Really Need help with a drug?

I had a patient prescribed with PPL what is that drug and what is it used for. Also does anyone know what a water bottle heart means/???? Someone in the hospital was told after an X-ray that they had a water bottle heart can anyone help please!!!!

[Marie_LPN, RN, LPN, RN]

Water bottle heart sounds like tamponade, maybe? Never heard of the phrase myself but it's the only thing i can think of.

[ageless]

I agree with Marie, a water bottle heart seems to means when the heart takes on a glob shape as with a tamponade. I think PPL is used in the treatment of HIV...some type of inhibitor.

[mendu]

i have found in davis drug book: ppl stands for pramipexole which is antiparkinson drug. and agree with other posters, cardiac tamponade. :)

[ageless]

:) As far as the medication goes, Kalex and I are both correct. PPL can stand for for more than one drug. Best to check the diagnosis of the patient to know for sure. I guess this is why Joint Commission goes crazy when they see medications abbreviated in doctors orders.

example:

MS = morphine or magnesium sulfate?

[mendu]

completely agree with ageless.

try to talk to your instructor or other one who you think can help you. :)

[ashbug]

Thanks you guys a lot for your help. I have begun to notice that all these abbreviations run together that is why i hate when doctors use it!!! Thanks.

[KRVRN, BSN, RN]

When I was in nursing school, I found that if you truly couldn't find any info on a drug, you could call a pharmacy to ask the pharmacist. Works best if you call a 24 hour one during later hours and ask just a few questions.

[mommatrauma, RN]

Pericardial Effusion

An accumulation of fluid within the pericardial sac. Many causes including uremia (renal failure), collagen - vascular disease, infections (TB), malignancies, or pericarditis.

CXR findings

Enlarged, globular "water bottle" shaped heart

Differential diagnosis is cardiomegaly (cardiomyopathy, valvular heart disease, or left ventricular failure).

Diagnosis can be confirmed by echocardiography or CT;

http://medinfo.ufl.edu/year2/bms5191/cardio/cardiova.html

[ashbug]

THanks you a lot for your help. That site was a great help and i learned a lot from it. I'll have to tell my patient what I found out. Thank you again.