Steroid-Induced Pancreatitis: A Challenging Diagnosis.

Drug-induced pancreatitis is uncommon among all cases of acute pancreatitis in the general population. The majority of reported cases are mild, but severe and even fatal cases have been also reported. Management of corticosteroid-induced acute pancreatitis requires withdrawal of the offending agent and supportive care. Our case describes a young patient, who was recently diagnosed with idiopathic immune purpura and was treated with steroids. Few days later, he returned to the hospital complaining of epigastric pain with nausea and vomiting and was diagnosed with steroid-induced pancreatitis after exclusion of other causes of pancreatitis.

Hypercalcemia in a Patient Diagnosed with a Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide Tumor.

Hypercalcemia is a clinical problem that is commonly seen in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Overall, most common causes of hypercalcemia include hyperparathyroidism and malignancy. Our case report is the presentation of hypercalcemia in a patient eventually diagnosed with a vasoactive intestinal peptide tumor, a type of neuroendocrine tumor, without associated hyperparathyroidism.

Rare Anaphylactic Reaction to Acamprosate in a Young Alcoholic.

Alcoholism is a worldwide health issue that affects people from all walks of life. Effective alcohol abuse treatment programs, which combine cognitive behavioral therapy with medications, are necessary to provide the appropriate care that patients need. Treatment options include Naltrexone, Acamprosate, or Disulfiram. Due to poor compliance, Disulfiram is used as a second line agent. These medications play an integral role in treating alcohol abuse. Healthcare providers must be aware of their side effect profiles. This includes a rare and fatal anaphylactic reaction to Acamprosate which is not well documented in the current literature.

The Importance of Early Identification of Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency.

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a common genetic disorder that is easily managed if diagnosed and treated at an early age. It is often missed, however, especially in patients with long histories of smoking and alcohol use. This is mainly due to a lack of awareness and proper screening of the disorder, especially in the primary care setting. Here, we will focus on a case report of a young male whose diagnosis and treatment of AATD was significantly delayed. His lung and liver complications had initially been attributed to his smoking and drinking history. This delay could have been avoided by increasing awareness of AATD and through the implementation of novel screening tests that can quickly rule out the disorder in patients presenting with lung and liver disease.

Hallucinations in an Elderly Patient with Severe Visual Impairment.

Vivid visual hallucinations are common in the geriatric population and can be due to a number of causes such as dementia, delirium, stroke, adverse effects of medication, or ocular disease. We will examine an interesting patient case report, which allowed us to explore two lesser-known causes of these types of hallucinations: Charles Bonnet Syndrome and Anton-Babinski Syndrome. Treatment of these syndromes focuses on supportive care as well as extensive education for the patient and family concerning the benign nature of the visual hallucinations. Many patients, however, end up undergoing extensive diagnostic studies and treatments that are not necessary. This occurs as a result of a lack of education when it comes to the diagnosis and management of these conditions. By raising awareness among healthcare providers, we can prevent unnecessary and potentially harmful workups and treatments for patients suffering from these syndromes.