評論
打印
A Quick Test Result
快速檢測結果
Dr. Getaw Worku Hassen was the emergency-medicine doctor on duty that night at Metropolitan Hospital in Upper Manhattan. He asked the patient if anything like this had happened before. No, the patient replied, though recently his thighs had felt tired and weak at times. It never lasted long, and he figured it was from working out so hard. The man asked if he might have had a stroke. Would he ever be able to walk again? Hassen reassured him that his symptoms didn't look like a stroke. But, the doctor acknowledged, he wasn't sure what it did look like.
格圖·沃庫·哈森醫生是曼哈頓上城大都會醫院當晚的值班急診醫生。他詢問病人以前是否發生過類似的事情。病人回答說，沒有，不過最近他的大腿有時會感到疲倦和虛弱。但這種情況從來不會持續太久，他以為這是因為健身用力過猛所導致。這名男子問醫生，他是不是中風了。他還能走路嗎？哈森向他保證，他的癥狀看起來不像中風。但是，醫生也承認，他不能確定原因。
On exam, the man's heart was racing at 110 beats a minute. And his blood pressure was high. He couldn't lift either leg off the stretcher — not even an inch. His arms were weak as well. But his reflexes, sensation and the rest of his nervous system seemed otherwise normal.
在檢查中，這名男子的心跳速度是每分鐘110次。他的血壓很高。他兩腿都抬不起來，一英寸也不行。他的手臂也很虛弱。但他的反應、感覺和其他神經系統似乎都很正常。
Hassen told the man that they would need to wait for the results of his blood work and other tests. He would be back when he knew more. Moments later the doctor was called by the lab. One of the patient's electrolytes was dangerously low — his potassium.
哈森告訴這名男子，他們需要等待他的血液化驗和其他化驗結果。他了解更多情況后再回來。片刻之后，實驗室給醫生打來電話。結果顯示病人的鉀含量極低，鉀是一種電解質。
The Cause Behind the Cause
原因背后的原因
Potassium is probably the most important electrolyte we measure routinely. It is essential for every cell in the body, and its movement in and out of cells is key to many of the body's functions. Hassen immediately ordered potassium to be given both by mouth and intravenously. He wasn't sure why this young man had such a low level of potassium but knew that if he didn't get more, he could die. Cells in the heart depend on the flow of potassium to work properly. Either too much or too little of it could cause the heart to develop a life-threatening arrhythmia.
鉀可能是我們日常衡量的電解質中最重要的。它對身體的每一個細胞都是必不可少的，它進出細胞的活動是身體多項功能的關鍵。哈森立即開出口服鉀藥物并讓他通過靜脈注射補充鉀。他不知道為何這名年輕人體內的鉀含量如此之低，但他知道如果不能提高這名年輕人的鉀含量，他可能會死亡。心臟細胞依靠鉀的流動來正常工作。鉀含量過多或過少都可能導致心臟出現危及生命的心律失常。
The patient was admitted to the intensive-care unit so that his heart could be monitored as the deficit was reduced. The patient says he could feel strength flowing back into his muscles almost as soon as he started getting the replacement electrolyte. By morning he felt strong enough to stand. By midafternoon, he could walk. The doctors gave him potassium tablets to take every day for the next week and told him to stay hydrated if he was going to keep up this fitness program. And, of course, he should follow up with his regular doctor.
這名病人被送入了重癥監護室，以便在情況好轉時可以監測他的心臟。病人表示，幾乎在他開始補充電解質時，他就能感覺到力量流回了肌肉。到了早上，他感覺自己強壯得足以站起來。下午三點時，他可以走路了。醫生給他開了鉀片，讓他在接下來的一周里每天服用，并告訴他如果要繼續自已的健身計劃，就要保持水分。當然，他也應該去復診。
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