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The term subclavian steal describes retrograde blood flow in the vertebral artery associated with proximal ipsilateral subclavian artery stenosis or occlusion, usually in the setting of subclavian artery occlusion or stenosis proximal to the origin of the vertebral artery. Alternatively, innominate artery disease has also been associated with retrograde flow in the ipsilateral vertebral artery, particularly where the subclavian artery origin is involved. Subclavian steal is frequently asymptomatic and may be discovered incidentally on ultrasound or angiographic examination for other indications, or it may be prompted by a clinical examination finding of reduced unilateral upper limb pulse or blood pressure. In some cases, patients may develop upper limb ischemic symptoms due to reduced arterial flow in the setting of subclavian artery occlusion, or they may develop neurologic symptoms due to posterior circulation ischemia associated with exercise of the ipsilateral arm.[1] Treatment has traditionally consisted of open subclavian artery revascularization, typically via carotid-subclavian bypass or subclavian artery transposition, which are generally durable procedures. Newer, less invasive options include endovascular intervention with recanalization as appropriate and angioplasty and stenting if required. The clinical relevance of subclavian steal was described in 1961 by Reivich, Holling and Roberts; however, the recognition of retrograde vertebral artery flow dates back another 100 years to Harrison and Smyth. Some papers, including a previous version of this article, advocate restricting the term subclavian steal to patients with neurologic symptoms only, but this is incorrect in view of the substantial literature using this term to describe the hemodynamic scenario of retrograde vertebral flow and proximal subclavian artery disease.
Menopause is defined as occurring 12 months after your last menstrual period and marks the end of menstrual cycles. Menopause can happen in your 40s or 50s, but the average age is 51 in the United States. Menopause is a natural biological process. Although it also ends fertility, you can stay healthy, vital and sexual. Some women feel relieved because they no longer need to worry about pregnancy. Even so, the physical symptoms, such as hot flashes, and emotional symptoms of menopause may disrupt your sleep, lower your energy or — for some women — trigger anxiety or feelings of sadness and loss. Don't hesitate to seek treatment for symptoms that bother you. Many effective treatments are available, from lifestyle adjustments to hormone therapy.
Breast cancer usually starts off in the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply them with milk. A malignant tumor can spread to other parts of the body. A breast cancer that started off in the lobules is known as lobular carcinoma, while one that developed from the ducts is called ductal carcinoma. The vast majority of breast cancer cases occur in females. This article focuses on breast cancer in women. We also have an article about male breast cancer. Breast cancer is the most common invasive cancer in females worldwide. It accounts for 16% of all female cancers and 22.9% of invasive cancers in women. 18.2% of all cancer deaths worldwide, including both males and females, are from breast cancer. Breast cancer rates are much higher in developed nations compared to developing ones. There are several reasons for this, with possibly life-expectancy being one of the key factors - breast cancer is more common in elderly women; women in the richest countries live much longer than those in the poorest nations. The different lifestyles and eating habits of females in rich and poor countries are also contributory factors, experts believe. According to the National Cancer Institute, 232,340 female breast cancers and 2,240 male breast cancers are reported in the USA each year, as well as about 39,620 deaths caused by the disease.
Primary infection with herpes simplex viruses (HSVs) is clinically more severe than recurrent outbreaks. However, most primary HSV-1 and HSV-2 infections are subclinical and may never be clinically diagnosed. Orolabial herpes Herpes labialis (eg, cold sores, fever blisters) is most commonly associated with HSV-1 infection. Oral lesions caused by HSV-2 have been identified, usually secondary to orogenital contact. Primary HSV-1 infection often occurs in childhood and is usually asymptomatic. Primary infection Symptoms of primary herpes labialis may include a prodrome of fever, followed by a sore throat and mouth and submandibular or cervical lymphadenopathy. In children, gingivostomatitis and odynophagia are also observed. Painful vesicles develop on the lips, the gingiva, the palate, or the tongue and are often associated with erythema and edema. The lesions ulcerate and heal within 2-3 weeks. Recurrences The disease remains dormant for a variable amount of time. HSV-1 reactivation in the trigeminal sensory ganglia leads to recurrences in the face and the oral, labial, and ocular mucosae. Pain, burning, itching, or paresthesia usually precedes recurrent vesicular lesions that eventually ulcerate or form a crust. The lesions most commonly occur in the vermillion border, and symptoms of untreated recurrences last approximately 1 week. Recurrent erythema multiforme lesions have been associated with orolabial HSV-1 recurrences. A recent study reported that HSV-1 viral shedding had a median duration of 48-60 hours from the onset of herpes labialis symptoms. They did not detect any virus beyond 96 hours of symptom onset.