Peptic Ulcer

A peptic ulcer, also well-known as PUD or peptic ulcer disease, is an ulcer (defined as mucosal erosions equal to or greater than 0.5 cm) of a region of the gastrointestinal tract that is typically acidic and thus enormously painful. Tobacco smoking, not eating properly, blood group, spices and other factors that were supposed to cause ulcers until late in the 20th century, are actually of relatively minor importance in the development of peptic ulcers.

A main causative factor (60% of gastric and up to 90% of duodenal ulcers) is chronic inflammation due to Helicobacter pylori that colonizes (i.e. settles there after entering the body) the antral mucosa. The immune system is incapable to clear the infection, despite the appearance of antibodies. Thus, the bacterium can cause a chronic active gastritis (type B gastritis), ensuing in a defect in the regulation of gastrin production by that part of the stomach, and gastrin secretion can either be decreased (most cases) resulting in hypo- or achlorhydria or increased. Gastrin stimulates the creation of gastric acid by parietal cell and, in H. pylori colonization responses that increase gastrin, the increase in acid can contribute to the erosion of the mucosa and therefore ulcer formation. Studies have exposed eating cabbage or cabbage juice can increase the mucosa lining in the stomach.

Low Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force exerted by circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels, and constitutes one of the main vital signs. Blood pressure is generated by the heart pumping blood into the arteries and is regulated by the arteries to the flow of blood.

By principle, an individual's blood pressure is expressed as systolic/diastolic blood pressure, for example, 120/80.The systolic blood pressure (the top number) represents the force in the arteries as the muscle of the heart contracts and pumps blood into them. The diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) represents the force in the arteries as the muscle of the heart relaxes after it contracts. Blood pressure always is high when the heart is pumping than when it is relaxing.

How to Avoid Diabetes

Everybody wants to avoid diabetes. Diabetes is a question that will affect everyone at one point in life, whether directly or indirectly. This newsletter will give you with more information on diabetes and perhaps will lead to lifestyle changes that can help you, your friends, and family, avoid this terrible and mostly preventable disease.

A person with "adult-onset" diabetes (Type II) has high blood sugar levels since the cells of the body do not react to insulin (they are "insulin-resistant"). Insulin is a hormone released from the pancreas and it will stimulates blood sugar uptake by cells of the body.

The cells then use this sugar for energy, however constantly elevated blood sugar levels can be unhealthy. In 1996, it was reported that the number of diabetes cases is going to increase to 250 million worldwide by 2025.

Heart attack

Heart attacks are the most important cause of death for both men and women all over the world. Significant risk factors are previous cardiovascular disease (such as angina, a previous heart attack or stroke), older age (especially men over 40 and women over 50), tobacco smoking, high blood levels of certain lipids (triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein or "bad cholesterol") and low high density lipoprotein (HDL, "good cholesterol"), diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, chronic kidney disease, heart failure, excessive alcohol consumption, the abuse of certain drugs (such as cocaine), and chronic high stress levels.

Instant treatment for suspected acute myocardial infarction includes oxygen, aspirin, and sublingual glyceryl trinitrate (colloquially referred to as nitroglycerin and abbreviated as NTG or GTN). Pain relief is also frequently given, classically morphine sulfate.

Thyroid

The thyroid is one of the main endocrine glands in the body. This gland is found in the neck inferior to (below) the thyroid cartilage (also known as the Adam's apple in men) and at around the same level as the cricoid cartilage. The thyroid controls how rapidly the body burns energy, makes proteins, and how sensitive the body should be to other hormones.

The thyroid participates in these processes by producing thyroid hormones, mainly thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3). These hormones control the rate of metabolism and affect the growth and rate of function of many other systems in the body. Iodine is an essential component of both T3 and T4. The thyroid also produces the hormone calcitonin, which plays a main role in calcium homeostasis.

The thyroid is prohibited by the hypothalamus and pituitary. The gland gets its name from the Greek word for "shield", after the form of the related thyroid cartilage. Hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) and hypothyroidism (underactive thyroid) are the most general problems of the thyroid gland.

Neck Pain

The neck (cervical spine) is composed of vertebral column that begin in the upper torso and end at the base of the skull. The bony vertebrae along with the ligaments (which are comparable to thick rubber bands) give stability to the spine. The muscles allow for support and activity. The neck has a large amount of activity and supports the weight of the head. However, since it is less protected than the rest of the spine, the neck can be vulnerable to injury and disorders that produce pain and restrict motion. For several people, neck pain is a temporary condition that disappears with time. Other people need medical diagnosis and treatment to relieve their symptoms.

Knee Pain

The thigh bone (femur) meets the large shin bone (tibia) forming the major knee joint. This joint has an inner (medial) and an outer (lateral) section. The kneecap (patella) joins the femur to structure a third joint, called the patellofemoral joint.

The knee joint is bounded by a joint capsule with ligaments strapping the inside and outside of the joint (collateral ligaments) as well as crossing within the joint (cruciate ligaments). These ligaments give stability and strength to the knee joint.

