Pickwick's Syndrome is a rare disease that is most often diagnosed among people who are overweight, although they can also be affected by people of normal physique. Pickwick Syndrome has a very entertaining name, which comes from the main character of the work of Charles Dickens. The fact is that all members of the club dedicated to this famous writer had very voluminous bellies.
Pickwick's syndrome: causes of the disease
It is proved that this disease affects, as a rule, those people whose obesity occurs according to the abdominal type - this means that excess weight accumulates in the abdomen, complicating the work of the abdominal organs.
But on the other hand, far from all such people are faced with a similar disease. In addition, Pickwick syndrome is also diagnosed among people with normal complexion. Therefore, heredity plays a role here. The risk group includes people who have experienced severe mental trauma, nervous tension or emotional shock. The cause of the development of the disease can be hormonal imbalance, pregnancy, and another chronic disease.
Pickwick syndrome: symptoms of the disease
Most sick people are characterized by obesity with a significant increase in the abdomen. As a result of such a physique, the pressure increases not only on the abdominal organs, but also on the diaphragm, which can no longer work normally. As a result, complication of respiratory movements and insufficient amount of oxygen in the blood.
The human body is adapted to compensate for the amount of oxygen, therefore, with hypoxia, the number of red blood cells increases, which are carriers of gases. As a result of such changes, the patient’s blood becomes too viscous and thick - the heart begins to work in an enhanced mode. With the further development of the disease in humans, pressure in the pulmonary circulation increases, heart failure develops.
But the cells of the nervous system suffer most from oxygen deficiency. However, over time, the tissues adapt to work in hypoxia mode. During sleep, such people very often stop breathing. A person often wakes up from suffocation, which disrupts normal sleep and affects the state of the psyche. During the daytime, the patient complains of constant drowsiness.
Pickwick Syndrome: Treatment
Pickwick's syndrome is a very dangerous disease, so treatment should be started immediately. The diagnostic process is also complicated, since a correct diagnosis requires round-the-clock monitoring of the patient. In addition, a blood test is performed that shows an increased amount of carbon dioxide in the blood.
As for the treatment process, it is very long. There are no schemes, since the ways to deal with the problem are determined individually for each person. Firstly, the patient is prescribed a soft and sparing diet, which involves reducing the amount of protein food and limiting fluid intake.
A sick person also needs additional oxygen, so the doctor can prescribe the use of an oxygen pillow, therapeutic exercises, frequent walks, regular ventilation of the room, especially during sleep.
It is also necessary to take anticoagulants, with the help of the correct intake of which you can thin the blood, and, therefore, facilitate the work of the heart.
If Pickwick's syndrome is accompanied by diseases of the cardiovascular system, then their treatment or relief is also necessary. Over time, the symptoms recede, the person sheds weight, breathing normalizes.
Unfortunately, treatment may not always be successful. In about half the cases, the disease ends fatally due to respiratory arrest in a dream.