Hyperthyroidism Case Study

Hyperthyroidism Case Study Introduction Patient A is a 49 year old female of 76 kilograms and height of 161.5 centimetres. The patient has attempted to diet but has gained 11.3 kilograms in the previous months. The patient also sleeps for 14-16 hours a day. Her movements were slothful. The patients signs consisted of a slight enlargement of the neck area, coarse textured hair and dry skin. When her blood sample was analysed it showed that the hormone T4 (thyroxin) levels were 3.2 micrograms/millilitre which is lower than the normal range, 4.2-11.2 micrograms/millilitre. In addition to this her TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) levels were high. Diagnosis The analysis of the weight gain using the diagnosis table shows that this could be as a result of hyperthyroidism or Cushing syndrome or hypothyroidism. The slothful behaviour could be caused by Addisons disease or hypothyroidism. The dry skin of the patient is consistent with the hypothyroidism condition. The swelling on the neck could be a goitre which results from a lack of iodine in the thyroid gland. Overstimulation causes the thyroid gland to swell. This swelling could also be a result of hyperthyroidism whereby the thyroid gland secretes too much thyroid hormone and the swelling also results, or it could be a thyroid tumour which also causes the swelling. [1,2] The signs and symptoms are consistent with either hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism and are on the thyroid gland. Cross-section diagram of the neck showing the thyroid gland (106.gif) http://www.patient.co.uk/health/Hypothyroidism-Underactive-Thyroid.htm Analysis of blood samples and effect of hormones on homeostasis The hormone T4 speeds up metabolic rates regulates the amount of oxygen used up by cells and regulates body heat. [3] The patients weight gain could be as a result of a decrease in the rate of digestion. Low T4 levels mean that not enough digestive juices are being secreted because T4 controls metabolic rates resulting in the slow movement of smooth muscles lining the stomach. T4 promotes the normal development of muscle tone and normal functioning of skeletal and cardiac muscles. This possibly explains why the patient is experiencing slothful movement. [1] In addition to this T4 also promotes the hydration of the skin, secretion of the exocrine glands and the growth of hair. The consequences of low T4 could explain why the patients hair is coarse and why the patient has dry skin. [1] To distinguish between hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism a T4 and TSH test have to be done. [4] The TSH test is normally chosen for the evaluation of the thyroid function and for the symptoms of hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. It is often done with or after a T4 test. The results of the tests performed show an elevated TSH level and a low T4 level which show that the patient has hypothyroidism. Condition Normal Hyperthyroidism Hypothyroidism Hypothyroidism Secondary TSH Normal Low High Low T4 Normal High Low Low [4] WHAT IS HYPOTHYROIDISM Hypothyroidism is a condition caused by the underactive functioning of the thyroid gland whereby the thyroid does not produce enough or does not even produce triodothyronine (T3) and thyroxin (T4). [1] The thyroid gland is a butterfly shaped organ which is found inferior to the Larynx and in front of the neck. [1] If the thyroid is underactive hypothyroidism appears. They are two types of hypothyroidism and these are primary and secondary hypothyroidism. [4] Primary Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid does not produce T4 and T3 hormones at all. [4] Secondary Hypothyroidism is when the thyroid produces amounts of T3 and T4 which are below the normal levels. [4] The thyroid gland swells up in as a result of it trying to achieve homeostasis. The body has low T4 levels therefore the gland works even harder to try and produce more hormones and this causes an increase in the size of the gland. Causes 95% of the time the thyroid gland is not secreting sufficient thyroid hormone and this could cause the hypothyroidism. Hypothyroidism could be an autoimmune disease. The immune system protects the body from foreign substances and infection. However, in this case the immune system mistakes the thyroid gland cells and enzymes, as foreign objects and attacks them resulting in the low production of thyroid hormone. [5] Hypothyroidism could also be as a result of Hashimoto disease (chronic thyroiditis). This is a genetic autoimmune disease which could also result the enlargement of the thyroid gland causing goitre. Goitre is a cyst like fibrous growth in the neck region and is caused by an immunologic dysfunction or by an infection and requires lifelong treatment. Stress, poor dieting and strenuous exercise could also cause an imbalance of hormones and leads to hypothyroidism. [6] Hypothyroidism can also result from low iodine concentrations in the body. Iodine is required for the proper and normal functioning of the thyroid gland hence insufficient amounts would cause a dysfunction. [5] The enlargement of the gland is an attempt by the thyroid gland to trap more iodine. X-ray radiation, drug abuse and pesticide residues also contribute to having an underactive thyroid gland. [7] Another way of acquiring hypothyroidism could be the after effect of a surgery for example on the removal of thyroid glands. The surgery could be performed on a patient with cancer or the Graves Disease but if partially removed it could fail to produce enough thyroid hormone necessary to regulate normal and necessary bodily functions. [7-8] Surgery could also be performed on the pituitary gland which sends instructions to the thyroid gland on how much thyroid hormone should be produced. [5] Any damage to the pituitary gland or the hypothalamus could cause hypothyroidism as they both p lay a role in sending signals to the thyroid gland so that it produces more thyroid hormone. In some cases the condition could arise from the use of drugs such as amiodarone, lithium interferon alpha, and