In this article, we give an overview of the most important and serious haematological emergencies that junior doctors should know about! Neutropenic sepsis Case 1: 54-year-old woman Recent new diagnosis of a high-grade lymphoma Received R-CHOP chemotherapy 7 days ago Presents to ED with a fever of 38c What could be going on here? What
Sickle cell diseases are a disorder of haemoglobin affecting red blood cells. This autosomal recessive, single gene defect results in the formation of HbS (sickle cell haemoglobin). Types of Sickle Cell Disorders Sickle cell trait: heterozygous (AS) which is typically asymptomatic & usually not life-limiting Sickle cell anaemia: homozygous (SS) which leads to many complications
A blood film looks at our three cell types (erythrocytes, leukocytes & platelets) under a microscope to identify any abnormalities to give visual clues regarding the functional state of the bone marrow & any systemic diseases. You should treat this article as a reference for where you can read up on differentials based on the
Perhaps the most common blood test you will review daily will be the FBC (full blood count). You will commonly see a low haemoglobin & the tendency is to say “haemoglobin stable” and ignore it. However, both acute or chronic anaemia can have a significant impact on health but can also be the presenting sign
A deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is a condition in which a blood clot (thrombosis) forms within a deep vein and can be provoked or unprovoked [1]. 2.5-5% of the population will have a DVT in their lifetime [2]. Virchow’s triad explains the relationship between venous stasis, hypercoagulability and endothelial vessel wall in increasing the risk
For new doctors, prescribing anticoagulants can be daunting. A few simple rules can make this easier. Ensure you use your local guidelines in the first instance, which often provides information on first-line agents and dosing. The information below may be incorrect and so hence, as per our disclaimer, do use your own clinical judgement. The
In this article, we will go through the three most common scenarios you will encounter. These are: (1) Does this patient need a transfusion? (2) Can you group & save or transfuse this patient? (3) This patient may be having a transfusion reaction, could you please advise? Scenario 1: Does this patient need a transfusion?
Please read an overview of the management of sepsis before reading this article. Neutropenic sepsis is defined as a temperature of greater than 38°C or any symptoms and/or signs of sepsis, in a person with an absolute neutrophil count of 0.5 x 109/L or lower. It is a common and potentially life-threatening complication of neutropenia.
