Saturday, 31 August 2013

Human papillomavirus infection may increase the risk of developing penile cancer


Anything that increases your chance of getting a disease is called a risk factor. Having a risk factor does not mean that you will get cancer; not having risk factors doesn't mean that you will not get cancer. People who think they may be at risk should discuss this with their doctor. Risk factors for penile cancer include the following: Circumcision may help prevent infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). A circumcision is an operation in which the doctor removes part or all of the foreskin from the penis. Many boys are circumcised shortly after birth. Men who were not circumcised at birth may have a higher risk of developing penile cancer. Other risk factors for penile cancer include the following: Being age 60 or older. Having phimosis (a condition in which the foreskin of the penis cannot be pulled back over the glans). Having poor personal hygiene. Having many sexual partners. Using tobacco products.

What do the kidneys do?


The kidneys are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. They are located near the middle of the back, just below the rib cage, one on each side of the spine. The kidneys are sophisticated reprocessing machines. Every day, a person's kidneys process about 200 quarts of blood to sift out about 2 quarts of waste products and extra water. The wastes and extra water become urine, which flows to the bladder through tubes called ureters. The kidneys remove wastes and water from the blood to form urine. Urine flows from the kidneys to the bladder through the ureters. Wastes in the blood come from the normal breakdown of active tissues, such as muscles, and from food. The body uses food for energy and self-repairs. After the body has taken what it needs from food, wastes are sent to the blood. If the kidneys did not remove them, these wastes would build up in the blood and damage the body. The actual removal of wastes occurs in tiny units inside the kidneys called nephrons. Each kidney has about a million nephrons. In the nephron, a glomerulus-which is a tiny blood vessel, or capillary-intertwines with a tiny urine-collecting tube called a tubule. The glomerulus acts as a filtering unit, or sieve, and keeps normal proteins and cells in the bloodstream, allowing extra fluid and wastes to pass through. A complicated chemical exchange takes place, as waste materials and water leave the blood and enter the urinary system. Drawing of a kidney. Labels show where blood with wastes enter the kidney, clean blood leaves the kidney, and wastes (urine) are sent to the bladder. An inset shows a microscopic view of a nephron. Labels point to the glomerulus and the tubule. In the nephron (left), tiny blood vessels intertwine with urine-collecting tubes. Each kidney contains about 1 million nephrons. At first, the tubules receive a combination of waste materials and chemicals the body can still use. The kidneys measure out chemicals like sodium, phosphorus, and potassium and release them back to the blood to return to the body. In this way, the kidneys regulate the body's level of these substances. The right balance is necessary for life. In addition to removing wastes, the kidneys release three important hormones: erythropoietin, or EPO, which stimulates the bone marrow to make red blood cells renin, which regulates blood pressure calcitriol, the active form of vitamin D, which helps maintain calcium for bones and for normal chemical balance in the body

