Histamines are natural substances produced by the body in response to exposure to an antigen or trauma. Histamines are also present in a wide array of foods and beverages. Still other foods and beverages, while free of histamines themselves, can...
Histamine is a substance involved in many allergies. When certain allergens are consumed, histamine is released and causes common allergy symptoms, such as itchy or watery eyes, itchy skin, mucus production, breathing problems and stomach...
Histamine is a chemical formed from histidine that causes unpleasant allergy symptoms of gastric secretions, dilated blood vessels and hives in sensitive people. Foods low in histamine are desired by people who have an allergy to histamine. The...
When a patient enters the healthcare setting, he often encounters both registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs). Each of these nurses has her own set of responsibilities, including patient assessments. While each state has...
If you put a triathlon bike side-by-side with a time trial bike, it would be hard to tell the difference. In fact, at first glance, they look identical. Both are slender road bikes with aero-bars designed for performance. However, at close...
If you spot any of the most common symptoms of sepsis, a life-threatening bacterial infection, you should seek immediate medical attention. These symptoms include, fever, delirium and confusion, chills, warm skin, hypothermia (loss of body heat),...
An intravenous catheter is a hollow and flexible plastic tube that is inserted into a vein to administer fluids and medicines. Most intravenous catheters are peripheral, meaning they go into a vein far from the heart, such as in the wrist....
Severe blood infections affect an estimated 750,000 people every year, according to My ICU Care.org. The body's response to a blood infection is called sepsis. Most people recover from sepsis, but it does have the potential to become a...
Bed rest for as little as six days can cause people to lose significant overall muscle function and mass. The longer the rest goes on, the greater the toll on muscle function and mass, according to research into the effects of demobilization in...
Human beings -- from 3-week-old babies and toddlers to infants and adults -- go through development stages to adapt to their environments, understand what's going on around them, grow and learn the basics of social existence. Development is a...
Hypotension, or low blood pressure, is a condition in which the blood pressure is below normal. While a slightly low blood pressure may not pose a health risk, very low blood pressure can lead to organ damage and death. Dopamine is an IV...
The digestive tract contains more than 400 different species of beneficial bacteria, according to the "Journal of Intensive Care Medicine." The relationship is a symbiotic one, with good bacteria helping digest some foods that humans can't...
Pulse oximeters are medical devices that measure the pulse rate and the amount of oxygen saturation of the blood. More specifically, they measure the arterial oxygen saturation of the hemoglobin, a blood protein that carries oxygen throughout your...
Sleep apnea obstructs airflow and affects your ability to get much needed restorative sleep, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association. If left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to health hazards, including high blood pressure and mental...
Pulmicort Flexhaler is an inhaled corticosteroid used in the management of asthma in children and adults. It is not used in the treatment of an asthma attack; instead, it is used to maintain normal airway function. Pulmicort is a corticosteroid...
Head injuries are dangerous and can be life-threatening. There are two types of head injuries: open (skin ripped open) or closed (no skin broken). Bleeding, skull fractures and injury severe enough to show the tissue of the brain are all "open...
Sleep apnea obstructs airway flow and impairs your ability to get restorative sleep, according to the American Sleep Apnea Association. Untreated sleep apnea can lead to headaches, high blood pressure and mental impairment that can impact...
The Mayo Clinic states that liver failure can be fatal if medical attention isn't sought immediately. Liver failure occurs when the cells of the liver are damaged beyond repair and the organ fails to function. There are many different causes of...
The brain only occupies roughly 2 percent of total body weight, and uses 20 percent of the overall oxygen supply in the body, according to Barbara Carlson, RN, Ph.D. and colleagues in May 2008 in the "Journal of the American Geriatric Society."...
Potassium, the principal ion inside cells, maintains acid-base balance. Other functions include nerve impulse transmission and contraction of muscles, including cardiac, or heart muscles. Your blood potassium normally ranges from 3.6 to 5.0...
A period of bed rest may last for a short duration or for an extended period of time. Exercise is an important aspect in achieving and maintaining an overall physical condition that is as optimal as possible with the concurrent symptoms and...
High heart rates of more than 250 beats per minute and a wavy pattern on the heart rhythm strip constitute atrial flutter. A-flutter may last only a few short beats and result in a couple of palpitations, but it can also become a chronic condition...
Physicians prescribe bed rest at times when getting out of bed or bearing weight on your legs is detrimental to your health. You may be prescribed bed rest for a variety of issues such as suffering from severe illness, extreme hypertension, or...
Staphylococcus aureus is a bacterium that exists in two strains, methicillin-sensitive and methicillin-resistant, or MRSA. The latter strain of staph has become resistant to the antibiotics commonly used to treat ordinary staph infections,...
Patients admitted to critical care units have life-threatening illnesses and injuries. According to the 2009 journal article in "RN," acute illness further exacerbates patients' poor nutritional status by increasing their metabolic rate and...
Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heartbeat or arrhythmia in the upper chambers of the heart called the atria. Electrical impulses to the lower chambers of the heart or ventricles are scattered rather than traveling at a regular interval....
The symptoms of respiratory system diseases can often overlap and cause confusion over the exact pathology affecting the patient. A very common question faced by primary care physicians is whether a patient has bronchitis or pneumonia and, if so,...
You may have noticed that a high-fat meal lingers longer in your stomach than a low-fat meal. The length of time until fat is absorbed from food depends on the nutrient makeup of the meal and may vary significantly from one person to another. The...
The abnormal presence of bacteria within the bladder can cause a medical condition known as a urinary tract infection. Symptoms of a urinary tract infection include pain during urination and increased urinary urgency and frequency. Antibiotic...