interkulin-2. These drugs stop the thyroid gland from producing the thyroid hormone at a normal and are likely to trigger hypothyroidism especially in patients with a genetic tendency to auto immune thyroid disease. [5] Possible Treatment methods To treat hypothyroidism artificial hormones such as Levothyroxine or Liotrix can be administered to the patient so as to replace the hormones; T4, TSH or T3 that are lacking in the body. Iodine supplements or iodised salt for those with iodine deficiency can be effective as well. [9-10] The doses of the drugs are not fixed hence the medicine is only formulated when the amount of hormone in the patient has been determined, therefore the patient has to return for constant check-ups after 6 week intervals so that the blood samples and the hormones can be analysed again so that the dosage can be changed. [7-10] When treating the elderly that have a history of heart disease, low doses of the drug have to be administered as this could lead to a greater/increased risk of heart attack. [10] For the short term treatment of hypothyroidism, T hormones are used to inhibit the synthesis of TSH in the body. Hormone replacement is predominated by the prolonged effect of T hormones on the level of TSH present. For those who do not prefer drug therapy for hypothyroidism homeopathic remedies are also available. The homeopathic remedies such as Thyax and Thyroidinum 6C can be used to stimulate the thyroid gland to start to produce its own hormone. [11-12] Prognosis If the condition of hypothyroidism is detected early there is a high chance that the condition can be completely controlled using medicine. After treatment with drugs, the levels of thyroid hormones usually return to normal after several months, whereas in other individuals suffering from hypothyroidism, the disorder is a lifelong problem. [13] Their treatment should be taken consistently every day for the rest of their lives. [14] If hypothyroidism goes untreated it could lead to other complications. Low thyroxin levels cause the level of lipids and cholesterol to rise, causing the patient to suffer from heart disease. [13] In pregnant women there is an increased risk in having anaemia, still birth and serious bleeding after birth or it could lead to a myxoedema coma, which arises due to the low levels of thyroid hormone. [13-14] Advantages and disadvantages of chosen treatment methods With allopathic remedies there is a chance that if the drug dosage is too low it could cause hypothyroidism and if the drug dosage is too high it could lead to hyperthyroidism. The homeopathic remedies are the best treatment methods as compared to the supplementation medications as it aids the gland to function properly, whereas in the supplementation medications the gland could become too dependent on the drugs and throw the other glands in the body off balance. [12] If the doses of the artificial hormones are not check or changed, with time this could lead to hyperthyroidism. Prevention methods There are no medication preventative methods for hypothyroidism, but a healthy diet can protect and preserve ones health. The patient can take iodine supplements in their food and this reduces the risk of them contracting it. Exercising, getting enough sleep, relaxation are ways in which hypothyroidism future problems can be avoided. Exercise is another activity that boosts the levels of thyroid hormone therefore reducing the risk of hypothyroidism. [15] Conclusion There is no cure to the condition therefore the patient will have to keep taking medicine for the rest of their lives. The patient will have to go for constant check-ups in order to change the dose according to the thyroid hormone levels that they have, and the misuse of the drugs could make their condition worse. [16]

Harlem Renaissance :: essays research papers

When you think of Harlem the Harlem Renaissance, What is the first word that comes to mind? Harlem Renaissance was the great movement of the black race from the deep rural south to the urban Harlem city during the 1920s to 1930s. It was the time of the black Americans to show and reflect their talents throughout society. It was the time to prove something to the world. The time of emancipation, the time of dignity, the time of passion, the time of the art, the time of the music, etc. Do we really know why these people have migrated? What caused them to migrate? These are some of the questions that filled in my mind when I think of the Harlem Renaissance. Where did these great talented people came from? What motivated them into becoming and showing to the world that they are somebody? Looking back through the years and years of poverty, bad condition, unequal living, and having no right to be able to have their own voice in a white dominated society, these were just the bits of images that African Americans or should I say "blacks" because either way, even if you were black from Jamaica or from some other places, the white majority still considered you as "niggers". A race that is inferior and has no way into revolting against the domination of whites. There were a lot of regulations and restrictions that blacks faced during the time of slavery. Being considered a property is one of the hardship that they went through. They were basically treated like animals with no saying. They were sold here and there. There were also times that a person would get separated from their family. That person will never again see their family! The blacks were considered second class citizens. Although there were many obstacles that they encountered during their time period, they were able to escape that adversity. The main reason why people were able to escape that adversity was because they were willing to do anything, anything that would improve their life condition in the South. "The wash and rush of this human tide on the beach line of the northern city centers is to be explained primarily in terms of a new vision of opportunity, of social and economic freedom, of a spirit to seize, even in the face of an extortionate and heavy toll, a chance for the improvement of conditions.

