itch
  • Tinea pedis (of the foot), athlete's foot

 

Tinea refers to a fungal infection of the skin.

This is a very common condition.


Causes

~40 species of fungus

 

Symptoms

  • Itch

 

Signs

  • Rash
    • Erythema
    • Scaled
    • Circular (ring-shaped)

Sunday, 17 February 2019

Megaloblastic anaemia

Disease class: Macrocytic anaemia

The macrocytic red cells show signs of immaturity. They have failed to mature fully from erythroblasts into erythocytes.

     

    Causes

    Tuesday, 12 February 2019

    Tension-type headache

    Headache homepage


    Also known as TTH.
    It is the most common primary headache disorder.

     

    Primary headache disorders

    This is a category of headache disorder.

    The headache and associated neurological symptoms are the main problems caused by the disorder. The pain does not serve a useful function.

    The most common type of primary headache is tension-type headache.

     

    Types

    Medication overuse headache

    Headache homepage


    Also known as MOH.

    It is the most common cause of secondary headache.

    Sunday, 27 January 2019

    Essential hypertension


    Essential hypertension refers to hypertension which is not caused by any known diseases (e.g. Glomerulonephritis).
    This is one of the most common diseases in elderly patients.

     

    Pathophysiology

    The underlying mechanism behind this disease is unknown, but it becomes more prevalent with advanced age. It appears to reflect a gradual decline in the body's ability to self-regulate the blood pressure at an appropriate 'setting'.

     

    Complications

    Acute

    Chronic

    Acne vulgaris

    Disease class: Acneiform eruptions
    Disease class: Sebaceous gland diseases 

    Symptoms

    • Anxiety or depression due to aesthetic concerns
    • Pain (mild)
    • Pruritus (mild)
    • Discharge from skin lesions
    • Desquamation

     

    Signs

    • Comedones (white heads and blackheads)
    • Cysts
    • Inflammatory skin lesions 
      • Erythema 
      • Swelling
    • Infectious exudate (pus)
    • Scars 
    • Predisposition to affect skin of face, upper chest, shoulders, and upper back.

     

    Contributing factors

    • Overproduction of sebum
    • Colonisation of the skin with Cutibacterium acnes
    • High levels of circulating androgens (testosterone, dihydrotestosterone)
    • Genetics

     

    Unrelated factors

    • Hygiene 
    • Sun exposure

    Management

    • Topical vitamin A analogues 
    • Topical antibiotics (lymecycline, tetracycline) 
    • Oral antibiotics
    • Oral isotretinoin

    Saturday, 26 January 2019

    HbA1c

    Biochemistry homepage  

     

    Also known as haemoglobin A1c. 

    This is a form of haemoglobin which has been glycolated.
    Chronic high levels of glucose in the blood are associated with high levels of HbA1c in the blood.

     

    Clinical indications:

    • Diagnosis of diabetes mellitus 
    • Monitoring of diabetes mellitus : High levels of HbA1c (>48 mmol/mol) are associated with poor glucose control and increased mortality in T2D patients.

     

    Profile:


     

    Specimen type: 


     

    Sample type: 


     

    Turnaround time:



    Cholesterol (total)

    Biochemistry homepage  

     

    Clinical indications:

     

    Profile:


     

    Specimen type: 


     

    Sample type: 


     

    Turnaround time: 

     

    Wednesday, 23 January 2019

    Tuesday, 15 January 2019

    Allergic rhinitis

    Disease class: Rhinitis

    Also known as hay fever. 
    This is an atopic disease.

    It can progress to sinusitis.

    Management

    • Oral anti-histamines
    • Anti-histamine nasal spray 
    • Corticosteroid nasal spray
    • Anti-histamine eye drops

    Hyperlipidaemia

    Management

    Urticaria

    Also known as hives or allergic urticaria.

    Caused by a type 1 hypersensitivity reaction. Associated with atopy.

    Causes rapid-onset pruritus (itchiness) and erythema (redness).

    Managed with anti-histamines.

    Saturday, 12 January 2019

    Anaemia

    Disease class: Haematologic diseases

    Definition

    Anaemia refers to an insufficient supply of functional erythrocytes (red blood cells) in the blood.
    It is a feature of aplastic anaemia, wherein production of all blood cells is deficient (pancytopenia).

     

    Types

        

      Causes

      • Loss of erythrocytes
      • Dyfunctional haemoglobin synthesis
      • Dysfunctional DNA synthesis
      • Insufficient stimulation of erythropoeisis

       

      Investigations

      Atopic dermatitis

      Disease class: Dermatitis
      This is an atopic disease.

      Atrial fibrillation

      This is a cardiac arrhythmia.

      Management

      Streptococcal pharyngitis