Case Study: Acute Joint Inflammation

Case Study: Acute Joint Inflammation

Mr. Y is a 47 year old, mixed race [Asian/African ethnicity], male patient who presented to your office with severe right great toe pain. Onset of the pain was 2 days ago. Mr. Y denies any known trauma to his right foot or his great toe on that foot. His right great toe is red and became so swollen in the last day that he cannot put on his shoe.

Mr. Y has a history of hypertension for which he is taking HCTZ 25mg daily, Metopralol 50 mg twice daily, and Lisinopril 10 mg daily. He denies any other medical problems.

Results of the lab tests that were ordered:

Sed rate – 93; Glucose, random – 117 mg/dl; Hgb – 13.4 gm/dl; WBC – 8200/ccm with normal diff; Serum uric acid – 10.9 mg/dl; Serum creatinine – 1.2 mg/dl

Assignment Questions
Based on presenting symptoms and lab findings, what is most likely diagnosis that will be made for Mr. Y?
What is the anticipated pharmacologic plan for managing Mr. Y’s acute pain? Provide a justification for the plan including a citation from a peer-reviewed source.
What is the anticipated pharmacologic plan for long-term management of Mr. Y’s diagnosis? Provide a justification for the plan including a citation from a peer-reviewed source.
Identify the key elements of the education plan that would be appropriate for the patient about the acute and chronic pharmacologic plans you identified above.
Swollen joints happen when there’s an increase of fluid in the tissues that surround the joints. Joint swelling is common with different types of arthritis, infections, and injuries. A swollen joint is a symptom of the following health conditions: Osteoarthritis (OA).
Many other types of arthritis can cause your joints to swell, as can other health conditions. Examples include: injuries, such as bone fractures, dislocations, torn ligaments, torn tendons. ankylosing spondylitis, a chronic disease that causes joint inflammation.