Dangerous Medical Conditions Caused Smoking
Article by Carol Stack
There are many smoking-related health problems. Long-term cigarette smoking can lead to all kinds of medical conditions, one of which is heart disease. We often hear about heart disease being related to smoking but what exactly is it and how does smoking cause it?
Heart disease often relates to coronary artery disease in this context. Coronary artery disease is a condition where a major blood vessel which leaves the heart with oxygen-rich blood is constricted. This means a clot or closure is more likely and either of these can cause a heart attack. That is where the phrase “having a coronary” comes from.
Being a heavy smoker for a long time increases the odds enormously of that happening to you.
One reason for this is that cigarette smoke contains carbon monoxide, which binds with hemoglobin. Hemoglobin is the molecule found in red blood cells which transports oxygen through the body, including to the heart. The less oxygen the heart receives, the more chance of a heart attack.
Nicotine is another substance which reduces blood oxygen and contributes to other potentially harmful conditions. It increases blood clotting which can put you at risk of a heart attack. Nicotine is also responsible for more subtle, dangerous effects. It encourages the growth of fatty deposits on the arteries. This constricts blood flow and hardens the blood vessel.
Smoking decreases the amount of high density lipoprotein, or HDL, which is the “good” type of cholesterol. Losing this encourages fatty deposits to grow. This condition, which is a major factor in heart attack risk, is called atherosclerosis.
If an artery is reduced in diameter, this increases blood pressure, making it more likely that a weakness in the artery wall, or “aneurysm”, will rupture. That in turn causes a stroke, when the brain starved of oxygen. This is why you often hear about strokes and heart disease in the same sentence.
If an artery is hardened, it is not so able to withstand the usual stresses and strains of its function. A blood vessel acts like a hose but is different too. A blood vessel carries fluid like a hose but unlike a hose it is on all the time. The fluid can only be carried if there are no holes in the blood vessel. If the blood slows or stops, this can cause immediate health issues, even if it is only a temporary slowing down or stoppage. Tissues need to receive blood constantly, else they quickly die.
Cigarette smoking also has the overall effect of contributing to heart disease. It causes physical effects that lower health. Shortness of breath, reduced oxygen and other effects which make exercise unpleasant and harder. Lifestyle choices associated with smoking reduce overall fitness.
Lack of exercise resulting in increased body fat percentage and weight gain increases the risk of heart attack and heart disease even more. The body is unable to cope with strains which would otherwise be minor. It cannot withstand serious biological shocks when a heart attack occurs. This means the attack is likely to be fatal.
Long term, one pack a day smokers have up to four times the chance of developing coronary heart disease than non-smokers. Quitting immediately improves your odds. Your circulation improves after three months and after a year the odds are half that of a smoker. After five to fifteen years, you have the same odds as someone who has never smoked.
It’s never too late to stop smoking.
Get much more information about the dangers of smoking, and why it’s a good idea to stop smoking, at http://www.onlinestopsmokingtips.com. Lots of resources to help you quit, encourage you while you are quitting, and more.
Categories: Medical Conditions Caused By Smoking Tags: Caused, Conditions, Dangerous?, medical, Smoking
Is migratory rheumatoid arthritis caused other medical conditions?
Article by Jonathan Mitchell
Painful, rigid joints are the main symptom of rheumatoid arthritis, the actual cause is still unknown although there are many theories about the possible causes. There are many types of arthritis and migratory rheumatoid arthritis is one of them. The symptoms differ little from the normal type, the condition seems to move from joint to joint but not in the same way as with normal Rheumatoid arthritis (RA)which has a typical symmetrical pattern. This type does not move from the right to the left but goes from joint to joint in the same body side. So there is a distinct difference in symptoms.
Do we know the migratory rheumatoid arthritis causes?
That question is not easy to answer because the are many different theories about the actual causes but if you look closer they all add up in the same way. There is a list of different medical conditions that seem to trigger migratory rheumatoid arthritis or are at least in some way connected to this illness. One of those medical conditions is enough to be the trigger it is not necessary to have all of them, one is nor than enough. Most of these medical conditions have in some way to do with the body’s immune system.
The most common conditions are:- Hepatitis B- Hepatitis C- Rheumatic fever- Other forms of arthritis- Lyme disease- HIV- Whipples disease
There are many more and some of these conditions are illnesses that are quite uncommon in the western world these days. Vaccinations, inoculation an education have helped to eliminate the risk of getting these diseases. In countries where this is not the case the risks of catching these kind of condition is much higher.
