Hypertension does not mean you are suffering from nerves, stress or tension, as the name seems to imply, although many are tense, up-tight individuals. This is the doctor’s medical term which simply means elevated blood pressure. We all have a certain level of blood pressure. If we didn’t the blood would not be able to
Doctors have warned that using organs from animals for human transplants could have potentially devastating consequences for society by introducing new diseases into humans. Six doctors from three separate institutions made the warning in today’s New England Journal of Medicine. The doctors argued in an opinion column in the journal that before attempting such transplants,
Drug experiments which restore sanity and intellect to the senile suggest a future when every child will be a genius. Care to become a genius? A top-rank musician, painter, writer, philosopher, mathematician, inventor, scientist, states man, wizard of finance – or a combination of the lot? In the future geniuses may be manufactured by the
About one in three diabetics dependent on insulin eventually develop kidney failure, requiring dialysis or a kidney transplant to survive. Hope that these problems can be delayed, and perhaps even prevented, comes from the latest research into a new class of drugs called Ace inhibitors. Ace inhibitors, which owe their discovery to research on the
Ritalin is helping millions of children (and their parents) face the problem of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and it has been doing so for more than 75 years. We use the term “helping” very loosely. Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that a drug like Ritalin helps counter the symptoms of Attention
Medically supervised detoxification and rehabilitation therapies are respectively short, medium and long-term strategies for overcoming addiction. Detox units treat physical addiction by medically managing withdrawal to minimize discomfort and the temptation to relapse. Rehab is a program of education and workshops to help people affected by a drug problem manage psychological addiction and prevent relapse.
Serepax, Valium, Ativan, Murelax, Frisium, Xanax, Ducene. These are just a few of the trade names for the tranquilizers marketed by several pharmaceutical companies. Tranquilizers, or anxiolytics (anti-anxiety drugs) are excellent medications if used correctly. Unfortunately, they have received bad press in recent years because of their abuse by a small number of patients. Doctors
Tetanus is the medical name for the disease commonly known as lock-jaw. It is caused by the tetanus bacillus. This tiny but resistant germ gives off a poison which acts upon the nervous system and affects the muscles, causing violent spasms; often the jaw muscles are affected, causing locking of the jaws. The tetanus germ
The mouth is the gateway for all food and nourishment that the body receives. It is also, unfortunately, a gateway for germs, and a lumping-off position for many dangerous infections. This warm, moist cavity is a favorite breeding place for bacteria – the bacteria that cause teeth to decay, and bring about a subsequent breakdown
Arthritis is a pain. And literally, that is what arthritis means, a joint that is painful. It is therefore rather meaningless to say that someone has arthritis, as it depends what type of arthritis is present. Once the type is known, specific measures can be taken to treat it. The mainstay of treatment in nearly
The immune system is the body’s defense force. It protects against infections which threaten to enter through the skin, the mouth, ears, nose, throat and lungs, the intestinal tract, and the openings of the urinary and genital organs. The potential invaders include viruses, bacteria, fungi, small parasites (such as those causing malaria and sleeping sickness)
