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How to use my Blog! In the left bar, there are two tabs: Archive and Labels. In the "Archive" tab, you can find my posts in a timeline. In the "Labels" tab, You can find posts according to the medical subjects. Cheers

Cardiac Axis

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Cardiac axis Cardiac axis describes the overall direction of electrical spread within the heart. In a healthy individual the axis should spread from 11 o’clock to 5 o’clock. To determine the cardiac axis you need to look at leads I,II and III. Normal cardiac axis In normal cardiac axis:     Lead II has the most positive deflection compared to Leads I and III . Right axis deviation In right axis deviation:      Lead III has the most positive deflection and Lead I should be negative      This is commonly seen in individuals with right ventricular hypertrophy Left axis deviation In left axis deviation:      Lead I has the most positive deflection      Leads II and III are negative      Left axis deviation is seen in individuals with heart conduction defects

Heart Rhythm

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Heart Rhythm The heart rhythm can be regular or irregular. Irregular rhythms can be either:      Regularly irregular (i.e. a recurrent pattern of irregularity)      Irregularly irregular (i.e. completely disorganised) Mark out several consecutive R-R intervals on a piece of paper, then move them along the rhythm strip to check if the subsequent intervals are the same. Hint – if you are suspicious that there is some atrioventricular block, map out the atrial rate and the ventricular rhythm separately (i.e. mark the P waves and R waves). As you move along the rhythm strip, you can then see if the PR interval changes, if QRS complexes are missing or if there is complete dissociation between the two.  

Chest X Ray - Four Patterns

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Chest X Ray - Four Patterns Lung abnormalities with an increased density - also called opacities - are the most common. A practical approach is to divide these into four patterns: Consolidation Interstitial Nodules or masses Atelectasis  Whenever you see an area of increased density within the lung, it must be the result of one of these four patterns.   Consolidation   - any pathologic process that fills the alveoli with fluid, pus, blood, cells (including tumor cells) or other substances resulting in lobar, diffuse or multifocal ill-defined opacities.   Interstitial   - involvement of the supporting tissue of the lung parenchyma resulting in fine or coarse reticular opacities or small nodules.   Nodule or mass   - any space occupying lesion either solitary or multiple.   Atelectasis   - collapse of a part of the lung due to a decrease in the amount of air in the alveoli resulting in volume loss and increased density.

Air bronchogram

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What is  Air bronchogram Air bronchogram  refers to the phenomenon of  air -filled bronchi (dark) being made visible by the opacification of surrounding alveoli (grey/white). It is almost always caused by a pathologic airspace/alveolar process, in which something other than  air  fills the alveoli.

How to calculate rate in an ECG

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How to calculate rate in an ECG The heart rate can be calculated by dividing 300 by the number of large squares between each R wave (with machine trace running at the standard speed of 25 mm/sec and deflection of 1 cm/10 mV). • 3 large squares between R waves = rate 100    • 5 large squares = rate 60     Normal rate is 60–100 beats per minute (bpm). • Rate <60 = bradycardia    • Rate >100 = tachycardia   

Bacterial Conjunctivitis Vs other causes

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Bacterial Conjunctivitis Vs other causes A clinical scoring system has been developed to distinguish bacterial from other causes of conjunctivitis in healthy adults who did not wear contact lenses.  A score of +5 to −3 is determined as follows: ~ Two glued eyes (+5); one glued eye (+2); history of conjunctivitis (−2); eye itching (−1). ~ A score of +5, +4, or +3 is useful in ruling in bacterial conjunctivitis with specificities of 100%, 94%, and 92%, respectively. ~ Scores of −1, −2, or −3 are useful in ruling out bacterial conjunctivitis with sensitivities of 98%, 98%, and 100%,  respectively. Allergic conjunctivitis is typically bilateral and accompanied by eye itching. Giant papillary conjunctivitis is a type of allergic reaction, most commonly to soft contact lenses