Albumin administration is complicated because of its different concentrations and indications. By the end of this unit, you will be equipped to answer a common clinical dilemma: which concentration to use and how fast to give it. What is Albumin & How it Works We have 34-54 grams of albumin per liter of blood inContinue reading “Albumin: What Concentration to Use and How to Administer”
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Insulin Resistance: Its Role in Infertility, DKA and Obesity
When there is insulin resistance the body begins an internal battle between acute survival and longevity. It is a long, subtle conflict that abruptly manifests itself as chronic conditions far beyond just hyperglycemia. Let me walk you through how we develop insulin resistance and 3 ways it has overwhelmed society via its predominant role isContinue reading “Insulin Resistance: Its Role in Infertility, DKA and Obesity”
Blood Glucose: 4 Ways The Body Generates Energy
Where there is no energy, there is death. A fundamental requirement for maintaining our physical existence is the ability to generate energy for the body. Let’s talk about all the sources our body uses to create energy. Let me walk you through 4 metabolic processes that the body uses to create energy. Energy is soContinue reading “Blood Glucose: 4 Ways The Body Generates Energy”
How to Use 5 Blood Products from Whole Blood
Every 2 seconds a blood transfusion is needed in the United States. Let me walk you through what you need to know about how we derive and how we use blood products. We give transfusions as a way to supplement blood loss, maintain hemostasis and oxygenation in a wide range of scenarios: major blood lossContinue reading “How to Use 5 Blood Products from Whole Blood”
Fundamentals of Warfarin Dosing
Efficacy of warfarin is determined by the attain and maintaining an INR (International Normalized Ratio) with a narrow range of usually 2-3. This requires consistent blood monitoring. INR is essentially a measure of how quickly blood will clot. The unit Warfarin: The Fundamentals discusses the mechanism of action and drug interactions of warfarin in moreContinue reading “Fundamentals of Warfarin Dosing”
How to Treat: Atrial Fibrillation
Treatment of atrial fibrillation centers reducing the risk of thrombus formation and stroke as well as treatment as disease progresses. Learn how we use validated tools to balance risk of the atrial fibrillation with the risk of treatment.
Statistics: How to Calculate Specificity in 3 Steps
Specificity is descriptive of a test. It describes the probability that the test will correctly not detect a diagnostic marker in a patient where it is truly absent. Calculating statistical specificity can be done in 3 simple steps. Sensitivity and specificity are often explained together. I think this is mostly done by convention even thoughContinue reading “Statistics: How to Calculate Specificity in 3 Steps”
Acute Coronary Syndrome: What You Need to Know
Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is an umbrella term used to describe any condition that causes a sudden decrease in blood supply to heart muscles. The heart supplies oxygen and nutrients to all tissues in the body including itself. The heart is wrapped in tiny blood vessels called coronary arteries that supply the heart with oxygenContinue reading “Acute Coronary Syndrome: What You Need to Know”
Acute Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Overview of Pathophysiology
The main function of the heart is to pump oxygenated blood from the heart, throughout the body, and return oxygen depleted blood to the lungs. This cycle takes only 13 seconds and is interrupted in acute heart failure. The contraction of heart muscles, the resistance of blood vessels and valves all maintain the pressure andContinue reading “Acute Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Overview of Pathophysiology”
How to Assess Renal Function: 3 Blood Markers & Calculations
Normal renal function supports all organs in maintaining homeostasis. The kidneys are responsible for many critical processes in the body. Filtration: the kidneys remove waste products like urea and creatinine which accumulate as a byproduct of normal metabolic processes. Fluid Balance: The kidneys regulate how much water is eliminated and reabsorbed. Which in turn contributesContinue reading “How to Assess Renal Function: 3 Blood Markers & Calculations”