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Biomedical subjects

J L Lyman

Publications and source records attributed to J L Lyman.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1986

Use of blood cultures in the emergency department.

While the use of blood cultures to detect septicemia is a time-honored and valuable laboratory technique, guidelines for obtaining such cultures are vague. Several controversies exist regarding the utilization of blood cultures in the ambulatory setting, including when and on whom cultures should be obtained, how many cultures should be obtained, and how much blood should be obtained with each venipuncture. The guidelines have become slightly more confusing with the recognition of an entity known as occult bacteremia. A number of studies that bear relevance to these issues are reviewed. The utility of obtaining blood cultures in the ambulatory setting is examined, and guidelines are offered for obtaining blood cultures in adult and pediatric populations. Areas in which further research may be appropriate also are noted.

Adult↗
PubMed1986

Blood urea nitrogen and creatinine.

The determination of serum creatinine and serum urea nitrogen levels is of great value in helping to ascertain the renal function in the clinical setting. These two serum determinations are best viewed in concert, observing their absolute levels as well as their relation to one another. The serum creatinine level is less influenced by extra-renal factors than is the serum urea nitrogen level, and is the more accurate test. Reproducibility of measurement is within 2 per cent. When the test results return, there are a number of questions to be asked: What is the normal range for the laboratory which analyzed the serum? Are the levels real; i.e., could the elevated levels be factitious? Are there extrarenal etiologies for the abnormal levels? What is the BUN to creatinine ratio? If the abnormal findings are secondary to intrinsic renal disease, what other tests will help to determine the etiology of the renal disease? The laboratory assessments of BUN levels and blood creatinine levels are "standard fare" in the assessment of renal function. They are relatively low-cost tests, are available in any standard hospital laboratory, and are relatively easy to run. They are essential in the assessment of renal function in the Emergency Department.

Blood Urea Nitrogen↗
PubMed1986

Urinalysis.

When properly performed and interpreted, urinalysis is one of the most useful tests available to the emergency physician. This article reviews procedures for urine collection and analysis, emphasizing inexpensive and noninvasive chemical, macroscopic, and microscopic techniques.

Adult↗
PubMed1985

The airline passenger undergoing withdrawal or overdose from narcotics or other drugs.

Inflight passenger problems associated with withdrawal or overdose from narcotics or other drugs have been assessed. The specific categories of common drugs of abuse covered are: opiates, amphetamines and cocaine, central nervous system depressants, marijuana, phencyclidine, LSD and mescaline, and peyote. One or more of these drugs may be abused by persons in all walks of life. Relatively recent newspaper accounts of inflight disturbances related to abuse substances have highlighted the problem. Some case histories are given by the authors along with recommendations for methods of dealing with these problems.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Emergency department care: cost awareness by health care providers.

With the escalation of health care costs during the past decade, it has become increasingly important for the physician to be aware of the cost of various components of health care delivery. The following study was undertaken to ascertain the "cost awareness" of four different groups of health care providers. This was accomplished by having these groups estimate the cost of patient visits to an emergency department. Significant errors were observed in these cost estimations, and error trends were seen to occur that were independent of education and experience.

Awareness↗