Introduction
Patient HL arrives at the medical facility with several symptoms, including diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea. During the examination, it appears that the patient has a history of drug abuse. Additionally, it is possible to suggest that they have undiagnosed hepatitis C. Considering the prescription drugs that HL is currently taking, namely, Synthroid 100 mcg daily, Nifedipine 30 mg daily, and Prednisone 10 mg daily, as well as the patient’s overall condition, it is possible to explain the preliminary diagnosis. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to diagnose the patient with a specific disease, provide a rationale for the diagnosis, describe an appropriate drug therapy plan according to the diagnosis and the patient’s history and prescribed medications, and finally justify the proposed drug therapy plan.
Diagnosing
To begin with, it is essential to notice that several factors may contribute to the process of making a diagnosis. Before making a decision, it is necessary to take into consideration the existing symptoms, the prescribed drugs, and the history of the patient (Canadian Medical Protective Association, n.d.). Further, there will be several possible diagnosis options, and the drug therapy plan will be proposed following the most likely one.
First of all, the symptoms present in the patient are diarrhea, vomiting, and nausea, and there is an extended number of causes of these signs. According to Cangemi and Kuo (2019), vomiting and nausea may be caused by metabolic or gastrointestinal disorders or ingestion of drugs and substances. Since the patient has a history of drug abuse, it is also required to consider it and notice that vomiting and diarrhea may be the consequences of the drug abuse or withdrawal (Singh et al., 2020). Further, the symptoms may also be caused by the prescribed medicines the patient is currently treated with. For example, according to researchers, the potential side effects of Synthroid are precisely those experienced by the patient (“Synthroid side effects,” 2021). In this case, it would be rational to remove one of the prescribed medications or reduce the dose to see if any positive changes appear.
Finally, the most likely diagnosis is hepatitis C because it was initially stated that Patient HL might have had this disease. According to researchers, “hepatitis C is a viral infection that causes liver inflammation, sometimes leading to serious liver damage” (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2021, para. 1). The symptoms of hepatitis C include vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea, which is the rationale for the diagnosis (Ghany et al., 2020). Additionally, since the patient takes Prednisone, this medication is then converted to prednisolone. If there is a compromised hepatic function, then this drug therapy increases the risk of the hepatitis C virus.
Conclusion
The drug therapy plan is based on the diagnosis of hepatitis C and is aimed at relieving the symptoms and addressing the issue. To begin with, as noticed by the Mayo Clinic Staff (2021), “hepatitis C infection is treated with antiviral medications intended to clear the virus” from the patient’s body (para. 3). Additional tests and examinations are needed to define the hepatitis C genotype, determine whether the liver is damaged, and find any other medical conditions. After that, it will be possible to choose appropriate medications and define the length of treatment, as well as find out whether liver transplantation is needed. For example, Mavyret which contains pibrentasvir and glecaprevir can be used for treating any HCV genotype and, in some cases, can be administered for only eight weeks.
References
Canadian Medical Protective Association. (n.d.). The diagnostic process. CMPA. Web.
Cangemi, D. J., & Kuo, B. (2019). Practical perspectives in the treatment of nausea and vomiting. Journal of Clinical Gastroenterology, 53(3), 170-178.
Ghany, M. G., Morgan, T. R., & AASLD‐IDSA hepatitis C guidance panel. (2020). Hepatitis C guidance 2019 update: American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases–Infectious Diseases Society of America recommendations for testing, managing, and treating hepatitis C virus infection. Hepatology, 71(2), 686-721.
Mayo Clinic Staff. (2021). Hepatitis C. Mayo Clinic. Web.
Singh, V., Mulla, N., Wilson, J. L., Umansky, A., Lee, J., Stead, T., & Ganti, L. (2020). Intractable nausea and vomiting in naïve ingestion of kratom for analgesia. International Journal of Emergency Medicine, 13(1), 1-4.
“Synthroid side effects.” (2021). Drus.com. Web.