The meniscus is a thickened cartilage pad between the two joints shaped by the femur and tibia. The meniscus acts as a flat surface for the joint to move on. The knee joint is surrounded by fluid-filled sacs called bursae, which serve as gliding surfaces that decrease friction of the tendons. Under the kneecap, there is a large tendon (patellar tendon) which attaches to the front of the tibia bone. There are large blood vessels passing throughout the area behind the knee (referred to as the popliteal space). In the front of the thigh, the quadriceps muscles enlarge the knee joint. In the back of the thigh, the constrain muscles flex the knee. The knee also rotates a little under guidance of specific muscles of the thigh.

Eye Examination

An eye examination is a sequence of tests performed by an optometrist or ophthalmologist assessing vision and ability to focus on and discern objects, as well as other tests and examinations pertaining to the eyes. Every people should have periodic and thorough eye examinations as part of routine primary care, especially since many eye diseases are silent or asymptomatic. Eye examinations may notice potentially treatable blinding eye diseases, ocular manifestations of systemic disease, or signs of tumours or other anomalies of the brain.

CT SCAN

Computed tomography (CT) is a medical imaging technique employing tomography. Digital geometry processing is used to produce a three-dimensional image of the inside of an object from a large series of two-dimensional X-ray images taken around a single axis of rotation. The statement "tomography" is derived from the Greek tomos (slice) and graphein (to write).

Computed tomography was initially known as the "EMI scan" as it was developed at a research branch of EMI, a company best known today for its music and recording business. It was presently known as computed axial tomography (CAT or CT scan) and body section roentgenography.

CT generate a volume of data which can be manipulated, through a process known as windowing, in order to demonstrate various structures based on their ability to block the X-ray beam. Even though historically the images generated were in the axial or transverse plane (orthogonal to the long axis of the body), modern scanners allow this volume of data to be reformatted in various planes or even as volumetric (3D) representations of structures.

Blood Pressure Symptoms

High blood pressure does not normally cause any symptoms until it has reached a very high level - normally 180/110 mmHg. Symptoms that your blood pressure has reached a extremely high level include:

Ø A headache that lasts for several days
Ø Nausea
Ø Dizziness
Ø Drowsiness
Ø Blurred or double vision
Ø Irregular heartbeat (palpitations)
Ø Or shortness of breath.

If you experience any of these symptoms, you must see your GP as soon as possible.
If you are diagnosed with high blood pressure, it is very essential for you to have your blood pressure checked on a regular basis. Adults should have their blood pressure checked at least once every five years though, ideally, it should be checked more frequently, particularly if you have any contributory risk factors. Most GP surgeries and clinics work a policy where they will arrange for you to have regular blood pressure checks, and they are also available on request. Children will normally have their blood pressure regularly tested as part of their regular health check-ups.

Calcium Channel Blockers

Calcium channel blockers are a class of drugs that block the entrance of calcium into the muscle cells of the heart and the arteries. It is the entrance of calcium into these cells that causes the heart to contract and arteries to narrow. Through blocking the entry of calcium, CCBs decrease contraction of the heart and dilate (widen) the arteries.

In order to pump blood, the heart request oxygen. The harder the heart works, the extra oxygen it requires. Angina (heart pain) occurs when the supply of oxygen to the heart is insufficient for the amount of work the heart must do. By dilating the arteries, CCBs decrease the pressure in the arteries. This makes it easier for the heart to pump blood, and, as a result, the heart needs a lesser amount of oxygen. Through reducing the heart's need for oxygen, CCBs relieve or prevent angina. CCBs also are used for treating high blood pressure since their blood pressure-lowering effects. CCBs also slow the rate at which the heart beats and are then used for treating certain types of abnormally rapid heart rhythms.

Cancer

Cancer (medical term: malignant neoplasm) is a group of diseases in which a group of cells display the traits of uncontrolled growth (growth and division beyond the normal limits), invasion (intrusion on and destruction of adjacent tissues), and sometimes metastasis (spread to other locations in the body via lymph or blood). These three malignant properties of cancers distinguish them from benign tumors, which are self-limited, do not invade or metastasize. Mainly cancers form a tumor but some, like leukemia, do not.

Almost all cancers are caused by abnormalities in the genetic material of the transformed cells. These abnormalities may be cause due to the effects of carcinogens, such as tobacco smoke, radiation, chemicals, or infectious agents. Other cancer-promoting genetic abnormalities may be accidentally acquired through errors in DNA replication, or are inherited, and thus present in all cells from birth. Complex interactions between carcinogens and the host genome may clarify why only some develop cancer after exposure to a known carcinogen. New aspects of the genetics of cancer pathogenesis, such as DNA methylation, and microRNAs are gradually more being recognized as important.

Toothache

Toothache generally refers to pain around the teeth or jaws. In most instances, toothaches are caused by tooth or jaw troubles, such as a dental cavity, a cracked tooth, an exposed tooth root, gum disease, disease of the jaw joint (temporo- mandibular joint), or spasms of the muscles used for chewing. The severity of a toothache can vary from chronic and mild to sharp and excruciating. The pain may be irritated by chewing or by cold or heat. A thorough oral examination, which includes dental x-rays, can help to find out the cause, whether the toothache is coming from a tooth or jaw problem.

