Common Cardiovascular Diseases in Women.

Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death for women in the United States. This article encompasses the epidemiology/etiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic assessment, management, and prognosis of some common cardiovascular disorders seen in women with a special focus on pregnancy.

Acute Respiratory Failure.

Respiratory failure is one of the most common reasons for hospitalization and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, and a diverse range of etiologies can precipitate it. Respiratory failure can result from various mechanisms such as hypoventilation, diffusion impairment, shunting, ventilation-perfusion mismatch, or a combination of those mentioned earlier. Hence, an accurate understanding of different pathophysiologic mechanisms is required for appropriate patient care. Prompt identification and treatment of various respiratory emergencies such as tension pneumothorax, massive hemoptysis, and high-risk pulmonary embolism lead to fewer complications, shorter ICU and hospital stay, and improved survival. This review article entails common respiratory failure pathologies encountered in the ICU and addresses their epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and management.

Atypical Mycobacterium Abscessus Infection in Stable Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia: A Case Report and Review of the Literature.

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia is the most common blood cancer in adults. A major cause of morbidity and mortality associated with this cancer stems from opportunistic infections. Similar to many cancers, the inherent effects of battling a raging disease along with the many treatment options causing immunosuppression to lend to the likelihood of obtaining secondary infections. As it is important for physicians to note the ever-increasing secondary complications, which can manifest in the long-term management of immunosuppressed patients, we present a case of an 86-year-old Caucasian female with stable chronic lymphocytic leukemia who developed intermittent presentation of lung abscesses due to growth of atypical Mycobacterium species. With the advent of new treatment options, there has been an increased rate of drug-resistant organisms, lending for the need for more awareness to the severity of these secondary complications and for better options in preventing their occurrence.

COPD Maintenance Pharmacotherapy.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently the fourth leading cause of death worldwide and will likely be the third most common cause by the end of 2020. It is felt to be caused by repetitive noxious stimuli to the lung, most commonly from smoking, with persistent symptoms of cough, wheeze, and shortness of breath. Most patients will have these baseline symptoms, with periodic flare-ups known as exacerbations. This article focuses on pharmacological therapy in a stable COPD patient. Pharmacological treatment of a stable COPD patient focuses on minimizing symptoms, improving exercise tolerance, and preventing exacerbations. Nonpharmacological management of stable COPD, smoking cessation, and treatment of exacerbations are covered in other sections.

Acute Kidney Injury in the Context of Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Acute kidney injury is a heterogeneous syndrome defined by rapid (hours to days) decline in the glomerular filtration rate leading to retention of metabolic waste products including creatinine and urea, resulting in declination of the body's ability to manage fluid status and acid-base regulation. Acute kidney injury is seen commonly in acute respiratory distress syndrome and this article will explore the relationship between the 2 entities.

Clinical Presentation and Risk Factors of Venous Thromboembolic Disease.

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) has a wide range of clinical presentations. Deep venous thrombosis may occur in upper or lower extremities or in visceral veins. Extremity deep venous thrombosis usually manifests with unilateral painful swelling in the limb, while visceral deep venous thrombosis manifestations vary on the basis of the involved organ. Pulmonary embolism classically manifests with sudden pleuritic chest pain and unexplained dyspnea. Superficial thrombophlebitis usually presents with acute inflammation around a palpable thrombosed superficial vein. Risk factors of VTE are either inherited or acquired. The inherited causes of VTE tend to be familial and more common in younger patients. The common acquired risk factors of VTE include previous history of venous thrombosis, immobilization, recent surgery or trauma, malignancy, and pregnancy. Identifying high-risk patients for VTE based on these risk factors is the cornerstone to provide the prophylactic treatment to prevent thrombotic events.

Prophylaxis for Venous Thromboembolism.

Venous thromboembolisms are major risk factors for many of our hospitalized patients. These events, however, can be prevented with prophylactic measurements when administered appropriately and on a timely basis. As patients are admitted, discharged, transferred, and scheduled for procedures on an hourly basis, anticoagulation and deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis are held or discontinued in anticipation for possible procedures. This results in delay of care and intervals where patients may not be covered with any prophylactic measurements. Similarly, alterations in clinical status can quickly change such as an increase in creatinine levels or the development of a new bleed, thus requiring a revision in their deep vein thrombosis prophylaxis. Nurses, therefore, play an integral role in not only administering the medicine but also routinely assessing the patients' clinical status and, therefore, their deep vein thrombosis prophylactic regimens as well. This article will review the indications, scoring systems, common prophylactic methods, and special populations at increased risks for venous thromboembolisms.

A Case of Tuberculous Meningitis with Tuberculoma in Nonimmunocompromised Immigrant.

We present a case of tuberculous (TB) meningitis in nonimmunocompromised immigrant worker who initially presented with headache and later with generalized tonic clonic seizures and disseminated tuberculosis.

Asthma.

Asthma is one of the most frequent chronic respiratory diseases worldwide, with an increase in its prevalence in the last decade. Ongoing studies continue to search for better diagnostic tools and advanced treatment options in an effort to decrease the morbidity and mortality associated with it. Unfortunately, many asthmatic patients still suffer from poorly controlled asthma, which may lead to life-threatening situations. This article reviews the basics of asthma and highlights the current guidelines in making accurate diagnosis and initiating therapeutic plan.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a serious inflammatory disorder with high mortality. Its main pathologic mechanism seems to result from increased alveolar permeability. Its definition has also changed since first being described according to the Berlin definition, which now classifies ARDS on a severity scale based on PaO2 (partial pressure of oxygen, arterial)/FIO2 (fraction of inspired oxygen) ratio. The cornerstone of therapy was found to be a low tidal volume strategy featuring volumes of 6 to 8 mL per kg of ideal body weight that has been shown to have decreased mortality as proven by the ARDSnet trials. There are other areas of treatment right now that include extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, as well for severe refractory hypoxemia. Other methods that include prone positioning for ventilation have also shown improvements in oxygenation. Positive end-expiratory pressure with lung recruitment maneuvers has also been found to be helpful. Other therapies that include vasodilators and neuromuscular agents are still being explored and need further studies to define their role in ARDS.