[7] Genital herpes HSV-2 is identified as the most common cause of herpes genitalis. However, HSV-1 has been increasingly identified as the causative agent in as many as 30% of cases of primary genital herpes infections likely secondary to orogenital contact. Recurrent genital herpes infections are almost exclusively caused by HSV-2. Primary infection Primary herpes genitalis occurs within 2 days to 2 weeks after exposure to the virus and has the most severe clinical manifestations. Symptoms of the primary episode typically last 2-3 weeks. In men, painful, erythematous, vesicular lesions that ulcerate most commonly occur on the penis, but they can also occur on the anus and the perineum. In women, primary herpes genitalis presents as vesicular/ulcerated lesions on the cervix and as painful vesicles on the external genitalia bilaterally. They can also occur on the vagina, the perineum, the buttocks, and, at times, the legs in a sacral nerve distribution. Associated symptoms include fever, malaise, edema, inguinal lymphadenopathy, dysuria, and vaginal or penile discharge. Females may also have lumbosacral radiculopathy, and as many as 25% of women with primary HSV-2 infections may have associated aseptic meningitis. Recurrences After primary infection, the virus may be latent for months to years until a recurrence is triggered. Reactivation of HSV-2 in the lumbosacral ganglia leads to recurrences below the waist. Recurrent clinical outbreaks are milder and often preceded by a prodrome of pain, itching, tingling, burning, or paresthesia. Individuals who are exposed to HSV and have asymptomatic primary infections may experience an initial clinical episode of genital herpes months to years after becoming infected. Such an episode is not as severe as a true primary outbreak. More than one half of individuals who are HSV-2 seropositive do not experience clinically apparent outbreaks. However, these individuals still have episodes of viral shedding and can transmit the virus to their sexual partners. Other HSV infections Localized or disseminated eczema herpeticum is also known as Kaposi varicelliform eruption. Caused by HSV-1, eczema herpeticum is a variant of HSV infection that commonly develops in patients with atopic dermatitis, burns, or other inflammatory skin conditions. Children are most commonly affected. Herpes whitlow, vesicular outbreaks on the hands and the digits, was most commonly due to infection with HSV-1. It usually occurred in children who sucked their thumbs and, prior to the widespread use of gloves, in dental and medical health care workers. The occurrence of herpes whitlow due to HSV-2 is increasingly recognized, probably due to digital-genital contact. Herpes gladiatorum is caused by HSV-1 and is seen as papular or vesicular eruptions on the face, arms, or torsos of athletes in sports involving close physical contact (classically wrestling). Disseminated HSV infection can occur in females who are pregnant and in individuals who are immunocompromised. These patients may present with atypical signs and symptoms of HSV, and the condition may be difficult to diagnose. Herpetic sycosis, a follicular infection with HSV, may present as a vesiculopustular eruption on the beard area. This infection often results from autoinoculation after shaving through a recurrent herpetic outbreak. Classically caused by HSV-1, there have been rare reports of relapsing beard folliculitis caused by type 2 HSV.[8] Neonatal HSV HSV-2 infection in pregnancy can have devastating effects on the fetus. Neonatal HSV usually manifests within the first 2 weeks of life and clinically ranges from localized skin, mucosal, or eye infections to encephalitis, pneumonitis, disseminated infection, and demise. Most women who deliver infants with neonatal HSV had no prior history, signs, or symptoms of HSV infection. Risk of transmission is highest in pregnant women who are seronegative for both HSV-1 and HSV-2 and acquire a new HSV infection in the third trimester of pregnancy. Factors that increase the risk of transmission from mother to baby include the type of genital infection at the time of delivery (higher risk with active primary infection), active lesions, prolonged rupture of membranes, vaginal delivery, and an absence of transplacental antibodies. The mortality rate for neonates is extremely high (>80%) if untreated.
A drug allergy is the abnormal reaction of your immune system to a medication. Any medication — over-the-counter, prescription or herbal — is capable of inducing a drug allergy. However, a drug allergy is more likely with certain medications. The most common signs and symptoms of drug allergy are hives, rash or fever. A drug allergy may cause serious reactions, including anaphylaxis, a life-threatening condition that affects multiple body systems. A drug allergy is not the same as drug side effects, the known possible reactions that are listed on a drug label. A drug allergy is also distinct from drug toxicity caused by an overdose of medication.