Occasionally, a toothache may be caused by a problem not originating from a tooth or the jaw. Pain around the teeth and the jaws may be symptoms of diseases of the heart (such as angina or heart attack), ears (such as inner or external ear infections), and sinuses (air passages of the cheek bones).

Chickenpox Symptoms

Healthy children normally experience one to two days of fever, sore throat, and malaise approximately two weeks following exposure to VZV. Within 24 hours of these symptoms, a characteristic rash develops at first on the torso and then spreads over the next seven to 10 days outward to the head, arms, and legs. The rash progresses through a predictable development from a red papule ("bug bite") look to blister ("vesicle") to pustule and then scabs over. The vesicle and pustular fluids are extremely concentrated with infectious virus particles. New lesions normally come in "waves" over the skin surface. The patient may thus have recently formed papules, middle-aged vesicles and pustules, and crusted lesions all at the same time. At the highest point of the disease, a patient may have over 300 skin lesions at one time. Once all lesions are scabbed over, the human being is no longer contagious.

symptoms of kidney failure

In the commencement, kidney failure may be asymptomatic (not producing any symptoms). As kidney function reduces, the symptoms are related to the inability to regulate water and electrolyte balances, to clear waste products from the body, and to promote red blood cell production. Lethargy, weakness, shortness of breath, and generalized swelling could happen. Unrecognized or untreated, life-threatening situation can develop.

Metabolic acidosis, or increased acidity of the body due to the inability to produce bicarbonate, will alter enzyme and oxygen metabolism, causing organ failure.Lack of ability to excrete potassium and rising potassium levels in the serum (hyperkalemia) is associated with fatal heart rhythm disturbances (arrhythmias).

Increasing urea levels in the blood (uremia) can affect the function of a variety of organs ranging from the brain (encephalopathy) with alteration of thinking, to inflammation of the heart lining (pericarditis), to decreased muscle function because of low calcium levels (hypocalcemia).

Cholera

Cholera, sometimes known as Asiatic cholera or epidemic cholera, is a contagious gastroenteritis caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae.[1][2] Transmission to humans occurs through the course of ingesting contaminated water or food. The major reservoir for cholera was long understood to be humans themselves, but considerable evidence exists that aquatic environments can serve as reservoirs of the bacteria.

Vibrio cholerae is a Gram-negative bacterium that produce cholera toxin, an enterotoxin, whose action on the mucosal epithelium lining of the small intestine is responsible for the characteristic massive diarrhoea of the disease.[1] In its most severe forms, cholera is one of the most speedily fatal illnesses known, and a healthy person may become hypotensive within an hour of the onset of symptoms; infected patients may die within three hours if treatment is not provided.[1] In a common situation, the disease progresses from the first liquid stool to shock in 4 to 12 hours, with death following in 18 hours to several days without oral rehydration therapy.[3][4]

Typhoid Symptoms

Typhoid fever is characterize by a continued fever as high as 40°C (104°F), profuse sweating, gastroenteritis, and nonbloody diarrhea. Less generally a rash of flat, rose-colored spots may appear.[3]

Naturally, the course of untreated typhoid fever is divided into four individual stages, each lasting approximately one week. In the first week, there is a gradually rising temperature with relative bradycardia, malaise, headache and cough. Epistaxis is seen in a sector of cases and abdominal pain is also possible. There may be a leukopenia with eosinopenia and relative lymphocytosis, a positive diazo reaction and blood cultures are positive for Salmonella Typhi or Paratyphi. The typical Widal test is negative in the first week.

In the second week of the illness, the patient lies prostrated with high fever in plateau around 104°F (40°C) and bradycardia (Sphygmo-thermic dissociation), classically with a dicrotic pulse wave. Delirium is common, frequently calm, but sometimes agitated. This delirium gives to typhoid the pet name of "nervous fever". Rose spots show on the lower chest and abdomen in around 1/3 patients. There are rhonchi in lung basis. The abdomen is swollen and painful in the right lower quadrant where borborygmi can be heard. Diarrhea can occur in this stage: six to eight stools in a day, green with a typical smell, comparable to pea-soup. But, constipation is also frequent. The spleen and liver are distended (hepatosplenomegaly) and tender and there is elevation of liver transaminases. The Widal reaction is powerfully positive with antiO and antiH antibodies. Blood cultures are at times still positive at this stage.
.

Asthma Symptoms

People with asthma knowledge symptoms when the airways tighten, inflame, or fill with mucus. Regular symptoms of asthma include:

Ø Coughing, particularly at night
Ø Wheezing
Ø Smallness of breath
Ø Chest tightness, pain, or pressure


Still, not all person with asthma has the similar symptoms in the same way. You may not have all of these symptoms, or you may have dissimilar symptoms at different times. Your asthma symptoms may also differ from one asthma attack to the next, being mild during one asthma attack and severe during another.

A few people with asthma may go for extended periods without having any symptoms, interrupted by periodic worsening of their symptoms called asthma attacks. Others may have asthma symptoms every day. In addition, a few people with asthma may only have asthma during exercise or asthma with viral infections like colds.