Human Health and Diseases - Essay Example

?Human Health and Disease Case Study Insert Insert Introduction Human health and disease are two important and inevitable factors inlife. In the world, many new diseases and conditions emerge and therefore require extensive clinical examination to avoid misinterpretations. Many scientists have dedicated their time and energy in finding the best methods of disease diagnosis that practitioner must apply appropriately. The world needs a healthy population that will drive it to better heights. If the humans were to assume the disease and not perform any relevant research, then disease would be a major extinction factor to the human species (Memmlers, 2012). 1. Components of physical examination The components of physical examination include inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation respectively. However, some physicians may choose a different sequence depending on the training. All these examinations focus on knowing more about the present condition of disease of the patient or even the most probable to occur. Inspection involves the search for signs while palpation involves the feeling for the signs. Percussion is the tapping for signs, mainly in the lung and gut examinations. Auscultation involves using the stethoscope to listen to the heart rate. Anciently, physicians listened directly through the ear. It is not mandatory that all systems will have signs but most will. Physical examination is the general examination of the human body performed by physicians. It covers most of the basic body systems, including the gut, system nerve system, lung system, and heart system. More examinations are not common but it depends on the patient’s clinical condition. Physical examination helps in confirming any persistent issues after a previous diagnosis. It also reveals persistent and hidden pathological entities. Physicians performing this examination always look for signs like the blood pressure, temperature, heart beat rate and respiratory rate. Performing physical examination incurs low costs because the only cost is, the labor cost (Memmlers, 2012). Many medical practitioners have recommended it as a screening test because it is non-invasive and significantly revealing. Doctors are important figures during this process because they make decision with regard to the patient’s clinical history. At times, physical examination requires extensive procedures involving the private body parts. In such situations, the patients must make consent. 2). Blood Pressure The measurement of blood pressure is a quick and painless process that provides the physicians with important information about the condition of the heart and the body blood vessels. a). Doctors use the sphygmomanometer, also known as the blood pressure cuff, to measure the blood pressure. This instrument contains an inflatable cuff and a small pressure gauge attached to the cuff. The cuff wraps around the upper arm, but some wrap around the wrist or forearm. When taking the blood pressure, the doctor uses a stethoscope to the movement of blood through the arteries. The doctor will then inflate the cuff to a pressure that is higher than the patient’s systolic blood pressure. The first sound heard by the doctor through the stethoscope records as the systolic blood pressure. This occurs when the cuff’s pressure is in the process of reducing to reach stability. A second follows immediately the first whooshing one fades away (Memmlers, 2012). This is the diastolic blood pressure. The doctor measure with reference to the heart beat rate for the maximum pressure and the minimum pressure. b). Mr. Smith’s blood pressure was 160/100 The numerator (160) represents the systolic pressure, which is the maximum pressure of blood movement in the artery at that particular when the heart is working to supply blood throughout the body. The denominator represents (100) the diastolic pressure, which is the minimum pressure of blood movement in the artery in the moments between heartbeats and its resting state. c). The significant difference between these two numbers is because of their point and time of reading. Systolic pressure records first, and then followed by the diastolic blood pressure. The measurement have recording in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). The sequence of sound proves the significant value difference. d). Mr. Smith’s blood pressure of 160/100 is higher than the normal range. This is because the average normal ranges are 120 for the normal systolic pressure and 80 for the normal diastolic pressure. Normal values have presentation in ranges because the values vary from one individual to another. e). Possible health issues related to high blood pressure of 165/100 Hypertension is the common consequence of high blood pressure. This means that the patient has a higher risk of suffering from heart disease, which can be fatal. Both the systolic and diastolic blood pressures are significant. In case one of them goes high, it shows the patient has high blood pressure. This also explains why Mr. Smith felt a lot of tiredness as his heart overworked. It is important for people to go for regular blood pressure to avoid surprises. 3). Laboratory tests and sample The laboratory tests ordered for Mr. Smith were the blood and urine tests. Samples collected included the urine and blood samples. The blood tests work for the diagnosis, monitoring, screening, and research purposes. Mr. Smith’s doctor recommended the blood test in order to monitor the possible side effects of cancer treatment, such as anemia, which can increase the infection risk. Doctors focus on deducing a hypothesis that gives a differential diagnosis with reference to clinical history, social & drug history, physical examination results, followed by these tests. The tests will either confirm or reject a diagnosis on the differential diagnosis list. Since many centuries ago since the Western medicine began, patient history and physical examination are the important part of medicine. However, with the development in technological techniques, many diseases diagnosis have improved through laboratory tests like blood tests, urine tests, and imaging procedures. The current technology enables the early diagnosis of disease, which was a drawback of the ancient methods. These diseases include prostate and colon cancer (Memmlers, 2012). Some of the common tests include; the total blood count which measures the blood components such as white blood cells, red blood cells and platelets like in Mr. Smith’s case. The test results will confirm whether they are within the normal ranges. They provide information to the doctor that may help them decide the need for additional tests or procedures. Additional tests focus on developing or reviewing a previous treatment operation. The interpretation of all the test results must be within the patient’s general health and accompanied by other clinical examination. 4). a). Table of results, reference values and comparison comments Mr. Smith Reference Values Comparison comments K+ 2.6 mmol/L 3.8-4.9 mmol/L The value is below the normal range Hb 7.3 g/dl 13.8-18.2 g/dl Below the normal range Hct % 20.4 45-52 Below the normal range Platelet count 20*109/L 150-400*109/L Below the normal range HCO3 38 mmol/L 22-26 mmol/L Above the normal range Urinary K+ 70 mmol/L/24 hr 25-120 mmol/L/24 hr Within the normal range Blood Glucose 460 mg/dl 64.8-104.4 mg/dl Above the normal range Serum Aldosterone 1 ng/dl Read More