Category Archives: Uncategorized

Time to Pump It Up! (aka Ejection Fractions)

I’m starting to push more in to the cardiac side of things. As well as this being the original intent of this blog years ago, it is also because your focus should also be shifting. If you are treating COVID-19 patients, you need to start focusing on their heart. The patients who did a stentContinue reading “Time to Pump It Up! (aka Ejection Fractions)”

ECMO

It sounds like a fuzzy lovable Sesame Street character, but this big boy ain’t no joke. ECMO or Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation is basically a lung outside the body. Blood passes through it. CO2 is removed and oxygen is introduced. It sounds simple, but that is the furthest thing from the truth. This is really advancedContinue reading “ECMO”

The Second Wave

I know you are hearing this phrase a lot lately. We are hearing all the time that, as things open up around our country and around that world, we may experience a second wave resurgence of new COVID-19 cases. But I’m not referring to a second wave of new COVID-19 patients. There is new researchContinue reading “The Second Wave”

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Part 2: PEs

Thanks for tuning in to part 2 of this two-part feature of VTE. The first segment, which focuses on DVTs, can be found here! So now we are going to focus on the more critical version of a VTE. Yes, DVTs are critical. They are important to assess and treat quickly. But they are lessContinue reading “Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Part 2: PEs”

Guillain-Barre Syndrome

We used to think of this as only being associated with the flu. But we know now that GBS can be associated with any insult to the immune system, known or unknown (unknown in up to 40% of cases!). Now that we know COVID-19 can present, especially early on, with neurological symptoms, we need toContinue reading “Guillain-Barre Syndrome”

Doctor B got tested for COVID-19!

No, I’m not sick or symptomatic or high risk or any of those things. As some of you know, after six years working home health, I recently transitioned to a long term care and skilled nursing setting. Governmental changes made testing mandatory for all providers, staff, and volunteers in these settings. I’m not going toContinue reading “Doctor B got tested for COVID-19!”

Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Part 1: DVTs

UPDATED!!! This is the first half of a two-part installment on VTEs. Keep an eye out for part 2 on pulmonary embolisms (PEs) and how these are associated with COVID-19, coming soon! If you work in outpatient therapy, this has probably been on your radar with just about every post-operative patient that comes through yourContinue reading “Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Part 1: DVTs”

So Now COVID-19 Results in Strokes (and other neat things about ACE2 receptors)

We can basically thank our old friend sepsis for the presentation of strokes in patients with COVID-19. This virus has changed so much and so frequently since it landed stateside, but there was evidence from its China days that neurological involvement was implicated. Initially, though, it all started in the lungs. We talked about thisContinue reading “So Now COVID-19 Results in Strokes (and other neat things about ACE2 receptors)”

Michigan Physical Therapy Association – Western District Webinar: Combating COVID-19

Doctor B was featured in a live webinar hosted by the Michigan Physical Therapy Association to provide clinicians ideas of how physical therapists should be combating the COVID-19 pandemic. Options for interventions Roles we can play Health care system and supply concerns Precautions Physiology of COVID-19 View the Webinar Here! Trouble loading? Here is theContinue reading “Michigan Physical Therapy Association – Western District Webinar: Combating COVID-19”