Post Author: Jorge Muniz, PA-C

Learn typical community acquired pneumonia with a Medcomic

Conditions
March 26, 2018

Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is an acute infection of the lung parenchyma acquired outside of the hospital or less than 48 hours after hospital admission. CAP is classified into typical and atypical subtypes, differentiated by their presentation and causative pathogens. This illustration focuses on the classic features of typical CAP.

The most common cause of typical CAP is Streptococcus pneumoniae. It is an encapsulated, gram-positive, …

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Learn about Salter-Harris fractures with a Medcomic

Conditions
January 13, 2018

Pediatric physeal fractures have traditionally been described by the five-part Salter-Harris classification system.

Type I fractures occur through the growth plate. These injuries may present with normal radiographs, and the diagnosis is often made clinically when tenderness is palpated over the growth plate.

Type II fractures occur through the growth plate and metaphysis. Type II injuries are the most common physeal fractures.

Type III fractures occur through the …

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Learn about Clostridium difficile infection with a Medcomic

Conditions
January 8, 2018

Clostridium difficile is a gram-positive anaerobic bacillus which secretes toxins (A and B) that cause diarrhea and pseudomembranous colitis. C. difficile is the most common infectious cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Transmission of C. difficile can occur from contact with contaminated humans and fomites. The organism contains endospores that can survive the acidity of the stomach and reach the large intestine.

C. difficile colonizes the intestinal tract after the normal …

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Learn pulmonary hypertension with a Medcomic

Conditions
December 30, 2017

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) refers to increased pressure in the pulmonary circulation. It develops when pulmonary vessels become constricted and/or obstructed, which can occur in a wide variety of conditions. The increase in pressure is measured by right catheterization, and is defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥ 25 mm Hg at rest.

PH leads to right ventricular hypertrophy and enlargement as the …

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Visualize the abnormal prostate with Medcomic

Conditions
April 3, 2016

The Abnormal Prostate

In this Medcomic, we’ll visualize three common abnormalities of the prostate.  Let’s meet our new friends. On the left is Burney and he could certainly benefit from a trial of antibiotics and an analgesic. The large fellow in the middle straining to urinate goes by the name of Turp. On the far right is Grampa Addy, currently dealing with the …

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Learn multiple sclerosis with the power of comics

Conditions
March 20, 2016

Medcomic-Multiple-Sclerosis

This Medcomic highlights some of the main features of multiple sclerosis (MS).  Although the exact cause of MS is unknown, the disease is thought to occur as an immune-mediated attack on the central nervous system (CNS). As you can see in the illustration, the white blood cells are attacking the neuron and causing inflammation, demyelination, and axonal degeneration that can manifest through …

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