title: The recognition and treatment of amyloidosis in the critical care patient.
abstract: Primary amyloidosis is a little understood, often misdiagnosed disease. Characterized by extracellular protein deposits in tissue and vital organs, this disease gives patients a survival period of 13.2 months after diagnosis. Those patients with congestive heart failure have a median survival rate of 4 months after diagnosis. Although primary amyloidosis may be considered rare, the incidence is the same as for Hodgkin disease, chronic granulocytic leukemia, and polycythema vera. This article discusses the pathophysiology, signs and symptoms, and treatment options for primary amyloidosis. Critical care nurses should be aware of this disease to allow their patients the greatest chance of survival.
authors.affiliation: Health Science Center at San Antonio School of Nursing, University of Texas 78229-3900, USA. McGowanN@UTHSCA.edu
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: McGowan
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001706:Biopsy; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods*; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008558:Melphalan / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009393:Nephritis / Q000209:etiology; D024802:Nurse's Role; D011379:Prognosis; D035583:Rare Diseases; D033581:Stem Cell Transplantation; D015996:Survival Rate
chemical_list: D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019653:Myeloablative Agonists; D003907:Dexamethasone; D008558:Melphalan