Medicine

Medicine
This Blog is for information only. You should be treated only from a specialized physician in your area!

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Heart failure shouldn't be your failure!

First of all, this will not be an easy topic. And it surely will be too far from funny.
Well, people die. Despite of legends, none has lived forever. The only two sure things in the world are Death and Taxes. For the fact that this website is mainly about medicine and health conditions, I’m not talking about Taxes!
But, what are the most frequent causes of death?
More than 30 % of deaths are caused only by cardiovascular problems. It means that there comes a time in life, in which the heart or the blood vessels give up! No more blood circulation, no more living. There are also a lot of other organ disorders that can make the heart stop. Then we have to mention other death causes, like Cancer, Infections, Trauma and many many others.


Congestive heart failure, edema, coughing
Heart failure symptoms

Symptoms and treatment of Iron Deficiency Anemia

Iron Deficiency Anemia is called the blood disease in which the total number of red blood cells is diminished because of a Lower-than-normal quantity of Iron in the body. This condition is also called:
-Sideropenic Anemia (from ancient greek: Sideros=iron, Paenia=less, An=absent, Haemia=blood)
-Sideropenic Microcytic Anemia (from ancient greek: Micro=small, Cytic=cellular)
-It is also spelled Anaemia.


 by andres.thor
Iron deficiency anemia

Monday, October 11, 2010

Understanding Achalasia, the "impossible-eating" disorder!

Achalasia is a disorder of the esophagus in which the lower sphincter is not fully loosened, remaining contracted and not allowing foods to go in the stomach. From Ancient Greek  (a-, “not”) +  (khalasis, “relaxation”) < (khala, “I loosen”). This disease is also called:
Achalasia cardiae, Cardiospasm, Esophageal achalasia and Esophageal aperistalsis.
This condition of the Lower Esophageal Sphincter (LES) is also associated with a difficult creation of peristaltic waves, so that the passage of food through esophagus is made more difficult and impossible.
The causes of Achalasia are generally unknown, except for the American form, caused by Trypanosoma crusi (Chagas Disease). It is thought that also may exist a viral form, but for now everything remains only a hypothesis.
Anatomically, it seems that at the site of LES, there co-exists a Muscular and a Neuronal damage. The neurons that are damaged are commonly “NO-secreting” neurones, and the muscular lining of the esophagus seems thicker than normal.


esophageal achalasia
Blocked Lower Esophageal Sphincter


Saturday, October 9, 2010

The celiac disease, and life without gluten!

Celiac Disease is a condition in which small intestine cells are attacked by immunity, in case of gluten ingestion. Studying the literature, you can find that this disease is named in different ways, for example: Gluten Disease, Celiac sprue, Coeliac disease, and Ciliac disease. However, let’s focus on Pathogenesis, Symptoms, and treatment of this “Not-deadly-but-annoying” condition.
First of all, we have to explain what is Gluten, and it’s pathogenic role in this disease. Gluten is a protein found in several types of wheat, and its derivatives, also in barley and rye. This protein contains a small alcohol-soluble protein, called Gliadin, which is the real “bad guy” in this case. Entered in contact with intestinal cells, gliadin starts an immune reaction, that finishes with the atrophization of the intestinal villi, creating a smooth intestine, not capable of absorption anymore. But, this is not a reaction that happens in every human body. To have the celiac disease, a person has to be predisposed genetically. It’s documented that this disease is mainly a familiar one.


celiac sprue
Gluten disease

Thursday, October 7, 2010

Acute pancreatitis is mortal!



Acute pancreatitis is an inflammation of the pancreatic gland, that is caused by multiple factors. The signs and symptoms of Acute pancreatitis include:
-Severe Abdominal Pain, that is also referred as Belly Pain
-Vomiting
-Adynamic Ileus
-Hypovolemia
-SIRS (Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome)
-Shock

alchoolic cause of pancreatitis
alchoolic cause of pancreatitis


Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Should i be worried about Lyme's disease?

should i be worried about lyme’s disease?