Poetry Essay on The Cord, My Life, and Bike Ride With Older Boys Essay

In the three poems My Life by Joe Wenderoth, Bike Ride With Older Boys by Laura Kasischke and The Cord by Leanne O’Sullivan the theme of adolescence is developed through the language techniques these writers have used. A different idea of adolescence is represented in each poem which explains the troubles we can have through adolescence such as the problems we have to face and accept, decision making and how mothers are so protective of their children growing up. These ideas are shown through the language techniques of both metaphors and extended metaphors, punctuation, personification, and alliteration. The poem My Life by Joe Wenderoth explores how we have to face problems and accept them during adolescence. My Life is about a boy finding an animal in his room and raising it up by himself only to find out later that it can quite easily kill him and it eventually will. The animal is explained through the extended metaphor â€Å" I called the animal My Life† this is telling the reader that the animal is himself, it is his inner self. â€Å"my Lief is an animal, it is alive and has a mind of it’s own, uncontrollable, which lies within himself. he tries to tame it, which you cannot do to a wild animal, controlling the animal and change his fate until he realises that it will kill him and nothing will change that. the use of alliteration of â€Å"i stopped singing it to sleep explains how he has given up on taming it, little by little. He is trying to use rhythm front he alliteration to make it soothing as though the writer has given up on the animal but it is slowly pulling away and accepting the truth of â€Å"My Life†. A Metaphor of â€Å"I no longer make My Life do tricks† is used. This quote is the writer completely letting go of My Life and accepting the truth, we all live to die. â€Å"My Life† was his inner which is would kill him in the end no matter how much he cared or tamed it because we are born to die and nothing can change that. This metaphor explains the writers acceptance, at the beginning he was so hopeful and excited of the animal making it do do tricks but this quote near the end explains the development of the idea throughout the poem how he just lets go and accepts the idea. During Adolescence we are often faced with many problems and life lessons and whether we want to or not, we have to accept them because the outcome won’t change we will have to and learn to adapt to them. Decision making is a big part of adolescence, we have to start making decisions that we may or may not regret later, the poem Bike Ride With older Boys By Laura Kasischke explains and develops this  idea. This poem is about a 13 year old girl who makes the decision not to meet up with two older boys at the stop and go, later regretting this decision as a bored housewife. She questions her decision and whether it could have turned out to be a highlight or the biggest mistake of her life, this is supported with the use of punctuation and a metaphor in the quote â€Å"I have been given a little gift-â€Å". The hyphen used at the end of the line represents a pause, letting us and herself think, is it really a little Gift? She plays over the idea of whether its a good idea to accept the â€Å"gift† comparing the pro’s and con’s of the situation. The quote â€Å"knowing the girl i was†¦Ã¢â‚¬  again uses punctuation expressing how naive the girl is. Kasischlke uses the ellipsis to support this and representing a pause as she plays over the idea of whether she should go on the bike ride or not. What would that make her as a person though, because she doesn’t usually do things like this but does that mean it’s a bad thing? It could be the most exciting thing that ever happens in her life.. or it could be the worst. The writer describes to herself what could happen, what it would be like as though she is tricking herself into going as nothing bad would actually happen but there is still a small part of her knowing that it could all go wrong. Punctuation in the quote â€Å"Two cute and older boys pedalling beside me – respectful and awe† show this to the reader. The hyphen is explains a pause in which she acts as though she is unsure of the boys, if they really will only go for a bike ride and that they’ll treat her well. Her decision was initially was not to go but looking back on it nothing bad could have actually happened, could it? She regrets her decision of not going on the bike ride even though she is unsure of what actually would have happened. During adolescence we make decisions which we think is the right choice at the time, our opinions and outlook on the decisions we make may change over time but we can’t change them. That is just all about growing up. Parents, Mothers especially, are highly protective of their children growing up, giving their children enough space for them to go out while still keeping them close being able to pull them towards them when they’re in trouble. The Cord by Leanne O’Sullivan explores this idea throughout the