Patient Confidentiality
Abstract Respect for patient privacy is a pillar of the doctor-patient relationship, and laws codify the duties of doctors to maintain confidentiality with regard to patient interactions. On the other…
Hyperthyroidism: Thyroid Storm
Abstract Hyperthyroidism is a common clinical problem associated with thyroid gland hyperactivity. Complications include thyrotoxicosis and thyroid storm. Radioiodine uptake can help distinguish the disorders associated with thyrotoxicosis. Multiple stresses…
Hypothyroidism: Myxedema Coma
Abstract Hypothyroidism is a common disease with nonspecific clinical symptoms depending on the severity and the age of onset. Myxedema is a rare and life-threatening subset of hypothyroidism that can…
HIV Infection and AIDS
Keywords HIV, AIDS, HIV and anesthesia, HIV and intensive care Case Synopsis A 34-year-old woman with known human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and a recent diagnosis of acquired immunodeficiency…
Hypertensive Disorders of Pregnancy
Abstract Preeclampsia affects 6% to 8 % of all pregnancies in the United States and is a significant cause of maternal and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Disease management includes judicious…
Drugs Affecting the Renin-Angiotensin System
Case Synopsis A 95-kg, 70-year-old man is scheduled to have a left internal carotid endarterectomy. He takes amlodipine (5 mg/day) and irbesartan (150 mg/day), an angiotensin II receptor antagonist, for…
Do-Not-Resuscitate Orders in the Operating Room
Abstract Many anesthesiologists, surgeons, and operating room nurses assume that do-not-resuscitate (DNR) orders can and even should automatically be suspended in the circumstances of anesthesia and surgery. However, both ethical…
Dialysis-Dependent Patients
Abstract End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a major health problem in the United States, with about 650,000 patients affected in 2012. These patients have a higher perioperative mortality rate due…
Chronic Opioid Use
Abstract The use of opioids to treat chronic noncancer pain has increased significantly over the last 15 years, in spite of very limited evidence to document its safety or efficacy….
Chemical Dependency: Opioids
Abstract Addiction is a chronic disease characterized by relapse and low recovery rates in the general population. Outcome research in these populations indicates that diverging results are because of factors…
