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Heart failure can be ongoing (chronic), or your condition may start suddenly (acute). Heart failure signs and symptoms may include: Shortness of breath (dyspnea) when you exert yourself or when you lie down Fatigue and weakness Swelling (edema) in your legs, ankles and feet Rapid or irregular heartbeat Reduced ability to exercise Persistent cough or wheezing with white or pink blood-tinged phlegm Increased need to urinate at night Swelling of your abdomen (ascites) Sudden weight gain from fluid retention Lack of appetite and nausea Difficulty concentrating or decreased alertness Sudden, severe shortness of breath and coughing up pink, foamy mucus Chest pain if your heart failure is caused by a heart attack
A renal biopsy is a procedure used to extract kidney tissue for laboratory analysis. The word “renal” describes the kidneys. A renal biopsy is also called a kidney biopsy. The test helps your doctor identify the type of kidney disease you have, how severe it is, and the best treatment for it.
Teratomas are tumors made up of tissues, such as hair, muscle, and bone. They occur most often in the ovaries in women, and the testicles in men. They may be benign or malignant. Symptoms vary depending on the location. A painful lump or swelling may be apparent. Some babies have a mass that can be seen on an ultrasound before birth. Treatment often involves surgery. In rare cases when a teratoma is malignant, chemotherapy or radiation may be needed.
When the hematocrit rises to 60 or 70%, which it often does in polycythemia, the blood viscosity can become as great as 10 times that of water, and its flow through blood vessels is greatly retarded because of increased resistance to flow. This will lead to decreased oxygen delivery.
A deep cut on the palm side of your fingers, hand, wrist, or forearm can damage your flexor tendons, which are the tissues that help control movement in your hand. A flexor tendon injury can make it impossible to bend your fingers or thumb.
Symptoms of serotonin syndrome include a classic triad of mental status changes (eg, anxiety, delirium, confusion, restlessness), autonomic dysregulation (eg, diaphoresis, tachycardia, hypertension, hyperthermia, diarrhea, mydriasis), and neuromuscular hyperactivity (eg, hyperreflexia, tremor, rigidity, myoclonus, ocular clonus). Serotonin syndrome is clinically diagnosed and laboratory tests are used to rule out other etiologies. It usually occurs due to inadvertent interactions between drugs, therapeutic use of multiple serotonergic agents, or serotonergic medication overdose. Treatment involves discontinuation of serotonergic drugs, supportive measures, and sedation with benzodiazepines. In severe cases, a serotonin antagonist (cyproheptadine) may be used.
The gastric balloon procedure (endoscopic intragastric balloon) leaves an inflated silicon balloon in the stomach for 6 months, making less room for food. As a result, patients: Feel full sooner while eating and therefore eat less. Lose about 30% of their excess weight in 6 months.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is defined as progressive, chronic airflow obstruction due to chronic bronchitis, emphysema, or both. The majority of patients have components of both, although one of these entities will frequently dominate the clinical picture. Emphysema�airspace enlargement distal to the terminal bronchioles due to destruction of alveolar septa. Chronic bronchitis�chronic airway inflammation and bronchospasm. Clinically defined as productive cough lasting for at least 3 mo over 2 consecutive years. Although COPD is irreversible, patients with acute exacerbations do have reversible bronchospastic and inflammatory components.