Heart Attacks and Heart Disease


More than a million Americans have heart attacks each year. A heart attack, or myocardial infarction (MI), is permanent damage to the heart muscle. "Myo" means muscle, "cardial" refers to the heart, and "infarction" means death of tissue due to lack of blood supply. What Happens During a Heart Attack? The heart muscle requires a constant supply of oxygen-rich blood to nourish it. The coronary arteries provide the heart with this critical blood supply. If you have coronary artery disease, those arteries become narrow and blood cannot flow as well as they should. Fatty matter, calcium, proteins, and inflammatory cells build up within the arteries to form plaques of different sizes. The plaque deposits are hard on the outside and soft and mushy on the inside. When the plaque is hard, the outer shell cracks (plaque rupture), platelets (disc-shaped particles in the blood that aid clotting) come to the area, and blood clots form around the plaque. If a blood clot totally blocks the artery, the heart muscle becomes "starved" for oxygen. Within a short time, death of heart muscle cells occurs, causing permanent damage. This is a heart attack. While it is unusual, a heart attack can also be caused by a spasm of a coronary artery. During a coronary spasm, the coronary arteries restrict or spasm on and off, reducing blood supply to the heart muscle (ischemia). It may occur at rest, and can even occur in people without significant coronary artery disease. Each coronary artery supplies blood to a region of heart muscle. The amount of damage to the heart muscle depends on the size of the area supplied by the blocked artery and the time between injury and treatment. Healing of the heart muscle begins soon after a heart attack and takes about eight weeks. Just like a skin wound, the heart's wound heals and a scar will form in the damaged area. But, the new scar tissue does not contract. So, the heart's pumping ability is lessened after a heart attack. The amount of lost pumping ability depends on the size and location of the scar. Heart Attack Symptoms Symptoms of a heart attack include: Discomfort, pressure, heaviness, or pain in the chest, arm, or below the breastbone Discomfort radiating to the back, jaw, throat, or arm Fullness, indigestion, or choking feeling (may feel like heartburn) Sweating, nausea, vomiting, or dizziness Extreme weakness, anxiety, or shortness of breath Rapid or irregular heartbeats During a heart attack, symptoms last 30 minutes or longer and are not relieved by rest or nitroglycerin under the tongue. Some people have a heart attack without having any symptoms (a "silent" myocardial infarction). A silent MI can occur in anyone, but it is more common among people with diabetes. What Is the Treatment for a Heart Attack? Once heart attack is diagnosed, treatment begins immediately -- possibly in the ambulance or emergency room. Drugs and surgical procedures are used to treat a heart attack. What Drugs Are Used to Treat a Heart Attack? The goals of drug therapy are to break up or prevent blood clots, prevent platelets from gathering and sticking to the plaque, stabilize the plaque, and prevent further ischemia. These medications must be given as soon as possible (within one to two hours from the start of your heart attack) to decrease the amount of heart damage. The longer the delay in starting these drugs, the more damage can occur and the less benefit they can provide. Drugs used during a heart attack may include: Aspirin to prevent blood clotting that may worsen the heart attack Other antiplatelets, such as Brilinta, Effient, or Plavix, to prevent blood clotting Thrombolytic therapy ("clot busters") to dissolve any blood clots in the heart's arteries Any combination of the above Other drugs, given during or after a heart attack, lessen your heart's work, improve the functioning of the heart, widen or dilate your blood vessels, decrease your pain, and guard against any life-threatening heart rhythms. What Lifestyle Changes Are Needed After a Heart Attack? There is no cure for coronary artery disease. In order to prevent the progression of heart disease and another heart attack, you must follow your doctor's advice and make necessary lifestyle changes -- quitting smoking, lowering your blood cholesterol, controlling your diabetes and high blood pressure, following an exercise plan, maintaining an ideal body weight, and controlling stress.

Snake Bites - First Aid and Emergency Treatment Guide


Snake Bites Font Size Overview Causes Symptoms Treatment Prevention Overview Thousands suffer from snake bites, globally, every year People who live near wilderness/trekkers - more prone Even bite from a harmless snake can cause allergic reaction Causes Some common venomous snakes include - Viper Cobra Rattle snake Water moccasin Coral snake Copper head Symptoms Fang marks Swelling/severe pain at the site Bloody discharge from wound Burning Diarrhea Excessive sweating Blurred vision Numbness/tingling sensation Increased thirst Vomiting Fever Loss of muscle co-ordinations Convulsions Rapid pulse Weakness/Dizziness/Fainting Treatment a. Seek Medical help as soon as possible. Meanwhile - Wash wound with soap/water Immobilize the affected area Keep area slightly elevated Apply cool compress/wet cloth to affected part Apply a firm bandage 2-4 inches above bite to i. Prevent venom from spreading ii.Take care of any bleeding b. Monitor for pulse, respiration and blood pressure Prevention Do not attempt to kill a snake. If you spot a snake, leave it alone While hiking or in the woods, stay out of tall grass Do not put your hand into pits/crevices during treks Exercise caution while climbing rocks

RABIES TREATMENT


Rabies is a fatal viral disease of the central nervous system following infected dog bite or due to bite of other animals like cat,fox, etc.It varies from 6weeks to6months. CLINICAL FEATURES- 1- onset 2- hypersalivation 3- hydrophobia 4- bulbar palsy TRETMENT- 1-isolation- The suspected patient of rabies should be isolated in a quiet room with facilities for intensive care. 2-for anxiety- The patient with rabies is conscious and aware of the impendingdeath. Usually diazepam 5-10gm 6hourly is given. 3-nutrition 4-anti-rabies serum- This should be givin if available. Antirabies vaccine may be helpful even after the bite because of long incubation period.