Study of Medico-Social Services and Emergency Care for Myasthenia Gravis Patients
1979 Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 311-320
Details
1979 Volume 31 Issue 3 Pages 311-320
This report is concerned with a survey of medico-social services and emergency care for patients in myasthenia gravis (M. G. ) crisis. This survey was carried out in March-June 1976.
1. From the survey of 167 M. G. patients:
1) 34% had ocular and bulbar phenomen on with muscle weakness,38% had ocular phenomenon with muscle weakness,25% had complications (thyroid grand disease 1/4) and 61%had change of syndrome.
2) Activity of daily life: 5% were bedridden,10% could lay down or get up and 35%sometimes reclined.19% needed help to dress, bathe, etc.
3) Nearly 50% of males were without occupation, s u spended from work or laid-off.
4) Medical treatment: 81% were under doctor's care (in hospital 8% and b eing treated at home 92%). Only 40% of patients under the doctor's care were able to receive emergency medical care in crisis (and below 20% were able to be treated while on holiday.)
5) Nearly 80% of answers confessed that they recognized themselves motives which caused fell in M. G. disease and their motives were fatigue, mental stress and cold. Many of patients who had experienced crisis were in fatigue or caught cold before crisis. Therefore fatigue and cold must be carefully recognized as motives caused of M. G. disease and crisis and we must consider this view point is one of the important methods of protection against crisis of which M. G. Patients have fears.
6) In order to put emergency medical care into practice it is necessary to make connection between M. G. patients, including their family, with a team of family doctors, specialists and medical social workers forming a Community Health Care Service.
7) It is necessary to offer a practical training in emerg ency medical care for crisis attack, to patients themselves and also their families.
8) It is necessary to maintain a home nursing service and home helper to reduce the burden of patient families.
9) It is necessary to establish special hospitals, sanatoria and after-care M. G. institutions.
10) Also, it is important to arrange for consultation with patients, at their w orkplace or school.
2. From the survey of M. G. fatalities:
1) The bereaved families answered that most of the M. G. patients had dyspnea and crisis just before death and lack of adequate emergency care.
2) The bereaved families had not adequate kn owledge, ither of the crisis or emergency care.
