For patients and caregivers, understanding clinical progression, diagnostic imaging results, and pharmacological treatment options is vital for managing acute and chronic health conditions.
Albuterol is a medication used to treat breathing difficulties in patients suffering from asthma and chronic bronchitis, reports MedlinePlus, a National Institutes of Health website. Classified as a bronchodilator, albuterol works by widening the airways in the lungs, which allows patients to breath easier.
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Contrary to popular belief, fatigue is not the same as sleepiness, MayoClinic.com notes. Fatigue is often accompanied by a desire to sleep, as well as a lack of motivation to do anything else. Fatigue can be a symptom of several health conditions including liver disease.
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Acute renal failure involves the sudden loss in the kidney’s capacity to function, according to MayoClinic.com. The kidney is a vital organ that filters excess electrolytes and waste materials out of the bloodstream.
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Anesthetics are medications designed to help manage pain by either decreasing pain to tolerable levels or blocking pain outright, according to MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Local anesthesia is an anesthetic that affects the specific body part where it is administered.
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Insulin and glucagon are hormones that help your body regulate blood sugar level. The level increases with the secretion of glucagon and decreases with the release of insulin, advises the “Journal of Clinical Investigation.” The amount of sleep you get affects your body’s release of glucagon and insulin.
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B complex is a supplement that contains all eight B vitamins. These vitamins are essential for numerous physiologic functions, including growth and development. Your diet often supplies the B vitamins you need, but in some cases, you may need a supplement to get sufficient amounts of the vitamins.
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As of 2006 diabetes was the seventh cause of death in the United States, according to the American Diabetes Society. By 2007 the medical costs of diagnosed diabetes exceeded $100 billion. Medication is a major factor in treating diabetes.
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Ringing in the ears, also known as tinnitus, has impacted at least 50 million people in the U.S., according to a report in the August 2010 issue of “American Journal of Medicine.
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Iron is an essential mineral contained in your red blood cells and is what allows them to carry oxygen to every cell in your body, the University of Maryland Medical Center notes. Iron is also stored in your liver, muscles and bone marrow. Iron deficiency is a typical cause of anemia.
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The International Normalized Ratio, or INR, gauges the effectiveness of blood thinning medication such as warfarin. People that are at high risk of blood clot formation, such as those that have suffered heart attacks or strokes, need an INR of about 2.5 to 3.5. However, people with an INR of 2.0 to 3.
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An estimated 25 percent of men begin balding by the age of 30, explains MedlinePlus, a service of the National Institutes of Health. Baldness generally is related to aging, heredity and testosterone.
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Testosterone therapy involves artificially increasing testosterone levels in men who have low testosterone levels due to advanced age, according to MayoClinic.com. The higher levels of testosterone may enhance dwindling mental acuity, elevate sex drive as well as raise overall vigor.
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There are almost 6 million Americans aged 18 and older who are affected by bipolar disorder, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. Bipolar disorder is also called manic-depressive disorder because it causes shifts in mood between depression and mania.
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General anesthesia is a treatment that uses a combination of intravenous drugs and inhaled gases in order to render patients unconscious during medical procedures, according to MayoClinic.com.
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Glucose is the main type of sugar in your body, KidsHealth.com reports. Glucose is your body’s main source of energy. It is obtained from your diet or your body can synthesize it from other chemicals. Fruits can provide you with various amounts of glucose.
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Sodium phosphate is an additive contained in food and beverages, such as sodas, and is also used as a means of purging the large intestine before a colonoscopy. It has been associated with side effects such as diarrhea, but its consumption might also expose you to other hazards such as organ damage.
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Smokers who are interested in quitting can look forward to a number of multiple proven benefits. Prospective quitters, however, should expect to experience symptoms akin to withdrawal from any other addictive substance.
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When a patient is infected with the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, there are some symptoms that can identify the infection early. The initial stage of HIV, according to National Health Services UK, is called primary infection.
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Starvation is a type of malnutrition, which is caused by being deprived of food or eating food that is inadequate for your body’s nutritional needs. Not eating for a day or longer will cause starvation.
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Diabetes is a condition whereby your are unable to properly manage your blood sugar levels without intervention. Type 2 diabetes is a condition when your pancreas produces insufficient amounts of insulin or when your body is unable to properly utilize the insulin in your system.
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