poem. The poem is about a daughter on the phone constantly to her friends in her room while her Mother sits in another room not complaining as she doesn’t mind because her daughter is safe at home. The extended metaphor of â€Å"The Cord† is present  throughout the poem. â€Å"The Cord† is suggested as being an umbilical cord, the connection between a Mother and child through the development of the child. The umbilical cord gives everything a child needs for growth and gets rid of anything unneeded, the phone cord acts as like this in the poem. The mother is giving her daughter everything she wants, space, conversation, as a person in adolescence wants while she still keeps her daughter close and safe at home, â€Å"My Mother never complained about the phone bill† shows how you can’t put a price on your child’s safety. She(Mother) will feed her daughter whatever she wants to keep her daughter safe at home away from any trouble. A metaphor of â€Å"Perhaps that’s the only way she thought she could reach me, sending me to the underworld†, shows the daughters understanding of her mother’s doing. That her Mother is giving her a taste of the deep, dark, lost souls world so she can see what it is like and enjoy it without losing herself to the underworld completely, turning rebellious. Personification of â€Å"watching the cord stretch it’s muscle away from her† reflects upon the extended metaphor of the umbilical cord. This quote is explaining the daughter creating as much space between herself and her mother as she is able to but the connection between them is still there as the cord can only go so far before it is torn. The Mother has given her space and left her alone until she is called upon by her daughter for some help. During adolescence we just want space and freedom although parents, especially Mothers, can be highly protective giving us what we want while still giving us room to grow up and become ourselves. This idea was developed throughout this text to show the theme of adolescence through language techniques. In conclusion, the theme of adolescence was presented in all three poems of My Life by Joe Wenderoth, Bike Ride With Older Boys by Laura Kasischke and The Cord by Leanne O’Sullivan through the use of language techniques enforcing different ideas of adolescence. These ideas included problems we have to face and accept, decision making, and how Mothers especially can be so protective of their children growing up. Language techniques used included both metaphors and extended metaphors, punctuation, personification, and alliteration. Adolescence was developed throughout these texts as the ideas in each poem presented a different part of adolescence which helps us understand this more easily.

Ethical Perspectives Essay - 1271 Words

Ethical Perspectives Introduction Ethics involves identifying, differentiating, and defending concepts of right and wrong, and what values humanity retains from ethical growth and development. The Williams Group for Ethics and Management developed an exercise, called the Ethics Awareness Inventory, which analyzes responses to a set of questions, and categorizes the results under four ethical perspectives: Character (or Virtue Ethics), Obligation (or Deontological Ethics), Results (or Utilitarianism), and Equity (or Relativism). After completion of the inventory, my ethical perspective was determined to be Obligation, or Deontological Ethics.†¦show more content†¦People have the right to their individual respect, and to make their own choices. If an individual is denied opportunities and respect, social traditions and policies aimed at the best interests of society as a whole should be set aside. These events only detract from the development of society toward an ethical ideal, and should be reconsidered to include a greater percentage of the population. Minority groups have been left out, and segregated from the majority for centuries. They lack in numbers, which, according to western ways of thinking, renders them insignificant. Minority groups are defined as a group of people who, because of their physical or cultural characteristics, are singled out from others in the society in which they live for differential and unequal treatment and who therefore regard themselves as objects of collective discrimination. (IDRA, 2007, 5). Deontological Ethics involves focusing on the obligation an individual has with relationship to these unethical considerations made by societalShow MoreRelatedA Look at Ethical Perspectives Essay example1150 Words   |  5 PagesA Look at Ethical Perspectives While it would be nice to think that it is easy to make decisions and all come to the same conclusion, this is not always the case. Unfortunately, even regarding ethical decisions where you may think a right and wrong way exist may not be easy to determine. Since everyone has different backgrounds and therefore, different perspectives, we may not agree on what the best course of action is to take in a difficult decision. While I believe that character is the mostRead MoreEthical