Tuesday, October 5, 2010

At the hospital

At the hospital
Should you fly to a hospital in an industrialized country?
The care for dengue is relatively simple, and hospitals in endemic areas are probably more experienced with dengue than most hospitals in overdeveloped countries.
If the facility is reasonable, the personnel reasonably competent, and the patient reasonably happy, it's probably best to stay put.
An ideal situation might be a local hospital close to an airport.
Adequate follow up in a hospital (or small dengue clinic If there is no alternative):

  • Frequent (daily or twice daily) platelet count, hematocrit, blood pressure.

  • Adequate but not excessive hydration, IV If necessary.

  • Monitoring of patient well-being
Before discharge

  • Platelet count

  • Must have stable or increasing platelet count higher than 50,000

  • (below 50,000 risk of spontaneous bleeding is higher)

  • Blood pressure

  • Stable blood pressure (shows good hydration)

  • Hematocrit

  • Stable or falling (indicative of no or improvement in capillary leakage)

  • Pass 48 hours without fever

  • No vomiting

  • Doesn't have respiratory distress

  • From fluid in lungs.

  • Improved general constitution

No comments:

Post a Comment