STEROIDS. ANTICOAGULANTS. IMMUNOSUPPRESSANTS. CYTOTOXIC DRUGS.

Question 1

what does it mean if a pt is immunosuppressed and what medication would they take and how does this medication work?

Answer 1

when the immune system is unable to function properly
they would take steroids for this
Therefore they can mask the presence of many serious illnesses.

Question 2

what are 2 examples of steroids?

Answer 2

Prednisolone, Adrenaline

Question 3

what are steroids taken for?

Answer 3

Allergic disorders – Asthma, COPD Lupus.
Renal disorders – transplants.
Autoimmune conditions
Crohn’s disease.
joint problems problems
Blood dyscrasias – lymphoma.
Adrenal insufficiency – Addison’s disease.
Mucocutaneous diseases – Pemphigus.

Question 4

what are side effects of steroids?

Answer 4

elevated blood pressure
mask the symptoms of infection
delay wound healing

Question 5

what is an anticoagulant? and what medical problems are they normally taken for?

Answer 5

a blood thinner

Atrial fibrilation
DVT
Stroke
MI
Prosthetic valve replacement

Question 6

what is the most common anticoagulants?

Answer 6

WARFRIN patients on warren need to get there INR checked to make sure it is <4 for treatment as warfarin causes you to bleed. ore than normal and hard for haemostats to occur.

Aspirin

clopidogrel

Question 7

what is the most common immunosuppressant drug that will cause gingival hyperplasia and hairy leukoplakia ?

Answer 7

Cyclosporin

Question 8

what calcium channel blocker may cause gingival hyperplasia?

Answer 8

Phenytoin