Medicine Hack

a.c - ante cibum i.e. before food. p.c - post cibum (after food). o.m - omni mane (every morning). o.n - omni nocte (every night). o.d - omni die (once daily). b.d - bis die (twice daily). t.i.d - ter in die ( three times daily). t.d.s - ter die sumendum (to be taken three times daily). q.d.s - quater die sumendum (to be taken four times daily). p.r.n - pro re nata (when required). stat - immediately.

The central dogma for molecular biology refers to the flow of information from DNA to RNA to proteins. Nucleic acids are required for the storage and expression of genetic information. There are two chemically distinct types of nucleic acids: 1) deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and 2) ribonucleic acid (RNA). DNA is the store of genetic information and is present not only in chromosomes in the nucleus of eukaryotic organisms, but also in mitochondria and the chloroplasts of plants. Prokaryotic cells, which lack nuclei, have a single chromosome, but may also contain nonchromosomal DNA in the form of plasmids. The genetic information found in DNA is copied and transmitted to daughter cells through DNA replication. The DNA contained in a fertilized egg encodes the information that directs the development of an organism. This development may involve the production of billions of cells. Each cell is specialized, expressing only those functions that are required for it to perform its r

The intensity of a systolic murmur is not always proportional to the hemodynamic disturbance. Yet murmurs are classified according to the loudness. Freeman and Levine were the first to introduce a numerical scale for grading heart murmur intensity in 1933. This grading is still used but with some modifications. Grade 1 - so faint that it can be heard only with special effort. Grade 2 - faint but can be heard easily. Grade 3 - moderately loud but no thrill. Grade 4 - very loud and thrill may be there. Grade 5 - extremely loud and can be heard if only the edge of stethoscope is in contact with skin. Grade 6 - exceptionally loud and can be heard with stethoscope just removed from skin contact. Keren, Tereschuk and Luan suggested that we can use heart sounds as an internal reference to differentiate between grades 1-3, the only limitation of the study being a small sample used. The grading is the same as above but. . . Grade 1 - clearly softer than the heart sounds. Grade 2 -

As soon as a diagnosis of VTE / PE is strongly suspected, anticoagulant therapy should be started unless there are contraindications. Parenteral drugs like unfractionated heparin (standard heparin) and low molecular weight heparin (lovenox) are started and therapy shifted to a long term stable vitamin K antagonist like warfarin. Unfractionated heparin The anticoagulant action is by binding to and accelerating the activity of antithrombin III. This inactivates thrombin, factor IXa and Xa and thus prevents further clot formation. The classical regimen for the dosage is a loading dose of 5000 - 10000 units followed by a continuous infusion of 1000 - 1500 units/hour. Unfortunately we all do not have the same weight. So, a more appropriate dosage is a loading dose of 80 units/kg and a continuous infusion of 18 units/kg/hr. The aim is to achieve a target activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) aka partial thromboplastin time with kaolin (PTTK) of 2-3 times the normal laboratory val

Ingestion of alcohol makes you feel warm because it causes cutaneous vasodilation. Increased blood flow to the skin coupled with a low environmental temperature means that there is a more rapid loss of heat from the body. Furthermore, consumption of a large amount of ethanol leads to depression of the central temperature regulating mechanism. Thus drinking alcohol excessively in cold climates can lead to hypothermia and even death if appropriate measures are not taken.

1) First detected AF - It is the designation given when diagnosis has only recently been made. 2) Recurrent AF - When patient has experienced two or more episodes of AF. 3) Paroxysmal AF - Self terminating episodes that generally last less than 7 days (mostly <24 hr) 4) Persistent AF - Last more than 7 days and requires electrical or pharmacologic cardioversion. 5) Permanent AF - It has failed cardioversion and has been sustained for more than a year.

This is a continuation of the main article  Diabetes insipidus . It shows the effect of desmopressin in a case of central D.I. The changes seen are: 1) decrease in urine output, 2) increase in urine osmolarity, 3) decrease in plasma osmolarity and 4) slight increase in body weight. Desmopressin is 12 times more potent antidiuretic than ADH. It has a duration of action of around 8 hours and thus can be given in 3 divided doses per day. The intranasal route is preferred though the bioavailability is only 10-20%. Treatment is life long.