Posts Tagged ‘High’

What are the causes and side-effects of high potassium in blood and diet that should be followed?

Potassium is one of the main electrolytes that the body requires for proper functioning of the nervous system and muscles, especially the heart and kidneys. Tests have indicated that if potassium level is on higher side, low potassium food is prescribed. Potassium is found in nearly all foods so extra care has to be taken. A diet providing less than 1,500mg of potassium a day is sufficient.
The effects of elevated potassium levels are related to the health of your heart. When potassium stays in your blood because your kidneys aren’t filtering it out, you may experience weakness accompanied by an irregular heartbeat.

Side Effects of High Potassium

- Nausea, fatigue, muscle weakness or tingling in the extremities and tongue.
- It can cause atherosclerosis, blood pressure problems, heart arrhythmias, and problems with the kidneys that worsen, the longer the condition persists.

Causes of High Potassium

- Acute or chronic kidney failure.
- Problems with the urinary tract.
- Glomerulonephritis.
- Lupus nephritis.
- Diabetes.
- Addison’s disease.
- Tissue trauma from surgery, burns, or other traumatic injury.

Read more: Effects of High Levels of Potassium | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5112377_effects-high-levels-potassium.html#ixzz153DtHO9Q

Dietary Considerations

- Fruits, vegetables, pulses, nuts, meat and milk are especially high in potassium. So, limit the intake accordingly.
- Include 1-2 servings of low-potassium fruit per day which includes 1 orange/peach/pear/kiwi or a handful of raspberries/strawberries/cherries or a large slice of watermelon everyday.
- Avoid fruits such as banana, apricots, coconut, melon, mango, orange juice, papaya, pomegranate, dates, figs, prunes and raisins.
- Completely avoid vegetables like beans, peas, baked potatoes/fries, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, puree and yam.
- Soya beans, soya milk or tofu are totally avoidable.
- One to two servings of low potassium meat and dairy food choices per day.
- Avoid salt substitutes or low sodium salts as these are high in potassium salts.
- Chocolates, nuts, molasses and jaggery are to be completely avoided.
- Leaching vegetables like potatoes removes much of the calcium and potassium. Peel the potato and cut into small pieces. Cover completely with water and keep in refrigerator for at least four hours. Drain well and cook in fresh water.

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Dengue Fever – Types, Diagnosis, Prevention and Cure or treatment.

Depending on the symptoms, there are different severities of dengue fever:

- Mild Dengue Fever : The symptoms of this fever will last upto seven days after the mosquito bites. Symptoms include joint pain, rash, high fever, headache, pain in eyes, vomiting and nausea.
- Dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) : The symptoms of this fever during onset may be mild but gradually worsen after a number of days. The result could be death if not treated on time.
Symptoms include joint pain, rash, high fever, headache, pain in eyes, vomiting and nausea, bleeding from mouth/gums, nosebleeds, sensitive stomach, lower number of platelets in blood, internal bleeding, damaged lymph nodes and weak pulse.
- Dengue shock syndrome (DSS) : This is the worst form of dengue that may result in death. Mild dengue fever symptoms are also present in addition to intense stomach pain, disorientation, fast drop in blood pressure, heavy bleeding, regular vomiting blood vessels leaking fluid and death.

Diagnosis of Dengue

A doctor can diagnose dengue fever by performing a blood test. The test will show whether
the blood sample contains dengue virus or antibodies to the virus.

Precautions

- Wear long-sleeved clothing.
- Use insect repellent faithfully.
- Employ mosquito netting around sleep and lounging areas.
- Avoid going out at night and just before dawn.
- Coolers, flower pots, cans, ets should be emptied and cleaned on regular baisis.

Treatment for Dengue fever

There is no specific treatment option available for dengue.
- Persons with dengue fever should rest and drink plenty of fluids.
- Keep up oral intake, especially of oral fluids and/or, oral rehydration salts to prevent dehydration.
- Aspirin and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (e.g. ibuprofen, diclofenac) and corticosteroids should be avoided.
- In cases where patients are unable to take fluids, Intravenous fluid supplementation (IV drip) is given.
- A blood transfusion may be recommended for patients with severe dehydration.
- It is important that you be treated by medical professionals, this way you can be properly monitored incase the symptoms worsen.

Dengue – Causes, Signs and Symptoms, Risk factors.

Dengue is transmitted by the bite of an Aedes mosquito infected with any one of the four dengue viruses. Dengue fever can occur to people of all ages but it mostly affects children under the age of 15 years, but can occur in all age groups. It is also known as breakdown fever.

It is found mostly during and shortly after the rainy season in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Southeast Asia and China, India, Middle East, Caribbean and Central and South America, Australia and the South and Central Pacific. The dengue virus is transmitted to its host during probing and blood feeding.

Causes of Dengue Fever

- It is caused by one of four closely related virus serotypes (DEN-1, DEN-2, DEN-3, and DEN-4), of the genus Flavivirus.
- Increase in non-biodegradable plastic packaging and discarded tires.
- Increased jet air travel is helping people infected with dengue viruses to move easily from city to city.
- Lack of effective methods to control epidemics.
- Lack of effective mosquito control efforts.
- Poor Public health systems.
- Rapid growth or Overcrowding of cities in tropical countries.
- Urban decay, and substandard sanitation, allowing more mosquitoes to live closer to more people.

Signs and Symptoms of Dengue

After the mosquito carrying the virus has bitten a person the symptoms generally starts within 5 to 8 days. The acute phase of illness can last for 1 week followed by a 1 to 2 week period of recovery period.
- Mild fever, to incapacitating high fever upto 105 degrees.
- Rashes
- Headache
- Redness and pain in eyes
- Joint and muscle pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Change in taste
- Swollen lymph nodes

Who is at a high risk of having dengue?

- Anyone who is bitten by an infected mosquito can get Dengue fever.
- Risk factors for Dengue hemorrhagic fever include a person’s age and immune status.
- It also depends on type of infecting virus.