posted by admin on May 15
Any new or exotic disease is sure to catch the headlines and usually, of course, cause worry and concern.
Legionnaires’ disease is no exception. It sounds exotic and conjures up thoughts of desert sands and waving palm trees.
It is now well known in Australia because of recent publicity, yet it is rare and poses little threat to the community.
In 1976, in Philadelphia, the American Legion held a conference. This is an organisation of ex-servicemen, similar to our RSL.
More than 180 members, staying at the same hotel, developed an acute and severe illness, and 29 of them eventually died.
Initially, the cause of their illness was obscure. Poisoning by food or some other agent, was suspected.
We now know what they had was Legionnaires’ disease, a form of pneumonia, or infection of the lung.
Of course, the American Legion is not happy with the name.
And I suppose, had this illness first occurred in Australia under similar circumstances, our ex-servicemen would not be happy if it was known as the “RSL disease.”
*482/71/1*
posted by admin on May 15
Once the drugs were in clinical use, it was found they could lower the blood pressure in those who were suffering from hypertension or high blood pressure.
This lowering of pressure usually does not occur in those individuals whose blood pressure is normal. When used in high blood pressure, it can reduce the level to normal, yet, in bigger doses, does not drop it too low.
Beta blockers are particularly useful in sexually active men with raised blood pressure because they do not inferfere with male sexual function as do some of the other drugs.
Side-effects are common with all drugs and the hypotensives are notorious for their many different and unpleasant side-effects.
Beta blockers are not themselves free from side-effects. They do not work in all cases of high blood pressure but neither do all other drugs. A major side-effect that limits the use of these drugs is their action on the lungs.
In asthma, there is constriction of muscle in the walls of the bronchial tubes. This bronchospasm causes the wheeze and the difficult breathing. Adrenalin and related chemicals can reverse this spasm and overcome the problem.
*226/71/1*