Nawaz gets yet another health scare

LAHORE: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif got yet another health scare on Saturday after a sudden drop in platelet counts and increase in blood sugar and creatinine level on the 13th day of his admission to the Services Hospital.

The modification in dose of steroids for improving other health indicators caused drop in platelets from 55,000 on Friday to 40,000 on Saturday. Nawaz Sharif’s fasting sugar shot up to 230 on Saturday as against 150 on Friday. Similarly, the fluctuation of creatinine in the range of 1.4-2 may affect kidney function.

Dr Adnan Khan, personal physician of Nawaz Sharif, said the cause behind the drop in platelets needs to be diagnosed and established without delay.

The Special Medical Board examined Nawaz Sharif on Saturday, evaluated his existing reports and took fresh samples for further clinical assessment. “We are preparing a balanced amount of steroids for injection to help increase the platelets and yet avoid its side effects on other body functions,” said Prof Dr Mahmood Ayyaz, Principal SIMS/SHL and Head of Special Medical Board, while briefing the media about Nawaz Sharif’s health condition on Saturday.

Senior consultants of different specialties, who are members of the Special Medical Board, expressed concerns over fluctuation of platelets count, high blood sugar and creatinine level. The administering of steroids increases platelets counts but triggers blood sugar as well. Treatment of blood sugar and other co-morbidities are leading to drop in platelets count. “The doctors have a challenge to maintain a delicate balance in their medication for simultaneous appeasement of all indicators reacting to medication in contradictorily,” said a source close to the Special Medical Board.

The experts believe that any imbalance in treatment may cause a heart attack or paralysis. The board also allowed Nawaz Sharif to have a walk in the hospital corridors.

Services Hospital Medical Superintendent Dr Saleem Cheema said the platelets count has increased but not to the satisfactory level and as such the ex-PM is not medically fit. He said doctors allowed him walk to assess his fitness level.

Dr Adnan, in his twitter message, shared updates on the ex-PM’s health, saying that Nawaz Sharif’s condition is critical. He stressed the need for early diagnosis of causes leading to drop in platelets count.

“Former PM Nawaz Sharif remains critical. The treating doctors tried to reduce the steroids dose being given to him, but unfortunately it resulted in drop in platelets count again which has come down to 38*10^3/uL on Friday. The cause needs to be diagnosed and established without delay,” he said.

“Severe existent co-morbidities (IHD, ECVD, DM, HTN, CKD3) have added to the seriousness of the nature of critical illness, where a very delicate balance has to be maintained between coagulation and anti-coagulation to sustain fragile unstable health status,” he concluded.