This patient is a 38 year old housewife who has been hypertensive and hypokalemic since age 23. She suffered her first stroke at age 32 and a seizure just one week prior to admission. This paper will discuss the clues to the diagnosis of secondary hypertension.
Human ; Female ; Adult ; HYPERTENSION ; CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES ; VASCULAR DISEASES ; HYPOKALEMIA ; NUTRITIONAL AND METABOLIC DISEASES ; METABOLIC DISEASES ; WATER-ELECTROLYTE IMBALANCE ; MUSCLE WEAKNESS ; SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ; PATHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS, SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS ;

Objective: To compare the prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in prostate cancer patients with or without androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Methodology: This is a cross-sectional analytic study of prostate cancer patients from the Integrated Surgical Information System database of the Philippine General Hospital from 2004-2010. Patients who received either continuous monthly GnRH agonist injection for at least 6 months or underwent bilateral orchiectomy at least 6 months prior (ADT group) were compared to those who did not (non-ADT group). Patients with DM and MetS were identified using the American Diabetes Association Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes 2010 and IDF Definition of Metabolic Syndrome. Results: The prevalence of DM in the ADT group is 42% and 19% in the non-ADT group (p = 0.0460). The probability of having DM is 2.17x higher among prostate cancer patients who received ADT compared to those who did not. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the ADT and non-ADT group is 37% and 28%, respectively (p=0.4620). Conclusions Prostate cancer patients have become an important emerging population of medically at risk older men. Our study showed that the prevalence of DM is significantly higher among the ADT group, with a trend towards greater prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the same group. These men may benefit from closer monitoring for the development of these metabolic complications.
Prostatic Neoplasms ; Diabetes Mellitus ; Metabolic Syndrome

Objective: This study aims to determine the prevalence of subclinical thyroid dysfunction among cardiac patients at the Philippine General Hospital, and its association with mortality. Methodology: 163 adult cardiac patients were screened for subclinical thyroid dysfunction, [subclinical hyperthyroidism (SCT), subclinical hypothyroidism (SCHO), non-thyroidal illness syndrome (NTIS)]. Demographic and clinical characteristics were analyzed using ANOVA and Fisher’s exact test. Outcome considered were hospital duration, need for mechanical ventilation, inotropic support and mortality. Crude association between subclinical thyroid dysfunction and outcomes was evaluated using relative risk. Results: Prevalence of subclinical thyroid dysfunction was 32.5% (5.5% SCT, 5.5% SCHO, and 21.5% NTIS). The risk of necessitating mechanical ventilation was about twofold higher in subclinical thyroid dysfunction compared to euthyroid patients (RR=2.64), and was highest in SCHO (RR=3.71). The risk of inotropic support was about twofold higher (RR=2.70) in SCHO compared to euthyroid patients. Overall death rate was higher in subclinical thyroid dysfunction (RR=1.86), and highest in SCHO (RR=2.47) compared to euthyroid patients. Conclusion There is a significant prevalence of subclinical thyroid dysfunction among hospitalized patients with cardiac disease at 32.5%. Cardiovascular risk factors are not statistically significant. We observed a trend of increased risk of requiring mechanical ventilation, inotropes and overall mortality in SCHO.
Prevalence