Problems in general medicine discussed

CHANDIGARH, NOV 15: The Department of Medicine, Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, organised a continuing medical education programme on common problems encountered in general medicine.

The first session was dedicated to problems of the old people as the year is being observed as the quot;International year for elderly personsquot;. The role of proper nutrition was stressed along with the need for judicious use of drugs and proper dose modification. The process of ageing and the role of drugs, if any, in slowing the process of ageing were also discussed. The experts agreed that this subgroup of patients is often diabetic, hypertensive and suffer from ischaemic heart disease and require a preoperative assessment before undergoing non-cardiac surgery. quot;Post men-opausal women are especially prone to psychological and physical problems, like accelerated bone loss, as compared to premenopausal women,quot; deliberated experts.

It was stressed that after excluding malignancy of breast and uterus and barring a few medical contraindications they should be given the benefit of hormone replacement therapy. A special session was dedicated to medical disorders in pregnancy. Hypertension, liver disease, thyroid disorders, diabetes and valvular heart disease may complicate a normal pregnancy that may have a bearing on the life of both the mother and the foetus. The last session was in the form of panel discussion dedicated to upper GI bleed which could be caused by peptic ulcer and cirrhosis of liver and can prove to be life threatening. Panelists included a gastroenterologist, surgeon and a radiologist.