These drugs are potentially ototoxic:

Antibiotics: Amikacin, Erythromycin, Gentamycin, Neomycin, Tetracycline, Tobramycin, Vancomycin

Loop diuretics: Bumetanide, Furosemide

Chemotherapy: Cisplatin, Mechlorethamine

NSAIDs: Ibuprofen, Ketorolac, Naproxen, Salicylates

Others: Chloroquine, Quinine

Ototoxic medications can cause sensorineural hearing loss which is when damage to any part of the inner ear or neural pathway to the brain occurs and affects the ability to hear some frequencies. This hearing loss can be mild or profound. Besides making hearing faint sounds difficult, this type of hearing loss also makes understanding speech and hearing clearly more difficult. Sensorineural hearing loss is considered a permanent loss.

The MayJune2012 edition of CMA Today cited a study published in Archives of Neurology.  The study involved 201 people ages 45 – 88 showing no signs of Alzheimer’s Disease.  One third of the participants carried the Alzheimer’s gene APOE-4.  Of this group, those that exercised at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week were 5 – 10 times less likely to show amyloid deposits in their brain than those who were not active. 

According to CMA Today, between 15 and 20 percent of Americans carry the APOE-4 gene.  5.4 million People have the disease and as many as 16 million are expected to be affected by 2050.  There are no cures or effective treatments.  “The Alzheimer’s Association recommends regular physical and mental activity, social engagementm and a healthy diet to protect against the disease.”

According to CMA Today (a publication of the American Association of Medical Assistants)  MayJune 2012 issue:  a recent small study published online in Human Reproduction, divided men into 3 groups based on their consumption of fat.  Men who consumed the most fat in their diet had a 43% lower sperm count than those that consumed the least amount of fat.

More Medical Assistants   

Medical Assistant Students

These students are about to go out to practicums.

Current medical assisting students welcomed a guest speaker this week: Ramie Chaeken, Career Services Director visited a class and spoke about Interviewing Skills. She has presented information on Resume Building in the past. Check out the links to career services on the DCTC website.

Besides producing insulin, the pancreas secretes digestive enzymes. The enzymes don’t become active until leaving the organ however during pancreatitis inflammation delays release of activated enzymes allowing them to attack pancreatic cells and leak into surrounding tissues. The resulting damage occurs in stages. The stages are less severe and self limiting in mild pancreatitis. Gallstones & chronic alcohol abuse account for 80 to 90% of acute pancreatitis cases also known as interstitial or edematous pancreatitis. Triggers also include drugs such as ACE inhibitors, estrogen, furosemide, procainamide, sulfonamides, tetracycline, thiazide diuretics and salicylates. Other triggers are hypercalcemia, infections, IBD, peptic ulcer disorder and trauma to name a few.

The most common symptom is a sudden onset of sharp, twisting, deep, upper abdominal pain which frequently radiates to the back accompanied by nausea & vomiting. Hypoactive bowel sounds, upper abdominal tenderness, distension and diarrhea are other signs. Serum amylase will be very elevated as well as lipase, AST, BUN, C-reactive protein, direct bilirubin, hematocrit, and WBC count. Patients may undergo an abdominal ULS or CT scan, or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

Treatment includes fluid management, opioid pain management, and reducing stimulation of pancreatic secretions which means no eating and taking proton pump inhibitors. Treatment for mild pancreatitis takes 3 to 7 days and if severe up to 7 weeks. The latter requires nutritional support usually via a feeding tube. There are a host of complications to be alert for if the patient has severe acute pancreatitis.

To read more see January Nursing 2010.

condition described as crying in an otherwise healthy inflant less than 3 months of age that lasts more than 3 hours of the day and occurs at least 3 days per week.

Not getting enough info when the interview is scheduled. Ask how long the meeting will be, who will be there and what their titles are.

Scheduling too tightly around the interview. A one-hour interview can easily become two hours long if you’re invited on a tour or to meet employees.

Not researching the company, its products and competitors. The more you know, the better your answers will be.

Not bringing anything to the interview. At a minimum, bring notepaper, a pen and extra resumes, all tucked into a professional-looking notebook. Include giveaway copies of your references, letters of recommendation and work samples.

Not shaking everyone’s hand. A warm, professional handshake exudes confidence and reliability. Practice yours until it feels natural.

Not shutting off your cell phone or, worse, putting it on the table during the conversation and looking at it intermittently.

www.twincities.com/lindgren

DCTC is holding a graduation fair on Tuesday, March 6th and Wednesday, March 7th.  You will be able to pick up applications for graduation, photography information, invitations, maps and directions, PTK regalia, graduation gifts and more.

Graduation is scheduled for Friday, May 11th at 7:00 pm at  Grace Church 9301 Eden Prairie Road, Eden Prairie, MN 55347.  All are welcome to attend!

Some physician offices make common mistakes when it comes to customer service over the phone.

• sounding annoyed or rushed
• speaking too quickly
• putting least-trained staff on phones
• setting up automated systems with too many options
• putting a caller on hold while speaking to a patient in the office

CMAToday Jan-Feb 2012