"Congenital heart disease" is a broad term that describes any defect or malformation of the heart that is present at birth. Heart defects are the most common type of major birth defect, according to Medline Plus. Such a defect may be present in...
Teratogen is the medical term for any substance that causes abnormalities in a fetus. Teratogenic drugs can cause congenital heart disease, but in almost every situation where a pregnant woman would need to take a teratogenic drug, a safe,...
The National Institute of Health explains that situs inversus is a rare genetic condition in which the internal organs in the chest and the abdomen lie in mirror image of their usual positions in the body. Situs inversus may occur as an isolated...
Flap-like structures called valves facilitate uni-directional blood flow. Your tricuspid valve occupies the space between the right atrium and the right ventricle. It prevents blood back flow as it circulates between these two structures. Mammals,...
The University of Chicago Medical Center explains that fibromyalgia, a condition that causes pain in soft tissue, affects 2 to 4 percent of people in the United States. Patients with fibromyalgia mainly have pain, but they may also experience...
Though technically not crucial to a golfer's game, a golf bag is still important on the course. It gives you a place to put your clubs when you aren't using them and makes an 18-hole round much easier. The benefits of a stand bag include easier...
You may have seen the strange, fuzzy anomaly growing wildly on the foods you've forgotten in the back of your refrigerator. These molds are microscopic, multicellular fungi that are rather resilient. Not only can these micro-organisms withstand...
Dementia is a progressive disease that affects a person's ability to communicate, think and care for himself. Dementia is the state of damaged brain cells that may occur from an injury, stroke or genetic anomaly. Alzheimer's disease is perhaps one...
Although goat milk is something of an anomaly in the American diet when compared to cow's milk, there still exists a niche for its products. Despite similar levels of cholesterol and fat, goat's milk may actually be helpful in lowering blood...
The use of ultrasound to detect fetal anomalies has become standard in the U.S. Although the increase in diagnostic capability has benefited families in some ways, ultrasound and other diagnostic tools have their limitations. The pairing of...
Imagine a time when the health of your child was a complete mystery until the day of delivery. Amniocentesis was first developed in the late 1950s as a way of determining the sex of a child but was not used until the 1970s for the diagnosis of...
There's nothing wrong with having a good appetite--unless there's no reason for your hunger. One of the top three symptoms of hyperglycemia or high blood sugar is an unrelenting appetite. Hyperglycemia causes the sensation of hunger because the...
The testicles (or testes) are two egg-shaped glands inside the scrotum (the bag under the penis in men) that make male hormones and sperm. Cancer that forms in the testis (one of the two glands) is called testicular cancer and usually occurs in...
HIV, or human immunodeficiency virus, is a virus that destroys CD4 cells, the white blood cells responsible for fighting infection. HIV is known as a lentivirus, which is a type of retrovirus. UNAIDS estimates that over 60 million people have...
The tricuspid valve sits between the right atrium and the right ventricle. Blood returning to the lungs for oxygenation must traverse the tricuspid valve on its way to the pulmonary artery. The right side of the heart is a low pressure system....
Parsley, an herbal-type green plant with tiny white flowers, may have therapeutic effects on kidney stones. Parsley has a diuretic effect, meaning it flushes fluid from your body. It may help your bladder to empty freely. You can take parsley as a...
The term used to describe a racing heart is "heart palpitations." Your child might have palpitations for a number of reasons. Palpitations are actually common and in many cases are not dangerous, according to Cincinnati Children's Hospital....
The brain and spinal cord are surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid, or CSF, and are enclosed within bony skull and the spinal canal. CSF is made by specialized cells in the lateral and fourth ventricles, or brain chambers, which communicate with the...
Many medical personnel suggest having an ultrasound around 20 weeks of pregnancy to check for possible physical problems with the baby, or the placenta or fluid inside the uterus. While you can refuse a scan around 20 weeks, most expectant parents...
Cholesterolosis is the accumulation of cholesterol in the cells lining the gallbladder wall, the submucosal macrophages. The condition often occurs seen when the gall bladder from a person suffering from gallstones, or cholelithiasis, is...
Down syndrome, a genetic defect that is beyond the control of the parent, occurs when there is an extra copy of the 21st chromosome in all or some of the cells in your body. Chromosomes are structures made from your unique DNA or genetic...
Football is a sport that requires lightning-fast reflexes, superior strength and excellent conditioning. Drills for football often combine the use of several or all of these aspects. Speed and strength in American football differs from its...
Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are infections that can occur within any area of the urinary tract, including the bladder, kidney, ureters and urethra, reports Drugs.com. In rare cases, patients will experience multiple or recurrent urinary...
Consider having a disease that produces pain every day, alters a person's activities of daily living and submits the person to questionable care from some medical professionals who still fail to acknowledge fibromyalgia as a disease. Mayo Clinic...
Thermogenic drugs commonly referred to as fat burners are an ongoing fad in the conventional world of weight loss. According to the World English Dictionary, the term thermogenic refers to the production of heat by metabolic processes. This...
Having high blood pressure is a major risk factor for multiple health problems, including kidney and heart disease. The foods which you eat can have a powerful effect on your blood pressure. Some studies have noticed that there is a link between...
Curvature of the spine, also known as scoliosis, is a relatively common condition. It can vary in its onset, its rate of progression, its severity, its location and its potential impact on the affected person's appearance and health. There is also...
Runner's knee is another word for inflammation of the illiotibial band, the tissue that runs down the thigh and connects to the side of the knee. Connective tissue that passes over the outside of the knee rubs against the bony section of the knee...
Birth control options while breastfeeding are limited. Many of the hormones required in birth control are transferred to breast milk. Of these hormones, those that are safe during lactation may have an affect on your breast milk supply. Currently,...
