Haematology is the study of cause, prognosis, treatment, and prevention of diseases related to blood. It includes problems with the red blood cells, white blood cells, platelets, blood vessels, bone marrow. Medicos Library has provided high standard Haematology Notes by Dr. Yousif Abdallah Hamad.
Summary of Notes:
Alpha-thalassaemia
- Alpha-thalassaemia is due to a deficiency of alpha chains in haemoglobin
Overview - 2 separate alpha-globulin genes are located on each chromosome 16
- Clinical severity depends on the number of alpha chains present
- If 1 or 2 alpha chains are absent then the blood picture would be hypochromic and
microcytic, but the Hb level would be typically normal - Loss of 3 alpha chains results in a hypochromic microcytic anaemia with splenomegaly
and HbH in red cells. This is known as Hb H disease - If all 4 alpha chains absent (i.e. homozygote) then death in utero (hydrops fetalis, Bart’s
hydrops) - Persistence of HbF has survival advantages in severely affected subjects.
Antiphospholipid syndrome
- Antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired disorder characterised by a predisposition to both
venous and arterial thromboses, recurrent fetal loss and thrombocytopenia. - It may occur as a primary disorder or secondary to other conditions, most commonly systemic
lupus erythematosus (SLE) - A key point for the exam is to appreciate that antiphospholipid syndrome causes a paradoxical
rise in the APTT. This is due to an ex-vivo reaction of the lupus anticoagulant autoantibodies
with phospholipids involved in the coagulation cascade
Features
venous/arterial thrombosis
recurrent fetal loss
livedo reticularis
thrombocytopenia
prolonged APTT
other features: pre-eclampsia, pulmonary hypertension
Associations other than SLE
other autoimmune disorders
Advice form Dr. Yousif Abdallah Hamad
How to use the notes to study for MRCP:
- Initially, you need to skim through the notes at least twice to build up an idea about the syllabus of MRCP. Highlight any portion that is difficult so that you can concentrate on that during your revision.
- Next proceed to the question banks. You can choose to do Passmedicine, onexamination or Pastest. I usually recommend students to do Passmedicine and the Pastest.
- As you go through the questions make a super-revised notes of your own. Write down in one sentence what you learned from the question you just attempted.
- If you get any question wrong or you get confused then return to the notes and re-read one more time before attempting the question again. And write down the point in red in you revision notes so that you can skim through it easily during your revision.
- I have highlighted some points in yellow and green to help you concentrate on those points. As you go through passmedicine and pastest, you can highlight the points further to help in your revision.
- During your revision before the main exam, only read the highlighted portions including those that you highlighted when practicing the question bank. And also read your super-revised notes that you made from the question banks.
I believe these method has worked for many students and will help you in your journey to be successful in MRCP part 1 and as well as build your basics for Part 2.
style=”display:block; text-align:center;”
data-ad-layout=”in-article”
data-ad-format=”fluid”
data-ad-client=”ca-pub-4925461891319576″
data-ad-slot=”2051716998″>
Click Here to Direct Download or Click Here To See The File
Find more Notes By Dr. Yousif Abdallah Hamad