What is lithium nephropathy? Lithium nephropathy is a kidney disease that occurs as a result of using lithium. Although trace amounts of lithium are present in the human body, it does not seem to serve any specific function. Lithium is used as a medication to treat certain psychiatric disorders and these patients are at >> Read More ...
Definition Tobacco worker’s lung is a condition marked by lung inflammation and subsequent scarring in the air sacs due to inhaling molds present in tobacco. It is not a lung infection but rather an immune reaction within the lungs to these molds. It is a type of hypersensitivity pneumonitis or extrinsic allergic >> Read More ...
Somatostatinoma Definition Somatostatinomas are rare tumors of the pancreatic cells that secrete the hormone somatostatin. The pancreas is not the only location where somatostatin is produced but larger somatostatinomas are most likely to occur in the pancreas. Since this hormone has a suppressive action on most other >> Read More ...
Myocardial Ischemia Definition Myocardial ischemia is injury to the heart muscle as a result of diminished or interrupted blood supply to the heart wall. The condition needs to be differentiated from myocardial infarction (heart attack). In myocardial ischemia the heart muscle undergoes injury due to an insufficient oxygen >> Read More ...
Cocaine and the Heart Cocaine is a potent illicit stimulant produced from the leaves of the coca plant. It is widely used in the powder form which is inhaled or in the chunky form which is smoked (crack cocaine). Cocaine is often mixed with other substances to ‘cut’ the pure drug, thereby diluting it. Sometimes >> Read More ...
Definition A glucagonoma is a tumor that secretes glucagon, a hormone normally produced in the pancreas and responsible for raising blood sugar (glucose) levels. Glucagonomas are almost entirely found in the pancreas, arising from the alpha-2 cells of the gland, and about 80% of these tumors are malignant (cancerous). The >> Read More ...
What is hypernatremia? Hypernatremia is the state where the sodium levels in the blood are higher than normal. It is more correctly defined as a blood sodium concentration exceeding 145 mmol/L. Hypernatremia is a problem that arises when the body loses water without the equivalent loss of electrolytes like sodium. In other >> Read More ...
Definition A latex allergy is a hypersensitivity reaction to natural rubber latex found in a variety of household, work-related and medical items. Latex is a commonly occurring substance in modern life and particularly in the health care industry. Exposure to latex is therefore often unavoidable. While it does not cause >> Read More ...
What is calcific tendonitis? Calcific tendonitis, or calcifying tendonitis, is a condition where calcium deposits form in the tendons of the rotator cuff muscles. These muscles are commonly referred to as the shoulder muscles. Calcific tendonitis can affect any tendon in the body but it is the rotator cuff tendons that are >> Read More ...
What is pyonephrosis? Pyonephrosis is a condition where pus collects in the kidney as result of an infection with a urinary tract obstruction. A kidney infection, known as pyelonephritis, is mainly bacterial in origin. If the pus cannot drain out of the kidney due to some obstruction in the ureter usually, it accumulated >> Read More ...