Before answering this very practical question, we should start explaining what is this disease. Lyme’s disease (also called Borreliosis, deriving from the name Borrelia, the Bacteria that is causing the infection), is a Zoonosis, that means, an infection that is mainly present in animals, but can harm man. The Borrelias are part of the Spirocheta family, the same family in which the Treponema Pallidum belongs (Treponema is the causing agent of Syphilis).
The three known Borrelias that cause Lymes disease are:
Borrelia BURGDORFERI
Borrelia AFZELII
Borrelia GARIINI
The transmission of Borrelia is helped by Tick bites. Ticks take Borrelias from Rats, and inject them to humans. The injection is made in the skin, and here is the place where the bacteria start reproducing and entering deeply in the body. The ticks are different in different world regions, and this in part explains the different distribution of the disease.(www.willilive.com)

Friday, October 1, 2010

How long will I live with Mesothelioma?

Mesothelioma (From greek, Meso=Middle and Thelio=Tunic, Clothing), is a malignant tumor of the serous membranes of the body. This membranes serve as lining between external and internal parts of the body, mainly:
Between the Chest and Lungs: Pleura
Between the Abdominal walls and Abdominal organs: Peritoneum
Between the Heart and Lungs: Pericardium etc.
Mesothelioma from Asbestosis

Thursday, September 30, 2010

What is Leiomyomata? Will i live?

Leiomyomata is the plural of Leiomyoma. Now you're asking: What the heck is Leiomyoma?
Leiomyoma derives from greek: Leio=smooth, My(Myos)=Muscle, Oma=Tumor, swelling.
So we are talking about a tumor of the smooth muscle. Thank god, in this case the tumor is a Benign one (From Italian: Benign(Bene)=Good).
The most frequent case of leiomyoma is that of the "Leiomyoma of the uterus".
Leiomyomata

Can I get rid of Psoriasis?

So, you had some embarrassing skin lesions, and you went to the doctor, and after some tests he stated that you have Psoriasis. I think you know how you felt. "Psoriasis? Is that a word?"
And than you started asking god (well, i meant Google) what is psoriasis and how could you turn your old beautiful skin back!
get rid of psoriasis

The therapy of Psoriasis varies from the gravity of your lesions. I'll make it simple:
You have some small skin lesions, You use Topic preparations;
You have large skin lesions, you start Systemic therapy.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

This is the spleen of a person who suffers from thalassemia!


Splenectomy does not cure the disease, or last the life of the patient! It is a treatment targeted in prolonging the life of red blood cells, so that the patient can have a longer time without transfusion. However, your doctor should tell you that after removing your spleen, you are more prone to infections!

Will Benign prostatic hyperplasia be life threatening for me?

First of all, your disease is not a disease. Yes, it's true. Every man's prostate grows continually, and there comes an age, when this starts to disturb urination. This disturbance is related to the blocking of your urinary duct that is inside of your prostate. By the age of 80, 75 % have disturbing symptoms from Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia!!!
This condition has other names, because of non coherence of various urologists. It can be called:
Benign prostatic hypertrophy
Benign enlargement of the prostate 
Adenofibromyomatous hyperplasia

Will I Live?
Yes, of course! You should have known it from the name BENIGN (Italian: Bene=Good). This condition is not life threatening, and can be totally cured. There are some little risks although. For example:
If your urine is blocked for a long time, there is a risk that your bladder germs go up to the kidneys, and cause a Pyelonefritis. It's a serious condition!
Also, if a doctor chooses to place a catheter in your urinary duct to the bladder, it should't be kept for long, as it can cause Serious Infections.
If you are placed under surgery, your prostate will be gone forever. If you are in a fertile age, be sure to COMMAND the doctor to take some more time with your spermatic ducts!!!!

Watch an example of prostate mini invasive surgery:

I am diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML), will i live?

Acute Myeloid Leukemia is a frequent cancer of the blood cells. It's frequency increases with the increasing of age. Before treatment existed this type of cancer was totally mortal, and with the therapy that is used nowadays, its survival rate is bigger, up to 90 % in case of Acute promyelocitic leukemia. It is thought that one of the main causes of this Leukemia, is the BENZENE exposure.

So, lets start with the basics. As of the FAB classification, your disease can be classified in 8 groups, from AML-M0 to AML-M7.
The worst prognosis is AML-M0, and the best prognosis is AML-M3.