Good morning and welcome to your Thursday dose of Your Daily Meds.
Bonus Review: What are the functions of the liver? Is the liver essential for life?
Answer: Heaps of functions -
* Role in lipid metabolism
* Fatty acid oxidation
* Synthesises cholesterol and phospholipids
* Produces ketoacids
* Role in carbohydrate metabolism
* Glycogen metabolism
* Gluconeogenesis
* Glucostat function
* Role in protein metabolism
* Amino acid metabolism
* Protein turnover
* Protein synthesis - albumin, coagulation proteins, carrier proteins, lipoproteins
* Urea production
* Bile production - and secretion of bilirubin and bile acids
* Metabolism of drugs and xenobiotics - like with the cytochrome p450 oxidase system
* Plays a role in the reticuloendothelial system with Kupffer cells
* Endocrine functions
* 25 hydroxycholecalciferol synthesis
* Inactivation of some hormones
* Hormone precursor synthesis
* Steroid hormone metabolism
* Somatomedin production
* Erythropoietin synthesis (mainly the forestall liver, still 10% of adult EPO is from the liver)
* Haematopoiesis in the foetal liver
* Blood reservoir
* Storage function - B12, iron ,glycogen
* Plays a role in acid-base balance
Almost all plasma proteins are produced in the liver - except immunoglobulins.
And yes, the liver is essential for life - a total hepatectomy results in death in less than 24 hours from profound hypoglycaemia.
Something Anatomical:
Which of the following anatomical structures joins the transverse process of a vertebra to its corresponding vertebral body?
* Lamina
* Pedicle
* Superior articular process
* Ligamentum flavum
* Inferior articular process
Have a think.
Scroll for the chat.
Obstetrical:
Which of the following correctly defines miscarriage?
* Presence of a non-viable intrauterine pregnancy before 20 weeks’ gestation
* Early pregnancy bleeding with pain
* Presence of a non-viable intrauterine pregnancy before 10 weeks’ gestation
* Presence of an extrauterine pregnancy with bleeding and pain
* Intrauterine foetal death before 30 weeks’ gestation
Have a think.
More scroll for more chat.
Bony Arches:
The pedicles of a vertebra join the vertebral body to the transverse processes.
The laminae joint the transverse processes to the spinous process. The ligamentum flavum connects paired laminae of adjacent vertebrae. The superior and inferior articular processes position the articular facets that form zygapophyseal joints with the adjacent superior and inferior vertebrae.
See the images below for reference:
Gs and Ps and the M:
Miscarriage describes the presence of a non-viable intrauterine pregnancy before 20 weeks’ gestation. The definition does not require the presence of an embryo or foetus. Recognised miscarriages occur in approximately 15% of pregnancies.
Viability can be confirmed by the presence of foetal heart activity. Failed pregnancy is indicated by any of the following criteria:
* Mean gestational sac diameter > 25 mm with no foetal pole
* Foetal pole > 7 mm and no foetal heart activity
* Inadequate growth of gestational sac or foetal pole over course of one week (< 1 mm per day)
Poor prognostic features include bradycardia (< 85 bpm) and large subchorionic haematoma formation.
Bonus: What is the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ)?
Answer in tomorrow’s dose.
Closing:
Thank you for taking your Meds and we will see you tomorrow for your MANE dose. As always, please contact us with any questions, concerns, tips or suggestions. Have a great day!
Luke.
Remember, you are free to rip these questions and answers and use them for your own flashcards, study and question banks.
Just credit us where credit is due.
