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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Administering TPN: 4 Things You Need to Know
Whether you’re administering TPN (total parenteral nutrition) or a pharmacist compounding it you are going to ask or be asked about these 4 things at some point. How we dose TPN is dependent on lots of factors like the level of care (ICU versus medical), organ dysfunction and body composition to name a few. ButContinue reading “Administering TPN: 4 Things You Need to Know”
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”
Everything You Need to Know: Apixaban
Apixaban is an oral anticoagulant. It belongs to the drug class: Direct Oral Anticoagulant (DOAC). DOACs were introduced in 2010 as an alternative to warfarin. They address alot of the complexities associated with the use of warfarin. Warfarin is effective within a very narrow therapeutic range. This window of efficacy is easily disrupted by manyContinue reading “Everything You Need to Know: Apixaban”
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”
Renal Injury: What You Need to Know
Normal Renal Function The kidneys has many roles including filtration of blood to remove waste. Within the kidneys waste is filtered at the glomerulus. Waste exists the kidneys via the tubules as urine. Filtered blood is returned to the body. Categories of Renal Injury There are three broad categories of renal injury based on whereContinue reading “Renal Injury: What You Need to Know”
Anion Gap & Neutrality: Filling in the Knowledge Gap
The anion gap is a calculation that measures the balance of select negative and positive charges (anion and cations respectively) in plasma. Anion gap is critical for the assessment of acid -base disorders which is an umbrella diagnosis that has many causes including renal failure, toxicities, sepsis and diabetic ketoacidosis. Though the name suggests thereContinue reading “Anion Gap & Neutrality: Filling in the Knowledge Gap”
How to Perform Alligation Calculations: Grid Method
When faced with complex dosing problems, understanding alligation calculations can be crucial for determining the right proportions of solutions in pharmaceutical preparations. Clinical scenario: The neonatologist orders D12% for a 2 day old neonate. What would you do? Chat GPT or Google? On a 2 day old? Even the most trusted clinical calculators have theContinue reading “How to Perform Alligation Calculations: Grid Method”