From one joint to the other
Most of the symptoms of migratory RA are the same as with common arthritis these symptoms include pain in the joint area, stiffness in the joint, swelling ore other signs of inflammation. The most common is off course in all cases of arthritis that the pain is concentrated in and around the joints that are effected, there is just one very distinct difference between the common type of RA and the migratory variety and that is that it can spread from joint to joint and causing the symptoms there also.
Cure and Treatment
As with all other types of arthritis there is no cure, there are many different treatments both regular remedies as natural remedies that can help you to deal with the symptoms but an actual cure is still not in sight yet. Most of the time you can divide the treatment in to types, the painkillers and the ones that help the joint from getting stiff. Most regular medication can have severe side effects and this is a reason for more and more people to make the move to natural and homeopathic remedies. These work on a totally different level and the side effects are non existing or very temporally. Also the use of a diet is something that more people are trying. But remember with everything you do in both regular as natural treatment, you need to keep your doctor informed.
Jonathan Mitchell knows from personal experience what it means to wake up with pain. On blog he tells you about subjects ranging from gouty arthritis to septic arthritis and everything in between.
Categories: Migratory Tags: Arthritis, Caused, Conditions, medical, Migratory, Rheumatoid
Durable Medical Equipment News: The Benefits of Durable Medical Equipment
With today’s advancement of contemporary medicine, it is now feasible to manage a number of serious and chronic diseases and physical trauma at home without having to require for round the clock professional health care. According to durable medical equipment news, this latest trend has made life much more comfortable for the patients and that it actually lessened the amount of time that they need to spend when receiving treatment and being confined in the hospital. This eventually lessens the costs of healthcare.
This benefit is especially significant for those families on low-income levels who are not able to afford comprehensive medical insurances. Durable medical device is one of the primary support alternative for patients in sustaining with home health care, as these items give a number of significant and helpful products that can be utilized in a couple of ways in the home setting to help with issues on mobility, medication dispensing as well as in generally making daily activities a lot easier.
One of the reported benefits of medical equipments in patients according to durable medical equipment news is that, it greatly helps in physical mobility.
There are a couple of disabilities, injuries and illnesses which can make moving around independently very hard and this has led to sole reliance on care providers. With the help of some simple devices, moving around the house could be largely assisted and eventually results to less dependence to others. In addition to this, it also provides a much greater sense of independence and freedom for the patients. The following are some of the most common medical devices that can largely help in addressing mobility issues round the house:
Mobility scooters – a number of patients may experience a difficult time when standing or walking for long periods of time. While these patients are not mobility impaired, and thus, they do not require a power assisted wheelchairs. In these cases, mobility scooters can be a great help as they provide a useful form of short distance transport.
Lifts – trapeze and grab rails are very practical to be used in order to assist the patients to lift themselves up from toilets, baths, beds and chairs. Electric and hydraulic lifts can also be utilized for a more severe mobility concerns.
Wheelchairs and walkers – are generally beneficial for patients that find it challenging to support their own weight and move around on their own.
If you are unsure of what type of durable equipment would be suitable for you, it is necessary to consult your doctor of healthcare provider. You may also refer to durable medical equipment news published online to know more about the different types of devices that are available and which of them would be the best for your personal case. Durable medical equipment news found online also feature a number of charities that also provide assistance and support for patients who are in dire need of these equipments and can give a lot of practical advice about the various kinds of devices available. These charities may also be able to provide some funding toward assisting the patients to buy this equipment.
Are you ready to learn more about Durable Medical Equipment News? Visit http://www.medicalpulse.com/ for more information.
Insite supreme court ruling: news conference
Image by Vancouver Coastal Health
A news conference to dissect Friday morning’s Supreme Court of Canada ruling included Insite’s supporting partners: (from left to right) Liz Evans, representing the Portland Hotel Society; Dr. Patricia Daly, Chief Medical Health Officer, Vancouver Coastal Health; Dr. Julio Montaner, Director, BC Centre for Excellence for HIV/AIDS; Dr. Thomas Kerr, BC Centre for Excellence for HIV/AIDS.
Vancouver Coastal Health confirmed on September 30, 2011, it will continue to operate Insite, North America’s only supervised injection site, following a unanimous Supreme Court of Canada ruling today that supported its ongoing operation.
The ruling, handed down at 6:45am Pacific Time, follows a lengthy legal process that commenced in 2006 when a statement of claim was filed in BC Supreme Court seeking a declaration that the Federal Government could not constitutionally prevent Insite from operating.
Read the news story on the Vancouver Coastal Health website to learn more.
Question by Angel A: What is a very interesting recent medical news? and what do u think of stem cell research?
IN details please.
Best answer:
Answer by Josh B
Stem cell reserch = playing God = NO GO!
What do you think? Answer below!
