Skip to main content

CACHEXIA (WASTING SYNDROME)

CACHEXIA :

Cachexia is a complex change in the body, causing you to lose weight despite eating normally.

Cachexia (kak-ex-ee-a) comes from the greek word kakos. It means bad. Hexis means condition. Anorexia means loss of apetite and is sometimes associated with cachexia.

It is also called wasting syndrome or anorexia cachexia syndrome.

People with cachexia lose muscle and often fat as well.

With cachexia the cells in your muscles , fat, and liver might not respond well to insulin. Insulin helps to take glucose from your body, so your body can't use glucose from your blood for energy.

cachexia
Add caption

Symptoms of cachexia:

  • Involuntary weight loss
  • Muscle wasting
  • Loss of apetite or anorexia
  • Reduced functional ability
  • Swelling or oedema

Complications:

  • Diminished quality of life and loss of the ability to live independently.
  • Impaired response to treatments.
  • Reduced immunity.
  • A reduced life expectancy from the underlying disease.

Risk factors:

  • Cancer, especially in the lung, pancreas, and stomach.
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD).
  • Chronic renal failure.
  • Cystic fibrosis.
  • HIV
  • Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Treatments:

  • Focusing on the social aspects of eating.
  • Eat frequent small , meals.
  • Emotional support.
  • Apetite Stimulants.
  • Light exercise.

Prevention:

An active lifestyle with balanced nutrition may reduce the risk of a chronic condition that could lead to cachexia.
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

If you have any doubt. Let me know

Popular posts from this blog

Mechanical Ventilation

Mechanical Ventilation Mechanical ventilation is a device that breathes for someone who is unable to breathe for themselves. Mechanical ventilation is also called positive pressure ventilation. Following an inspiratory trigger , a predetermined mixture of oxygen is forced into the central airways and then flows into the alveoli.  Mechanical ventilators are set to deliver a constant volume , a constant pressure or a combination of both with each breath. Modes of ventilation that maintain a minimum respiratory rates regardless of whether or not the patient initiates a spontaneous breath are referred to as assist control. Because pressures and volumes are directly linked by the pressure volume curve, any given volume will correspond to a specific pressure, and vice versa, regardless of whether the ventilator is pressure or volume cycled. Why is it needed ?  Brain and spinal cord injury or disease :  An injury or disease to the brain can interfere with the signs that control ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Georgia's Youngest coronavirus victim

 The seven year old Georgia boy who became the youngest person in the state to die of coronavirus drowned in a bathtub after having seizure caused by his high fever, an autopsy found. The child, who has not been named, is believed to have COVID-19 after attending a church in Savannah where two elderly worshippers also died from the virus. Chatham County Coroner Bill Wessinger described the results of the boy's autopsy to CNN on Monday and said that seizures due to high fevers are very common in children with coronavirus. wessinger said that the boy died about two weeks before his death was reported by the county health department last Thursday. The boy had been found unresponsive in the bath and was pronounced dead at a hospital, where he tested positive for COVID-19 postmortem, Wessinger said. The seizure conclusion came from a preliminary report, and the final report is still pending toxicology reports. The boy, who was African American , did not have any underlying health condit...
Post a Comment
Read more

Caring for Someone Having COVID - 19

  How to care for Someone having COVID-19 (Home Isolation) 1. Provide Support : Help the patient in covering their basic needs.  Make sure the patient will drink more fluids and take rest. See if the over counter medicines for fever help the person or not. watch the warning signs i.e Oxygen level  2. Protect yourself : Keep a separate bedroom and bathroom for a person who is sick. As this virus spread between people who are in close contact through respiratory droplets , coughs or sneezes .  Avoid having visitors. Caregivers should also quarantine themselves. Eat in separate areas or rooms. Avoid sharing personal items : Do not share dishes, bedding , or cell phone with the person suffering. When to wear a MASK ? When there is people around at home. Mask helps prevent a person who is sick from spreading the virus to others. Caregiver will always wear a mask before entering the room of the sufferer. Wash Hands : Wash your hands often with soap and water especially aft...
Post a Comment
Read more