Appendicitis: Still Deadly If Not Treated On Time

Lower left abdominal pain, severe vomiting and guarding, accompanied by severe pain upon touching the abdomen: does that ring a bell? Now, yes, but back then, the only bell it would ring was probably the church bell to announce the beginning of the funeral service. No, I am just kidding. But seriously. Nowadays, physicians have become more astute in identifying and managing cases of acute appendicitis. This inflammation of the appendix can be caused by either a fecalith (small stones made of stools that obstruct the appendiceal lumen) or secondary to bacterial overgrowth.

This is simply due to the fact that a rupture of the inflamed appendix would lead to a spontaneous bacterial peritonitis that could lead to death within minutes. History and physical examination, abdominal x-rays and laboratory tests can now help us to identify acute appendicitis and decide whether or not surgery would be the lifesaving procedure to undergo.

Malaria

In the past few decades, researchers have been able to identify a much wider variety of mosquitoes involved in a lot of medical conditions. Mosquitoes have become primary carriers for a lot of arthropod borne diseases. This include disease such as Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever, Chikungunya, Western Equine Encephalitis, etc. just to name a handful. The incidence of these diseases vary according to periods, with some years being renowned for pandemics and even epidemics of the abovementioned diseases. However, one that does not change with the season, the time or the people is definitely malaria. Malaria is – unfortunately – present at all times, all years, and regardless of the global disease trends. Highly endemic in developing countries (particularly in Africa and in Asia), malaria has become a medical challenge due to the increasingly growing levels of resistance to medications.  The malaria parasite, the Plasmodium Falciparum, is transmitted by a female mosquito bite. Malaria presents (within 72 hours of a mosquito bite) with severe headaches, body pain, sky-high fevers, dehydration and mental status changes. The most important clue in diagnosing the disease is being in a malaria-prone region (or having returned from one recently).

The emphasis on the use of mosquito nets, protective bedding and sanitization methods has truly impacted the health standards in affected communities. Malaria has not yet fully been eradicated in all parts of the world, but with the increasing and noticeable effort, we can assure that we are well on our way.

See Also: Malaria: Radical Change Of Strategy Offers Hope For Eradication Of Disease

Diarrheas

The main reason why diarrheas used to be fatal back then was the fact they cause an almost immediate dehydration. And God knows (and so do Doctors) how much our body suffers in cases of severe dehydration. First and foremost, the electrolytes balance is deranged, and this can set the perfect ground for fatal cardiac arrhythmias. In addition, the kidney function severely declines, which worsens the electrolytes disturbance. When you wisely add that to a dropping blood pressure and a decreased volume of fluid going to the heart, you can clearly see how patients suffering from diarrhea are so close to the…other side. Today, the mainstay of diarrhea management is aggressive yet balanced fluid replacement.