Obesity is a major cause of shortness of breath in a weight loss setting. It exerts a negative stress on the respiratory, musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems, and decreases the body's ability to respond efficiently to exercise. Shortness of...
The mechanisms that control respiration are part of an intricately woven system. The two main gases involved in respiration are oxygen and carbon dioxide. In healthy people, respiration is primarily controlled by the level of carbon dioxide...
Sodium amytal, or amobarbital, is a barbiturate medication, indicating that it produces drowsiness and relaxation in the person who takes it. Amobarbital, as an injection, is used as a temporary treatment for insomnia as well as an...
Yawning is often a mild characteristic of sleeplessness and fatigue. But when this semi-involuntary reflex becomes chronic because of a continual shortness of breath, it may be cause for concern. Excessive yawning may be a symptom of a number of...
Fentanyl is a potent and potentially dangerous synthetic opiod. When used in the transdermal patch form, it is applied to the skin where it releases fentanyl into body fats and then into the blood stream. Fentanyl patches are for patients...
Angiography is a diagnostic medical imaging technique that uses a special contrast material and X-rays to see how the blood flows through major organs, such as the heart and brain. In CO2 angiography, instead of using a radio-opaque dye, carbon...
Duragesic fentanyl is also known as the fentanyl patch. Fentanyl is an extremely powerful narcotic pain reliever and is often prescribed to help patients manage severe, chronic pain. Duragesic fentanyl is typically taken for an extended period of...
The health problems associated with obesity are no secret, and a host of physical hardships are also suffered by those who struggle with their weight. Obesity affects more than 17 percent of Americans, according to findings from the Centers for...
Body tissues metabolize sugar to produce energy, releasing carbon dioxide as a byproduct. Carbon dioxide enters the bloodstream and travels to the lungs. With each exhalation, the lungs rid the body of excess carbon dioxide. The lungs serve as the...
Exercise and weight management benefit your overall health and improve organ functioning. For maximum health benefit, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 2.5 hours of moderate-intensity aerobic...
Morphine is a prescription drug used to treat pain, often after surgery. It works by activating the brain's reward center and alleviating pain. The Partnership for a Drug-Free America says that morphine is manufactured as a tablet, syrup,...
Diagnostic tests performed on a sample of blood obtained from an artery can measure the amount of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood as well as the pH or acidity, the bicarbonate and several other values by using a blood gas analyzer. These...
The kidneys have a number of responsibilities, including the filtering of wastes and toxins from the blood, regulation of blood volume and pressure, maintenance of electrolyte levels in blood and regulation of blood pH. Kidney function is...
Snoring is a loud series of sounds coming from the mouth as an individual sleeps. Snoring can be indicative of a serious health problem that can lead to numerous medical conditions, a lack of oxygen and possibly even death. The American...
Phenergan is a medication that belongs to the class of drugs known as antihistamines, according to Drugs.com. It is used to treat allergy symptoms such as skin rashes, prevent motion sickness, treat nausea and vomiting and promote sleep. Phenergan...
Increased respiratory rate is one of the most obvious adaptations you make to meet the demands of exercise. The rate of blood flow and gas exchange throughout the pulmonary system will increase during exercise to supply sufficient amounts of...
BMI (body mass index) is an easy, inexpensive method of predicting the percentage of your body weight that is due to fat mass. BMI is found by dividing your weight (in lbs.) by your height squared (in inches) and then multiplying by 703. In...
Few symptoms are as distressing and disabling as not being able to breathe well. Lung infections and injuries are common causes of short-term breathing trouble. Chronic lung diseases including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and lung...
Oxycocet is an analgesic used to treat pain when individuals are suffering from migraines, fibromyalgia, back and neck pain or generalized pain. Physicians use it only when pain is rated moderate to severe because of the high rate of side effects...
Hypercapnia is a condition in which the carbon dioxide levels reach unsafe levels in the blood. Carbon dioxide is a metabolic product formed during cellular respiration. It is removed from your tissue to the blood and from your blood to the air...
Depolarization of muscles refers to the muscle when it is in the contracted state. Negative effects can occur if a muscle is depolarized due to an unexplained change in chemical actions. This causes a change to the smooth muscles. Depolarization...
Diarrhea is the excessive loss of stool and fluids from the gastrointestinal tract. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, diarrhea means passing loose stools more than three times a day. Acute diarrhea usually...
Also known as heart palpitations, an irregular heartbeat associated with exercising usually manifests as an unnatural fluttering, skipping or pounding of the heart. It is often conspicuous enough to to detect without using a heart monitor or...
Acidosis is a term that refers to excess acid in the body. According to an article in "American Nurse Today," maintaining an acid-base balance relies on some complex chemical reactions. Two organs are responsible for this delicate process: the...
Psychotropic effects are those that alter the perception, behavior or mood. Such effects include hallucinations, psychosis and central nervous system depression or stimulation. Dextromethorphan (DM or DXM), a cough suppressant commonly found in...
Hypothyroidism is a syndrome that is caused by an insufficient production of thyroid hormones. Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is increased with primary hypothyroidism, and the main cause is usually Hashimoto's disease. Secondary hypothyroidism...
Potassium is a necessary mineral and electrolyte for the body. The Linus Pauling Institute defines an electrolyte as "a substance that dissociates into ions (charged particles) in solution, making it capable of conducting electricity." Therefore,...
Multiple diseases and medical treatments can cause hypercapnia or high CO2 levels. High blood carbon dioxide levels affect every aspect of the body, including renal function and the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, which make...
Methadone is a synthetic opioid, or narcotic, drug that is legally prescribed to treat pain or alleviate withdrawal symptoms in patients who have enrolled in an opioid drug treatment program. Certain people do not experience side effects...
