Saturday, August 30, 2008

Dengue Alert !!!


One of my dedicated cardiac care unit staff nurse was admitted recently for Dengue Haemorraghic Fever to Intensive Care Unit requiring BIPAP machine, a non invasive mechanical ventilation. It was quite a touching moment for me and the rest of the cardiology team to see her in that critical condition knowing her as one of the best staff nurse i have ever worked with. She needed platelet tranfusion as well.
Recently, there is a sudden surge of Dengue Haemorrhagic fever cases which we believed soon will come to an outbreak. Probably the virulence strain of dengue virus again this time. There was few cases of dengue deaths were reported recently.
Just a reminder to whoever reading this blog, be cautious and please do check your Full Blood Count (FBC) if the fever still persist after few days. One can expect that the total white cells and platelet level will be reduced and haemocrit will be elevated (signs of capilary leakage). Fluid management is crucially important in determining the outcome. The Dengue Haemorrhagic fever usually get worst when the fever started to subside (what we called as DEFERVESCENCE PERIOD. normally Day 5 or 6 of overall illness. I definitely have to see all Dengue cases from now on when i do my registrar call.
well..To Linda ..our dedicated staff...we are praying for your speedy recovery and to everyone here, please don't wait until you enter the period of prolonged hypotension (low blood pressure) and severe capillary leak which sometimes difficult to reverse...and Death will be the sequalae...

4 comments:

Wahidah said...

yeah..so many cases of dengue rite now...pray that linda will get well soon...

edina monsoon said...

Did you read/hear about the 3rd year radiology MMED MO who died last week from Dengue? Her husband's a psych MMED UKM. She died in UMMC.

Faisal Admar said...

i hate dengue and aedes!
i don't like to think about changing blood when you are confirmed infected!

SYUKS said...

Wahidah : They are probably new virulence strain..With everyone wish..Yeah Linda is getting better..

Edina : Yup.. heard about it from Norli....to my surprise it is Aaron'wife ...i know him and he is a nice person.. my condolences to him..Dengue kills ! We need to be extra careful..

Faisal Admar : Transfusion is needed when you bleed but the most important thing is to recognise stages of Dengue and to train with the clinical skill to prevent shock...which after that profound shock...death will be in line..