Embarrassing Mix-Up Leads To Hospital Visit s sa m pm m op e R r ALL MARSHALL FRANKLIN, M.D. SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS hysicians, because of what doctor to the patient's bedside. they do for a living, expe- She pointed to a small thin rience some strange patch of plastic hidden in the things. The following sto- folds of the sheets. "I just found it there," she ry is an example. A physician was called to see said. "I thought I should show it a patient with low blood pres- to you before I threw it away." The doctor picked it up and sure and rapid pulse who had been brought to a local emer- examined it. He sniffed it and gency room by paramedics. She read something printed on it. was nauseated and complained The more he handled it, the of a severe headache. She denied more he smiled and then he any exposure to drugs or indus- laughed. "Can you believe this?" he trial toxins and, at 38, had no said, holding the patch aloft. He prior serious health problems. Further inquiry indicated she rushed to the patient's husband. had felt fine up until that "Do you wear a nitroglycerin evening. The family had patch?" he asked. "Yes I do," the husband watched a movie on television together, and the children had replied. "Where is it?" asked the doc- gone to bed. The patient and her husband then retired, feeling a tor. "Why, right here on my bit amorous. Then, as the pa- tient described it, "We were re- chest," the husband said as he ally having a good time when I opened his shirt. "It's not there started to_ get a headache, and now. It must have fallen off in this was one time this woman all the excitement." "You bet it did, and guess who did not want to complain of a it stuck to?" the doctor said as headache. "The headache got worse and he pointed to the patient. They worse. We had to stop, but it all had a good laugh. Nitroglycerin is one of the - kept getting worse," the patient explained. "My heart was most common medicines we use pounding, and I felt faint and to treat patients with coronary nauseous. My husband said I heart disease. One form of ni- looked terrible, and he called 911." When the paramedics ar- rived, they found her blood pres- sure was below normal and her pulse very rapid. They started an IV and took an electrocar- diogram that showed nothing to suggest a heart attack. They rushed her to the emergency troglycerin prescribed is an ad- room, where a physician con- hesive patch that is worn daily and changed each day. The ni- firmed her symptoms. The patient was anxious and troglycerin is absorbed from the frightened, and her husband patch through the skin and de- shared her anxiety. The wife livers its effect for several hours. One of the more common side said, "Don't let my husband get excited. He has a heart condi- effects of nitroglycerin is tion and has had coronary by- headache caused by the dilating effect it has on blood vessels. The pass surgery." Physical examination, X-rays dilating effect can lower blood and blood tests did not reveal pressure, and if the pressure the cause of the patient's dis- gets too low the heart beats tress, but by this time it seemed faster. It seems that the husband's she was starting to feel a little better. Over the next hour every- patch came off and stuck to his thing improved. She stopped wife during their activity that perspiring, blood pressure and night. She absorbed the nitro- pulse normalized, and the glycerin and experienced the headache, rapid heartbeat and headache nearly disappeared. Nobody knew what had hap- low blood pressure. Sometime after arrival in the pened. She was observed for an- other hour in the emergency emergency room the patch stuck room and noted no distress. The t6 the sheets and provided the doctors were deciding whether clue that solved this medical she needed hospital admission mystery. Dr. Marshall Franklin is a when a housekeeper called a San Diego-based cardiologist. ❑ Marshall Franklin writes for Copley News Service. p 01- The patient was frightened, and her husband shared her anxiety. 01 - at The Sports citgYeld The Sports Club's Summer Sports Camp is a unique and exciting blend of skill develop- ment and fun competition. The young sports enthusiast will revel in the non-stop athletic activity. Directed by Dr. Jim Pinchoff, Ph.D. in Motor Learning, and run by a staff of top professionals, The Sports Club Summer Sports Camp is the finest sports program under the sun. Call Today 810-626-9880 •nonmembers welcome •weekly sessions begin June 17th • Monday-Fridays, 9am-3pm •before- & after-camp programs available •early registration discounts The Sports Club of West Bloomfield 6343 Farmington Rd. West Bloomfield MI 48322 (810) 626-9880 Cr) 0") C, >- CC CC w LL 47:-