Malaria

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

• Malaria (mah-LAR-ee-ah) is an infectious disease that is caused by parasites (bugs) and is usually spread through the bite of infected mosquitoes. This infection, which affects people worldwide, is the most important and one of the most common infections caused by parasites. Any of the four different types of Plasmodium parasites may infect humans with malaria. Some types of malaria may be severe or may relapse (reappear) months or years after the first episode of infection. Malaria may affect many organs in the body, including the brain, lungs, kidneys, and liver. A more severe form of malaria that affects the brain is called cerebral malaria. Malaria may also be passed through blood transfusions, organ transplants, or sharing infected needles. An infected mother may pass the parasite to her unborn child.
  
  
• With early symptoms of malaria, you may feel like you have the flu, including high fever, chills, headache, and muscle pain. You may also have nausea (upset stomach), vomiting (throwing up), abdominal (stomach) pain, or diarrhea. Signs and symptoms of brain, breathing, liver, or blood problems are seen with the severe forms of malaria. These problems may include abnormal bleeding, sleepiness, trouble breathing, seizures (convulsions), and severe weakness. Diagnosis of malaria may include a detailed health history and blood smear tests. Treatment is aimed at killing the parasites, relieving the symptoms, and treating the complications. Malaria may be prevented by controlling human and mosquito contact. With prompt treatment, such as medicine and rest, you have a greater chance of making a full recovery.

CARE AGREEMENT:

You have the right to help plan your care. To help with this plan, you must learn about your health condition and how it may be treated. You can then discuss treatment options with your caregivers. Work with them to decide what care may be used to treat you. You always have the right to refuse treatment.

RISKS:

Treatment with antimalarial medicines may cause unpleasant side effects. These may include skin sensitivity to light, changes in the tooth color of young children, mood swings, or psychosis. Some medicines may not be as effective if the parasite is resistant to them. The infection may reoccur. If left untreated, malaria may lead to severe anemia (very low RBC count), kidney failure, coma, or death. In pregnant women, malaria can cause prematurity (early birth), miscarriage, or death of the unborn baby. The risks of serious problems are decreased the earlier malaria is treated and by following your caregiver's advice. Talk to your caregiver if you are worried or have questions about your disease, medicine, or care.

WHILE YOU ARE HERE:

Informed consent: You have the right to understand your health condition in words that you know. You should be told what tests, treatments, or procedures may be done to treat your condition. Your doctor should also tell you about the risks and benefits of each treatment. You may be asked to sign a consent form that gives caregivers permission to do certain tests, treatments, or procedures. If you are unable to give your consent, someone who has permission can sign this form for you. A consent form is a legal piece of paper that tells exactly what will be done to you. Before giving your consent, make sure all your questions have been answered so that you understand what may happen.

IV: An IV is a tube placed in your vein for giving medicine or liquids. This tube is capped or connected to tubing and liquid.

Medicines: Your caregiver may give you the following kinds of medicines:

• Antibiotics: Antibiotics may be given to help treat or prevent an infection caused by germs called bacteria.
  
  
• Anticonvulsant medicine: Anticonvulsants are given to control seizures.
  
  
• Antiparasitic medicine: This medicine may be given to kill parasites. Parasites are living things that feed or eat off of other living things.
  
  
• Fever medicine: This type of medicine is given to help lower your body temperature. Common medicines used to lower temperature include acetaminophen and ibuprofen. Lowering your body temperature may help you feel better.
  
  
• Pain medicine: Caregivers may give you medicine to take away or decrease your pain. Medicine may be given regularly, or may only be given if you ask caregivers for it. Tell caregivers if your pain does not decrease enough for you to feel better. Do not wait to ask for your pain medicine until the pain is very bad. The medicine may not work as well at controlling your pain if you wait too long to take it. Ask your caregiver for help getting out of bed if you feel tired or dizzy.

Medicine monitoring:

• Caregivers will watch how you respond to your medicines. Sometimes the kind and amount of medicines you use may need to be changed. The goal is for the medicines to work well, and have the least amount of side effects. You and your caregiver will talk about how long you may need to use each of your medicines.
  
