Episode Details

Episode 12: Got the Hiccups! The sun rises over the San Joaquin Valley, California, today is May 15, 2020. It’s 85 degrees today, Bakersfield is finally warming up! Some people are excited, but some may not be so thrilled, because Bakersfield’s heat in mid-summer is no joke. Would COVID 19 fade out with these warmer temperatures? We don’t know, but that’s our hope. Our program director, Carol Stewart, had a double celebration last week because of her birthday on “Cinco de Mayo” (which is May 5th), and also as a mother of three children, three dogs and hundreds of “adopted” children residents and medical students. Happy Birthday, Dr Stewart, thanks for your example of dedication, wisdom, and good sense humor; and Happy Mother’s Day to all our mother listeners. ______________________ Welcome to Rio Bravo qWeek, the podcast of the Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program, recorded weekly from Bakersfield, California, the land where growing is happening everywhere. The Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program trains residents and students to prevent illnesses and bring health and hope to our community. Our mission: To Seek, Teach and Serve. Sponsored by Clinica Sierra Vista, Providing compassionate and affordable care to patients throughout Kern and Fresno counties since 1971. “When one teaches, two learn” —Robert Heinlein Teaching is the best way to know that you know something. Dear residents, what knowledge is the most important for you? Go and learn those things good enough to be able to teach them. Remember, when one teaches, two learn. Today we are here to learn from Dr Yunior Martinez. He is on the last weeks of his training, and I’m happy for having him here today, in front of our microphones. Dr Martinez is one of our chief residents, welcome, Dr Martinez. 1. Question number 1: Who are you? My name is Yunior Martinez Duenas, PGY-3 at Rio Bravo Family Medicine Residency Program also one of the chief resident for the past 2 years. I am from Cuba, came to America in 2012 after working 5 years as a family physician in Venezuela. I am married, and a father of 2 teens and a dog. 2. Question number 2: What did you learn this week? I was in the hospital for the last 4 weeks, an interesting case arrived at our ER. He was a 45 year old Male complaining of HICCUPS for 3 days. The patient was being discharge after improvement of his symptoms, treated with Reglan®, however, his vital signs were significant for tachycardia, and fever as the patient was heading out the door. So, labs were performed including a swab for COVID-19. The patient was admitted because his oxygen saturation was also going down to the low 90s. Next day the COVID-19 test came back as POSITIVE. After 10 days in our service and appropriate treatment, which included azithromycin, hydroxychloroquine and finally convalescent plasma, patient was discharged fully recovered. The take home message: Hiccups is usually benign and self-limited, but it may be persistent and a sign of serious underlying illness. Hiccups affect almost everyone during their lifetime. Also known as a “hiccough”, from the Latin singult, meaning gasp or SOB. While brief hiccups episodes lasting less than 48 hours are common, little is known about the overall incidence and prevalence of prolonged hiccups in the general population. However, among patients with advanced cancer, 1 to 9 percent had persistent or intractable hiccups. Also, hiccups has a higher prevalence in people who are taller and male, mostly elders. No racial, geographic or socioeconomic variation in hiccups has been documented. Definition of hiccups A hiccup occurs due to an involuntary, intermittent, spasmodic contraction of the diaphragm and intercostal muscles causing a sudden inspiration that ends with abrupt closure of the glottis, generating the “hic” sound. Transient vs Persistent Hiccups The pathogenesis of hiccups lasting more than 48 hours is uncertain. Transient hiccups (usually due to gastric distentio