The bones, ligaments and tendons that make up your shoulder joint are encased in a capsule of connective tissue. Frozen shoulder occurs when this capsule thickens and tightens around the shoulder joint, restricting its movement. Doctors aren't sure why this happens to some people, although it's more likely to occur in people who have diabetes or those who recently had to immobilize their shoulder for a long period, such as after surgery or an arm fracture.
Menstruation is the time of month when the womb (uterus) sheds its lining and vaginal bleeding occurs. This is known as a menstrual period. Periods vary widely from woman to woman. Some periods are punctual, some are unpredictable. On average, a woman gets her period every 24 to 38 days. A period usually lasts about two to eight days. Irregular periods may require treatment. What Are Irregular Periods? You may have irregular periods if: The time between each period starts to change. You are losing more or less blood during a period than usual. The number of days that your period lasts varies significantly. There are different terms for different types of irregular periods: Irregular Menstrual Bleeding (IrregMB): Bleeding of more than 20 days in individual cycle lengths over a period of one year. Absent Menstrual Bleeding (amenorrhea): No bleeding in a 90-day period. Heavy Menstrual Bleeding (HMB): Excessive menstrual blood loss that interferes with the woman’s physical, emotional, social, and material quality of life and can occur alone or in combination with other symptoms. Heavy and Prolonged Menstrual Bleeding (HPMB): Less common than HMB. It is important to make a distinction from HMB given they may have different etiologies and respond to different therapies. Light Menstrual Bleeding: Based on patient complaint, rarely related to pathology.
ERCP is a procedure that enables your physician to examine the pancreatic and bile ducts. A bendable, lighted tube (endoscope) about the thickness of your index finger is placed through your mouth and into your stomach and first part of the small intestine (duodenum). In the duodenum a small opening is identified (ampulla) and a small plastic tube (cannula) is passed through the endoscope and into this opening. Dye (contrast material) is injected and X-rays are taken to study the ducts of the pancreas and liver.
Autologous arteriovenous access is the key to long-term success with hemodialysis and is strongly supported by the National Kidney Foundation's Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. Basilic vein transposition (BVT) fulfills the need for a durable conduit with high patency and maturation rates. This retrospective review examines a single group's experience with this procedure. All patients undergoing BVT for hemodialysis with available follow-up data were reviewed. Telephone interviews were used to supplement clinical data where needed. Functional assisted patency was used as the end point for this procedure, and if the access was never used for dialysis, then the patency was considered zero. Secondary interventions performed while the access remained patent and in use were not considered detrimental to the patency reported. One hundred seventy BVTs in 162 patients were performed between November 1992 and October 2001. There were 87 women (53.7%) and 112 black patients (69.1%); hypertension was present in 138 patients (85.2%) and diabetes in 89 patients (54.9%). Each year, an increasing incidence of BVT was performed in our dialysis population. The BVT was performed as the first access in that extremity in 73 of the procedures (42.9%). Functional patency (primary assisted) was achieved in 40.0% at 2 years and 15.2% at 5 years. The mean assisted patency was 14.6 months. To maintain BVT patency, 40 percutaneous secondary interventions (69.0%) and 18 surgical revisions (31.0%) occurred in 32 patients (19.0%). Ligation for swelling was necessary in 4 patients (2.5%), and steal syndrome occurred in 3 patients (1.9%). BVT is a useful autologous procedure for hemodialysis and the preferred access alternative in patients without an adequate cephalic vein. Although patencies remain poor relative to other conventional arterial vascular procedures, BVT is our most durable hemodialysis access procedure and is often the only available autologous conduit for hemodialysis.
each type of heart problem requires different treatment but may share similar warning signs. It is important to see your doctor so that you can receive a correct diagnosis and prompt treatment. Learn to recognize the symptoms that may signal heart disease. Call your doctor if you begin to have new symptoms or if they become more frequent or severe. Symptoms of Coronary Artery Disease The most common symptom of coronary artery disease is angina, or chest pain. Angina can be described as a discomfort, heaviness, pressure, aching, burning, fullness, squeezing, or painful feeling in your chest. It can be mistaken for indigestion or heartburn. Angina may also be felt in the shoulders, arms, neck, throat, jaw, or back. Other symptoms of coronary artery disease include: Shortness of breath Palpitations (irregular heart beats, or a "flip-flop" feeling in your chest) A faster heartbeat Weakness or dizziness Nausea Sweating
Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. You may have sleep apnea if you snore loudly, and you feel tired even after a full night's sleep. The main types of sleep apnea are: Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax. Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing. Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. If you think you might have any form of sleep apnea, see your doctor. Treatment can ease your symptoms and may help prevent heart problems and other complications.
