Doctors suggest to shift Nawaz Sharif from jail to hospital

Doctors have recommended that Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif should be shifted to hospital from jail as he could be best treated there for his heart complications.

A four-member (second) special medical board of the Allama Iqbal Medical College/Jinnah Hospital Lahore examined Sharif, 69, in jail recently and recommended that for his "optimal treatment" he should be shifted to hospital.

Sharif, who is serving seven-year imprisonment in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail, was rushed to a hospital January 22 after he complained of heart-related complications. He was later discharged from the hospital and taken back to jail following the medical tests.

The board also recommended some changes to his medicines to control blood pressure and diabetes besides further tests.

"Given uncontrolled BP, stage 3 CKD with estimated GFR of 50 ml/ min, borderline raised troponin T level with significant history of ischemic heart disease and suboptimal care, Nawaz Sharif will benefit from hospitalisation so that optimal management and cardiac assessment can be initiated," the board, comprising AIMC principal Dr Arif Tajammul (chairman), Dr Tanveerul Islam, Dr Aamir Nadeem and Dr Shafiq Cheema, said in its report.

It said that Sharif with past medical history of hypertension, T2 diabetes mellitus, ischemic heart disease and CABGH, kidney stone disease complained about post nasal drip, bilateral arm, shoulder pain and some dyspnoea on exertion.

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"In our assessment, the patient (Sharif) has stage 3 CKD problem, secondary to diabetic nephropathy and HTN, uncontrolled HTN and mild proteinuria, suboptimal T2 diabetes control, metabolic acidosis, post-nasal drip and nasal allergies, fatty liver, nephrolithiasis and benign renal cysts, rule out secondary hyperparathyroidism and bone disease, and underling IHD with recent rise in Trop T level," the report said.

On January 22, Sharif was taken to the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC) for examination. Doctors there suggested that he required "aggressive medication" and "regular medical follow-ups" to avoid cardiac complications.

Before the AIMC board, a special PIC medical board had also examined Sharif last week and said he had vague symptoms of pain in both arms, particularly at night and numbness of toes.

Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawaz and his cardiologist Dr Adnan Khan have demanded the PTI government shift him to hospital for better medical care. 

"Reports show his (Sharif) disease has progressed and is life-threatening. Official reports from PIC still awaited. Have been running pillar to post but to no avail," Maryam tweeted.

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