Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Case Study On December 1, 2012, a patient named John Dough walked into the medical assistant's office. The patient is five feet 11 inches tall, currently 70 years old, and weighs approximately 211 pounds. The patient has no known allergies, does not smoke, and has a relatively clean health record. After completing the patient's medical history forms, the patient is seen by the doctor. The patient explains to the doctor that lately he has been having difficulty lifting objects he would not normally have difficulty with, walking short distances, and being very tired. Upon further examination, the patient explains how he recently found a tick on his back and removed it, but now there is a red target on his back. The doctor offers to take a blood sample and send it to the laboratory. To relieve weakness and fatigue, he recommends that the patient get a good night's sleep and drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. He also wants the patient to limit medications that could contribute to fatigue, such as cold and allergy medications, and to make sure to complete all daily exercises three to four hours before bed. . The patient schedules a check-up two weeks later. On December 15, the patient presented for his check-up. The doctor informs the patient that his blood test was positive for Lyme and prescribes antibiotics. However, the patient now tells the doctor that he still feels weakness and fatigue even after the doctor's advice. He also says he has mild difficulty swallowing food and his speech has become slurred and nasal at times. Due to the patient's wide range of symptoms, the doctor suggests that the patient have an electromyography in the middle of a sheet of paper......the patient performs daily activities and maintains mobility. Information about lung function should be recorded and used for reference as the disease progresses. Over time, you may need to rely on ventilation or a feeding tube, which will only make things more difficult. There is no permanent treatment for ALS, but there is a medication that slows the effects and degeneration of the disease. Riluzole is taken twice daily orally in 50 mg tablet form and has been shown to increase life expectancy by 20%. If you decide to take Riluzole, you should have a complete blood count and liver function test every three months for nine months. The drug works by slowing the time it takes for glutamate-mediated motor neuron cell death. And finally, if you have any other concerns, questions, or issues, you can always talk to your family therapist or doctor..