In 2007, diabetes contributed to more than 230,000 deaths and affected more than 25 million Americans, according to the American Diabetes Association. Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce or use insulin to deliver glucose to cells....
Lipitor (atorvastatin calcium) is a statin drug that works on lowering your blood cholesterol levels. This medication will help to lower your bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise your good cholesterol (HDL). Lipitor may be recommended along with diet...
Lipitor (atorvastatin) belongs to a classification of drugs known as statins. Lipitor works to lower your body's bad cholesterol (LDL) and raise your good cholesterol (HDL). According to Drugs.com, keeping your cholesterol in a healthy range can...
The medical and scientific community recognized the potential negative interaction between grapefruit juice and certain medications years ago. While side effects of interactions between grapefruit and medications for depression, pain and high...
Escherichia coli is a type of bacteria that lives in healthy intestines to aid in absorbing vitamins and nutrients. A certain strain of E. coli is responsible for serious food poisoning. The causes come from unwashed spinach, lettuce, green onions...
The kidneys are a vital organ because they remove waste products from the blood. Impairment leads to buildup of these waste products. If impairment continues unchecked, it leads to kidney failure and death. According to the National Kidney...
Food poisoning is an infection caused by microbes ingested from contaminated foods. Bacteria, viruses and parasites can contaminate fast food during any stage of their collection, processing or distribution. If this food is eaten raw or...
According to Drugs.com, Fenoglide (also known as fenobrite), is a medication used to help prevent your risk of developing atherosclerosis, or clogged arteries. It lowers your triglyceride levels, thus lowering your total cholesterol. Along with...
Cholesterol is a fat that circulates in the blood and that is essential for all of the body's cells. But when the level of blood cholesterol is too high, fatty deposits may form on the inside of blood vessels. These deposits interfere with the...
Germanium is a trace mineral that is not considered essential for human health. Organic germanium appears in some foods, such as garlic, broccoli, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes and celery, according to Phyllis Balch, C.N.C., author of "Prescription...
Zetia (Ezetimibe), first approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2002, is an anti-hyperlipidemic drug, prescribed to lower cholesterol levels. It works by blocking the absorption of cholesterol in the small intestine. It is used alone or...
Migraines -- severe recurrent pain that lasts from between 4 and 72 hours -- occur in two forms, with aura and without. In migraine with aura, there are visual disturbances about 30 minutes before the migraine begins. Sometimes, instead of...
Thermogenic fat burners are specifically designed to stimulate the body's burning of calories by boosting metabolism. This increased metabolism tends to raise the body's core temperature, thus creating the thermogenic effect. Increased metabolism...
Blood pressure is the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries. Blood pressure varies with the muscular efficiency of the heart, the blood volume and viscosity, the age and health of the individual, and the state of the vascular...
The aromatic oil of the sweet orange is expressed and used as an alternative medicine for conditions such as flatulence, colds and slow digestion. Scientific studies show that sweet orange oil may protect against certain health conditions,...
Pravachol--known generically as pravastatin--is a prescription medication categorized as a statin, a class of drugs that decrease levels of LDL, or harmful, cholesterol in the body. It is indicated for people at risk for heart attack, heart...
Performance enhancing drugs such as steroids or muscle enhancers get a lot of press when professional athletes are caught illegally using them to gain an advantage over their competitors. While these types of drugs do often make the athletes who...
Bariatric medicine deals with the causes, prevention and treatment of obesity. Bariatric surgery changes the anatomy of the stomach and intestines to assist a morbidly obese person in losing weight. An indication for bariatric surgery is people...
According to the American Diabetes Association, gestational diabetes, or diabetes acquired during pregnancy affects 4 percent of all pregnant women. Gestational diabetes can cause a woman to have a very large baby who may have very low blood...
Aloe vera, or aloe, is a plant closely related to the cactus, which produces aloe vera gel and juice, or latex. It is thought to be beneficial in the treatment of myriad health problems, although there is insufficient evidence to support many of...
Simvastatin, or Zocor, is a medication in a class of drugs known as HMG CoA reductase inhibitors, or statins. Simvastatin works by lowering the body's bad cholesterol while raising the body's good cholesterol. This medication is also used to lower...
Many different factors can cause leg pain. Muscle fatigue, shin splints, atherosclerosis, blood clots, nerve damage, arthritis, gout, osteomyelitis and varicose veins are some of the causes. But perhaps the most common causes of leg pain are...
Doctors prescribe statins to people with high cholesterol who are at a high risk for stroke or heart disease in an effort to lower their cholesterol. Different types of statins are available, but these medications have side effects and interact...
Although the body needs cholesterol for normal functioning, too much of this waxy substance can clog the arteries, causing a stroke or heart attack. Diet and exercise may help patients to reduce their levels of low-density lipoprotein, sometimes...
Statins are drugs used to treat high LDL, the "bad" cholesterol. Simvastatin, or Zocor, is one of the oldest and most frequently used statins. The most common side effects of simvastatin include upper respiratory tract infections, headache,...
Cholesterol is a fatty substance in your blood that can build up and cause serious health conditions, such as a heart attack or a stroke. If you are over the age of 20, you should have your cholesterol checked with a simple blood test. If your...
If your arteries become clogged with plaque, your heart and brain might not get the blood and oxygen they need. If left untreated, this blockage can lead to a heart attack or stroke. During a coronary artery bypass surgery procedure, a piece of...
Water is so essential to our existence, that without it we would not be able to survive for even one week. In fact, our bodies are comprised of approximately 60 percent water, although this amount varies depending on the amount of adipose tissue...
Weight gain is caused by consuming more calories than you burn. Because vitamins do not contain calories, they have no effect on weight gain. Although too many vitamins do not make you gain weight, they do pose potential health threats. The...