The heart is a muscular pump that fills with blood when the muscle relaxes (diastole) and forces blood out during contraction (systole). The heart sounds are normally a ‘lub dub’ sound when heard with the aid of a stethoscope. It is a result of the closing or snapping back of the heart valves and the flow of >> Read More ...
Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder where a deficiency of insulin or the unresponsiveness of cels to insulin leads to elevated blood glucose levels. Proper treatment and effective management can help delay or even avoid certain complications associated with diabetes mellitus but eventually its effects become evident. >> Read More ...
The human gut, also referred to as the alimentary tract, is a long hollow organ that extends from the mouth to the anus. The longest part of the alimentary tract lies between the stomach and anus – it is known as the intestines or bowel. Broadly, the intestines are made up of the small intestine and large intestine >> Read More ...
The blood vessels of the body are the conduits for blood to travel to and from the heart. Arteries carry oxygen rich blood from the heart to various tissues while veins return it to the heart so that it can be routed to the lungs for oxygenation. Blood vessels are prone to many of the same diseases that affect any other >> Read More ...
Blood pressure is the force that blood exerts against the walls of the vessels it travels through it. Arterial pressure, that is the pressure within arteries which are the blood vessels that carry oxygen and nutrient-rich blood through the body, and it is higher than venous pressure (pressure in the veins). There are >> Read More ...
Human speech depends on three stages – thinking of the words to be spoken (conceptualization), recalling the manner in which these words are formed (formulation) and then speaking it (vocalization). The words that are spoken depends on multiple factors including the thought or emotion at the time, input from the >> Read More ...
A stroke is the death of brain tissue associated with an interruption in blood supply to the brain and results in impairment of normal brain activity. The brain is in need of a constant supply of oxygen and nutrients which reach it through the blood in the arteries, mainly the carotid and vertebral arteries and the >> Read More ...
One of the most important functions of the kidneys in a healthy individual is to filter and remove harmful waste products from the blood. Furthermore, by regulating the amount of urine excreted, the kidneys can help to maintain the fluid balance of the body. Blood electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, and bicarbonate >> Read More ...
Blood flow to the brain needs to be constant and adequate so that a sufficient supply of oxygen and nutrients can reach it. The brain is an ‘oxygen hungry’ organ accounting for about 20% of the oxygen consumption in the body although it only weighs in at 1% to 2% of the total body weight. If there is an >> Read More ...
The brain is in constant need of oxygen and nutrients which are transported via the blood vessels, specifically the arteries. If the blood supply is interrupted for a few seconds, there may be some disruption of brain activity without any permanent damage to the brain tissue. This leads to temporary symptoms that resolves >> Read More ...
