Blood drug test
Blood drug tests are conducted to check for any traces of barbiturates or drug abuse. Blood is drawn from a vein on the inside of the elbow as is the case with other blood tests. Blood drug tests are used to screen for presence of illegal drugs or overdose or poisoning. Drug abuse of substances such as cocaine, heroin as well as overdose of amphetamines, benzodiazepines, phencyclidine and codeine can be analyzed with a blood drug test. The presence of illegal drugs or drugs not prescribed for the person indicated by a blood drug test can be suggestive of illicit drug use. Blood drug tests are conducted to monitor drug abuse cases, delirium and dementia.
Seizures
Seizures are conditions when there is abnormal functioning of the brain leading to uncontrollable muscle spasms, altered levels of consciousness and behavior. This is usually traced to abnormal electrical discharge within the brain. Seizures may be localized or affect the whole body.
Seizures are classified into 3 based on the severity of attack and response:
Grand Mal - In this type of seizure, the whole body is racked with convulsions. There can be lack of consciousness or coma
Petit Mal - Only a part of the body is affected by this seizure
Absense - A type of seizure where the affected person is in a stupor and cannot be roused.
Seizures can occur due to poisoning, drug overdose, head injury or medical conditions such as hypoglycemia or neurological abnormality. Fever, brain tumor or other vascular problems can also trigger a seizure. If the brain experiences a sudden lack of oxygen, it can lead to a seizure. Febrile seizures are usually noticed when an infant or small child has high fever, greater than 102 degrees F. The child loses consciousness and experiences uncontrolled shaking of the body. Typically this seizure lasts for a minute or two. Seizures of this kind are not to be mistaken for epilepsy. Though they can be terrifying, febrile seizure attacks must be tackled with care. Place the child on the ground or safe place. Do not restrain movements and wait for the seizure to subside. Do not attempt to feed the child immediately after a febrile seizure. Most seizures are self-limiting. What is essential is to ensure that the person does not get injured during a seizure. Seek seizure first aid. Call a doctor at once if you notice labored breathing or bluish pallor. Epilepsy is a medical condition that is characterized by marked pattern of chronic seizures. Various tests such as spinal tap, heat CT scan or MRI and EEG (Electroencephalogram) can help in identifying the cause for the seizures.
Osteomyelitis
Osteomyelitis is a medical condition that results from bone infection. The bacteria Staphylococcus aureus is usually the cause of Osteomyelitis. Other possible causes for osteomyelitis are streptococcus and E. coli. Infection is caused either through the bloodstream or direct bone infection through open wounds or fractures. Surgery, fungal infection, injury or boils can be the source for contamination and infection. Typically the infection results in the formation of pus and abscess in the bone. The blood supply to the bone is affected and osteomyletitis sets in. Osteomyelitis can affect adults and children. While the long bones of the limbs are usually affected in children, the pelvic or back bone of adults is affected. Chronic Osteomyelitis sets in when there is prolonged loss of blood supply to the affected bone tissue. This can happen in diabetics, dialysis patients and those who abuse drugs intravenously. Persons whose spleen has been removed may be at higher risk for osteomyelitis.
Osteomyelitis can attack more than one bone at a time. Symptoms of osteomyletitis are localized swelling and redness in the affected bone area. The patient feels ill and nauseous. There might be fever and pain too. In some cases, osteomyletitis also results in swelling of feet and ankles or lower back pain. The nagging joint pain fails to respond to pain medications and there is intense pain on touching. There is weight loss and severe fatigue. Tests to diagnose this condition include bone scans and MRI of infected bones. Blood tests and cultures can help identify the type of bacterial infection so that the right course of treatment can be adopted. Blood tests will reveal higher ESR and elevated WBC count in those affected by osteomyletitis. X-rays can reveal the extent of infection in the affected bone. A biopsy of affected bone tissue can also help identify the bacterial infection.
With early diagnosis, this infection can be treated with antibiotics. Often the antibiotics are given intravenously. Treatment for osteomyletitis involved hospitalization and bed rest. But newer forms of oral antiobiotic therapy have been successful in penetrating bone tissue. This has drastically reduced the need for prolonged hospitalization. In chronic cases of osteomyletitis, surgical removal of dead bone tissue is required. Bone grafting is done to promote growth of new bone tissue. In rare cases, osteomyletitis can lead to blood poisoning (septicemia) and destruction of the bone.
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