Perspective1151 Words   |  5 PagesEthical Perspective MGT 344 W3 Individual Assignment University of Phoenix Darrell DiFabio October 20, 2008 Ethical Perspective Introduction Ethics can be defined as a philosophical study of moral values based on the concept of right and wrong. Therefore, ethical perspective could be considered as a person’s individual perception of moral values, beliefs and rules based on his or her personal view of right and wrong. The Ethics Awareness Inventory is a test devised to help individualsRead MoreEssay on Ethical Perspectives1301 Words   |  6 PagesEthical Perspectives Organizational Issues ETH/316 11/28/2012 Ethical Perspectives It is evident that Wal-Mart’s ethical perspective or moral view is contingent on profit or profit potential. The global labor force of Wal-Mart enables this retail giant to continue to grow and succeed by providing lower operating costs. The legal ethics of this company are asserted globally and would withstand scrutiny in most cases. However, the virtue ethics of Wal-Mart are questionable about the well-beingRead MoreAn Ethical Perspective And Obligation1509 Words   |  7 PagesFrom an ethical perspective and obligation however, the autonomy and dignity of all individuals should also be taken into account and therefore respected (Van Camp, 2014). This should raise questions about what can potentially be implemented that would accommodate the regulations and requirements yet, respect the personal differences that accompany religious beliefs. For instance, in an effort to respect human autonomy and dignity, Illinois is trying to strike that balance. Although Illinois remainsR ead MoreAn Ethical Perspective And Obligation1513 Words   |  7 PagesFrom an ethical perspective and obligation, however, the autonomy and dignity of all individuals should also be taken into account and therefore respected (Van Camp, 2014). This should raise questions about what can potentially be implemented that would accommodate the regulations and requirements yet, respect the personal differences that accompany religious beliefs. For instance, in an effort to respect human autonomy and dignity, Illinois is trying to strike that balance. Although Illinois remainsRead MoreEthical Perspective Essay2220 Words   |  9 PagesEthical Perspective The ethical perspective of an individual has a profound affect on how he lives his life. Ethical perspective can be that of character, obligation, results, or equity; or C.O.R.E.. An individual may fall into one of these perspectives or may be blended between two or more. An individual’s ethical perspective can be reflected in the culture of their organization and determines how they handle ethical situations on a daily basis. My personal ethical perspective is substantiallyRead MoreThe Ethical Perspectives Of Amazon Essay2015 Words   |  9 PagesThese controversies were a hot topic around the media especially for tech enthusiasts and engineers. The ethicality of the internal practices of amazon and its effects can be evaluated from the three ethical perspectives in philosophy: Kantian theory, Utilitarianism, and Ethical Egoistic perspective. Imagine a person named Bob living a busy life New York City. Bob is planning to buy a new speaker for his apartment since he loves listening to acoustic music. He thought about going to Best Buy or otherRead MoreThe Ethical Decision Making Model1008 Words   |  5 PagesThroughout the last century, The Unites States of America has been affectionately dubbed, â€Å"the melting pot.† Although our Western culture was built on a multicultural foundation, we have nevertheless failed, â€Å"to embrace many of the needs, views, and perspectives specific to those not considered part† of the dominant White-Western culture. Only in recent decades have we truly started to address this gap and the needs associated with serving others from a culturally sensitive standpoint. The AmericanRead MoreCreative Accounting1022 Words   |  5 Pagesaccounting from different perspectives, discuss some advantages and disadvantages of creative accounting, and explain a real life example of creative accounting. Through these paragraphs I hope to also touch upon some of the ethical issues involved in engaging in creative accounting practices. Definitions of Creative Accounting From Different Perspectives Blake (1998) provides four definitions of creative accounting provided from different perspectives. The first perspective was written by a businessRead MoreEssay On The Spirit Catches You And You Fall Down1927 Words   |  8 Pagesher, and each year a tvix neeb held a ceremony to ease her suffering. This book grapples with ethical dilemmas that can present themselves while working with people from other cultures and professional disciplines. Perspectives From the perspective of the social worker Jeanine Hilt, systems perspective could be used to assess Lia Lee, her family or those in the community of the book. System perspective sees human behavior as the outcome of reciprocal interactions of persons operating within linked