Heat stroke is much more severe than heat exhaustion and can be fatal. Any agent that reduces the body's ability to cool can quickly turn heat exhaustion into heat stroke. Cholinergic blocking agents and anti-cholinergic treatments limit sweating...
The eyes are filled with a fluid called the aqueous humor, which drains out of the eyes through a series of ducts. If these ducts become blocked or too much of this fluid is made, it can lead to increasing pressure within the eyes. This elevated...
Bladder inflammation caused by an infection, medically known as cystitis, is commonly caused by bacteria that enter the bladder through the urethra, the tube through which the urine is normally discharged. These bacterial infections of the bladder...
Nebulizer treatments are given to treat respiratory conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis, emphysema and lung infections. A liquid medication is placed inside a nebulizer cup and attached to a nebulizer, or air compressor, which vaporizes the...
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common condition affecting the large intestine. While IBS does not cause serious damage to the intestines, it can bring about bothersome and sometimes disabling symptoms of abdominal cramping, diarrhea,...
Nicotine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in tobacco plants. Nicotine has a physiologic effect because it binds to receptors on the neuromuscular system. Nicotine affects the skeletal, smooth and cardiac muscles, which can result in acute...
Over-the-counter sleep aids are some of the most common medications found at pharmacies and grocery stores. They are regulated by active pharmaceutical ingredients and differ from natural and herbal sleep aids. The most common ingredients found in...
Alzheimer's disease is a type of dementia characterized by memory, judgment and decision-making problems. Emotional problems, trouble swallowing, the inability to recognize family members or understand speech and incontinence are other Alzheimer's...
Alzheimer's disease is a neuro-degenerative disorder characterized by progressive impairment of memory and cognitive functions. Impairment of short-term memory is usually the first symptom of the disease, while the retrieval of distant memories...
Antihistamines are a class of drug used to treat allergy symptoms such as allergic rhinitis. Histamine is a chemical released in the body in response to exposure to allergens. When histamine binds to a receptor, called an H-1 receptor, on certain...
Donepezil, available as the brand Aricept, is a prescription drug that improves mental function in people with Alzheimer's disease. Phosphatidylserine in contrast, is a substance produced naturally in the body, obtained through diet and available...
Irritable bowel syndrome can cause distress and pain, and symptoms can vary among individuals. While there is no cure for the syndrome, there are treatments available that help control symptoms. Peppermint is an herbal remedy that may help some...
Glaucoma is an eye disorder that can lead to blindness or low vision if left untreated. Two main issues are of concern when dealing with glaucoma: intraocular pressure (IOP) and fluid drainage. The optic nerve becomes damaged when the pressure in...
Carbachol is a cholinergic drug, which means it causes parasympathetic effects in the eye. The autonomic nervous system, which controls reflex actions in the body, consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems .Carbachol is...
The main use of benztropine is to treat tremors. Muscle tremors can be caused by a variety of conditions, including reactions to some medications. Another common use for benztropine mesylate is to treat the tremors that are caused by Parkinson's...
Neurogenic bladder is a neurological condition in which damage to the nerves that control the urinary bladder lead to an inability to store and void urine in the normal way. Spinal cord injury and diseases such as multiple sclerosis, diabetic...
Many medicines cause excessive sweating, or hyperhidrosis, as a side effect. The International Hyperhidrosis Society lists approximately 400 medications that can cause sweating and points out that the list is not complete. Patients should discuss...
That churning and uncomfortable feeling in the stomach that sometimes occurs during a long airplane ride may be a sign of nausea that results from motion sickness. This symptom typically accompanies vomiting and can occur as a result of motion,...
Millions of women have urinary incontinence, or involuntary loss of urine. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, compared to men, women have double the likelihood of urinary incontinence, and women...
Glaucoma describes a group of conditions that damage the optic nerve and lead to blindness. According to the National Eye Institute, an increase in the pressure in the eye, the intraocular pressure, leads to optic nerve damage in glaucoma. The...
Dry mouth, also known as xerostomia, occurs when the salivary glands don't produce enough saliva to keep the mouth moist. Saliva is necessary to remove plaque and sugar from the mouth and prevent tooth decay. Xerostomia can be caused by certain...
Dry mouth is also known as xerostomia. Xerostomia occurs when you feel that you do not have enough saliva in your mouth. You may have dry mouth all the time if glands that make saliva stop working properly.Successful treatment for dry mouth...
Dry mouth or xerostomia occurs in many diseases and can be a side effect of medications. Inadequate saliva can lead to cracked lips, bad breath, sore throat and sores on the corners of the mouth. Dry mouth becomes a health issue when the normal...
Muscle spasms refer to involuntary contractions that can lead to muscle cramping, according to MedlinePlus. Sometimes, these muscle spasms can be due to a neurological disorder affecting the brain and spinal cord. The causes of muscle spasms can...
Bronchospasm is a sudden constriction in the terminal airways of the lungs, resulting from the contraction of smooth muscles in the walls of the bronchi. The narrowing of the bronchi is the major pathological feature that constitutes an asthma...
Glaucoma is elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) that squeezes the optic nerve fibers and causes vision loss. There are two types of glaucoma: open-angle and narrow-angle. In open-angle glaucoma, aqueous humor (fluid) drains freely through the...