  
• You may need tests to check how much medicine is in your blood, or how well it is working. Caregivers use the results of these tests to decide the medicine and dose that is right for you. You may need to have these tests more than once.

Glucose meter: A glucose meter (also called a glucometer) is a small machine used to test the amount of sugar in your blood. Your finger is pricked so your caregiver can get a small drop of blood. The blood is put onto a testing strip, and put into the glucose meter. A screen on the glucose meter will show the amount of sugar in your blood. This test may be done several times a day. You may be taught how to do this test yourself.

Heart monitor: This is also called an ECG, electrocardiogram, or telemetry. Sticky pads are placed on your chest or different parts of your body. Each pad has a wire leading to a small portable box (telemetry unit), or to a TV-type screen. This lets caregivers see a tracing of the electrical activity of your heart. The heart monitor may help caregivers see problems with the way your heart is beating. Do not remove any wires or sticky pads without asking your caregiver first.

Neurologic signs: Neurologic signs are also called neuro signs, neuro checks, or neuro status. Caregivers check your eyes, your memory, and how easily you wake up. Your hand grasp and balance may also be tested. This helps tell caregivers how your brain is working after an injury or illness. You may need to have your neuro signs checked often. Your caregiver may even have to wake you up to check your neuro signs.

Tests: If you have symptoms of swelling of the brain or its coverings, your caregiver may do some tests. It is important to know what is causing your symptoms. This will help your caregiver decide what treatment is best for you. Tests may also be done to see how your body is handling your disease.

• Blood tests: You may need blood taken for tests. The blood can be taken from a blood vessel in your hand, arm, or the bend in your elbow. It is tested to see how your body is doing. It can give your caregivers more information about your health condition. You may need to have blood drawn more than once.
  
  
• Blood gases: This test is also called an arterial blood gas or ABG test. Blood is taken from an artery (blood vessel) in your wrist, arm, or groin. The groin is the area where your abdomen meets your upper leg. Your blood is tested for the amount of "gases" in it, such as oxygen, acids, and carbon dioxide.
  
  
• Chest x-ray: This is a picture of your lungs and heart. Caregivers use it to see how your lungs and heart are doing. Caregivers may use the x-ray to look for signs of infection like pneumonia, or to look for collapsed lungs. Chest x-rays may show tumors, broken ribs, or fluid around the heart and lungs.

Treatment options: Your treatment may change if your health problem is not being controlled. This is often decided after you have tests. You may have some of the following treatments alone or together.

• Blood transfusion: During a blood transfusion, you will get whole blood, or parts of blood through an IV. Many people are worried about getting AIDS, hepatitis, or West Nile Virus from a blood transfusion. The risk of this happening is rare. Blood banks test all donated blood for AIDS, hepatitis, and West Nile Virus. If you refuse a blood transfusion, your condition may get worse, and you may die.
  
  
• Respiratory support:
  
  
  • Oxygen: You may need extra oxygen to help you breathe easier. It may be given through a plastic mask over your mouth and nose. It may be given through a nasal cannula, or prongs, instead of a mask. A nasal cannula is a pair of short, thin tubes that rest just inside your nose. Tell your caregiver if your nose gets dry or if the mask or prongs bother you. Ask your caregiver before taking off your oxygen. Never smoke or let anyone else smoke in the same room while your oxygen is on. Doing so may cause a fire.
    
    
  • Ventilator: A ventilator is a special machine that can breathe for you if you cannot breathe well on your own. You may have an endotracheal tube (ET tube) in your mouth or nose. A tube called a trach may go into an incision (cut) in the front of your neck. The ET tube or trach is hooked to the ventilator. The ventilator can also give oxygen to you.

Copyright © 2008 Thomson Healthcare Inc. All rights reserved. Information is for End User's use only and may not be sold, redistributed or otherwise used for commercial purposes.

The above information is an educational aid only. It is not intended as medical advice for individual conditions or treatments. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist before following any medical regimen to see if it is safe and effective for you.

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