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A Quick Test Result
快速检测结果
Dr. Getaw Worku Hassen was the emergency-medicine doctor on duty that night at Metropolitan Hospital in Upper Manhattan. He asked the patient if anything like this had happened before. No, the patient replied, though recently his thighs had felt tired and weak at times. It never lasted long, and he figured it was from working out so hard. The man asked if he might have had a stroke. Would he ever be able to walk again? Hassen reassured him that his symptoms didn't look like a stroke. But, the doctor acknowledged, he wasn't sure what it did look like.
格图·沃库·哈森医生是曼哈顿上城大都会医院当晚的值班急诊医生。他询问病人以前是否发生过类似的事情。病人回答说，没有，不过最近他的大腿有时会感到疲倦和虚弱。但这种情况从来不会持续太久，他以为这是因为健身用力过猛所导致。这名男子问医生，他是不是中风了。他还能走路吗？哈森向他保证，他的症状看起来不像中风。但是，医生也承认，他不能确定原因。
On exam, the man's heart was racing at 110 beats a minute. And his blood pressure was high. He couldn't lift either leg off the stretcher — not even an inch. His arms were weak as well. But his reflexes, sensation and the rest of his nervous system seemed otherwise normal.
在检查中，这名男子的心跳速度是每分钟110次。他的血压很高。他两腿都抬不起来，一英寸也不行。他的手臂也很虚弱。但他的反应、感觉和其他神经系统似乎都很正常。
Hassen told the man that they would need to wait for the results of his blood work and other tests. He would be back when he knew more. Moments later the doctor was called by the lab. One of the patient's electrolytes was dangerously low — his potassium.
哈森告诉这名男子，他们需要等待他的血液化验和其他化验结果。他了解更多情况后再回来。片刻之后，实验室给医生打来电话。结果显示病人的钾含量极低，钾是一种电解质。
The Cause Behind the Cause
原因背后的原因
Potassium is probably the most important electrolyte we measure routinely. It is essential for every cell in the body, and its movement in and out of cells is key to many of the body's functions. Hassen immediately ordered potassium to be given both by mouth and intravenously. He wasn't sure why this young man had such a low level of potassium but knew that if he didn't get more, he could die. Cells in the heart depend on the flow of potassium to work properly. Either too much or too little of it could cause the heart to develop a life-threatening arrhythmia.
钾可能是我们日常衡量的电解质中最重要的。它对身体的每一个细胞都是必不可少的，它进出细胞的活动是身体多项功能的关键。哈森立即开出口服钾药物并让他通过静脉注射补充钾。他不知道为何这名年轻人体内的钾含量如此之低，但他知道如果不能提高这名年轻人的钾含量，他可能会死亡。心脏细胞依靠钾的流动来正常工作。钾含量过多或过少都可能导致心脏出现危及生命的心律失常。
The patient was admitted to the intensive-care unit so that his heart could be monitored as the deficit was reduced. The patient says he could feel strength flowing back into his muscles almost as soon as he started getting the replacement electrolyte. By morning he felt strong enough to stand. By midafternoon, he could walk. The doctors gave him potassium tablets to take every day for the next week and told him to stay hydrated if he was going to keep up this fitness program. And, of course, he should follow up with his regular doctor.
这名病人被送入了重症监护室，以便在情况好转时可以监测他的心脏。病人表示，几乎在他开始补充电解质时，他就能感觉到力量流回了肌肉。到了早上，他感觉自己强壮得足以站起来。下午三点时，他可以走路了。医生给他开了钾片，让他在接下来的一周里每天服用，并告诉他如果要继续自已的健身计划，就要保持水分。当然，他也应该去复诊。
译文由可可原创，仅供学习交流使用，未经许可请勿转载。