Your headache symptoms can help your doctor determine its cause and the appropriate treatment. Most headaches aren't the result of a serious illness, but some may result from a life-threatening condition requiring emergency care. Headaches are generally classified by cause: Primary headaches A primary headache is caused by overactivity of or problems with pain-sensitive structures in your head. A primary headache isn't a symptom of an underlying disease. Chemical activity in your brain, the nerves or blood vessels surrounding your skull, or the muscles of your head and neck (or some combination of these factors) can play a role in primary headaches. Some people may also carry genes that make them more likely to develop such headaches. The most common primary headaches are: Cluster headache Migraine (with and without aura) Tension headache (also known as tension-type headache) Trigeminal autonomic cephalalgia (TAC), such as cluster headache and paroxysmal hemicrania A few headache patterns also are generally considered types of primary headache, but are less common. These headaches have distinct features, such as an unusual duration or pain associated with a certain activity. Although generally considered primary, each could be a symptom of an underlying disease. They include: Chronic daily headaches (for example, chronic migraine, chronic tension-type headache, or hemicranias continua) Cough headaches Exercise headaches Sex headaches Some primary headaches can be triggered by lifestyle factors, including: Alcohol, particularly red wine Certain foods, such as processed meats that contain nitrates Changes in sleep or lack of sleep Poor posture Skipped meals Stress Secondary headaches A secondary headache is a symptom of a disease that can activate the pain-sensitive nerves of the head. Any number of conditions — varying greatly in severity — may cause secondary headaches. Possible causes of secondary headaches include: Acute sinusitis Arterial tears (carotid or vertebral dissections) Blood clot (venous thrombosis) within the brain — separate from stroke Brain aneurysm (a bulge in an artery in your brain) Brain AVM (brain arteriovenous malformation) — an abnormal formation of brain blood vessels Brain tumor Carbon monoxide poisoning Chiari malformation (structural problem at the base of your skull) Concussion Dehydration Dental problems Ear infection (middle ear) Encephalitis (brain inflammation) Giant cell arteritis (inflammation of the lining of the arteries) Glaucoma (acute angle closure glaucoma) Hangovers
Infections can cause inflammation of the brain ( encephalitis). Viruses are the most common causes of encephalitis. Infections can also cause inflammation of the layers of tissue (meninges) that cover the brain and spinal cord—called meningitis. Often, bacterial meningitis spreads to the brain, causing encephalitis.
Hearing loss can affect anyone at any age, due to heredity, medical conditions or loud noise exposure. However, as we get older, we naturally become more susceptible to hearing loss because of changes to the delicate mechanics of our ears.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is very common and can affect people of any age. It affects men and women equally. It is a common cause of sudden cardiac arrest in young people, including young athletes. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occurs if heart muscle cells enlarge and cause the walls of the ventricles (usually the left ventricle) to thicken. The ventricle size often remains normal, but the thickening may block blood flow out of the ventricle. If this happens, the condition is called obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Sometimes the septum, the wall that divides the left and right sides of the heart, thickens and bulges into the left ventricle. This can block blood flow out of the left ventricle. Then the ventricle must work hard to pump blood. Symptoms can include chest pain, dizziness, shortness of breath, or fainting. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy also can affect the heart's mitral valve, causing blood to leak backward through the valve. Sometimes, the thickened heart muscle doesn't block blood flow out of the left ventricle. This is referred to as non-obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The entire ventricle may thicken, or the thickening may happen only at the bottom of the heart. The right ventricle also may be affected. In both obstructive and non-obstructive HCM, the thickened muscle makes the inside of the left ventricle smaller, so it holds less blood. The walls of the ventricle may stiffen, and as a result, the ventricle is less able to relax and fill with blood.
The normal electrical conduction in the heart allows the impulse that is generated by the sinoatrial node (SA node) of the heart to be propagated to (and stimulate) the cardiac muscle (myocardium). The myocardium contracts after stimulation.
Pruritis is itchy skin that makes you want to scratch. It can be caused by many things. Normally, itchy skin isn't serious, but it can make you uncomfortable. Sometimes, itchy skin is caused by a serious medical condition. It can occur in association with a primary rash (e.g. dermatitis) or may occur because of hypersensitive nerves in the skin (neuropathic pruritus). ... Scratching a localised itch may lead to lichen simplex, prurigo or prurigo nodularis. Systemic causes of pruritus. Sytemic diseases may cause generalised pruritus.