Type 2 diabetes is a disorder in which cells become resistant to insulin. Its complications are among the leading causes of death in the United States. And as a result, finding new ways to prevent and treat type 2 diabetes are a priority in...
Ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid, or EDTA, is a manmade amino acid designed to chelate, or bind, with certain particles in the human body, according to the American Heart Association. EDTA chelation therapy is most commonly used as a treatment for...
Two laboratory blood tests that measure kidney function are creatinine and blood urea nitrogen, or BUN. Both tests are related and are associated with the complete metabolic profile, or CMP. Either test can be run on a blood sample or urine...
Renal disease, also called kidney disease, is a general term describing any ailment that significantly impacts the normal function of your kidneys. Common renal disorders include acute or chronic kidney failure, renal papillary necrosis, kidney...
Ultracet is an oral prescription medication available in tablet form. It contains the drugs tramadol hydrochloride and acetaminophen. According to information provided by the drug manufacturer, Ultracet may be taken for up to five days for acute...
Babies generally don't need supplemental water, because water makes up around 85 percent of formula or breast milk, according to BabyCenter. The high mineral content in mineral water could upset a baby's stomach, causing either constipation or...
Rhabdomyolysis involves the breakdown of muscle fibers. The disorder can be induced by extreme activity, and causes your body to produce high levels of creatine kinase. Substances including myoglobin -- the protein responsible for your muscles'...
One of the best-known cancer drugs, Methotrexate treats tumors, leukemia, lymphoma, sarcomas and breast cancer, as well as psoriasis and rheumatoid arthritis. Acute side effect reactions occur almost immediately with IV therapy. However,...
Potassium is essential to the proper functioning of all cells, organs, nerves and muscles, including the cardiac muscle. Normal blood potassium ranges from 3.6 to 4.8 mEq/L. Often, hypokalemia occurs not because a person's potassium intake is...
Hematuria means having red blood cells in your urine. You can have gross hematuria or microscopic hematuria. Gross hematuria means you can see that your urine is bloody or red. In microscopic hematuria, you won't be able to tell that there is...
Medicines that contain "PM" in their name are usually intended as sleep aids. Brand-name drugs such as Tylenol PM, Excedrin PM, Advil PM and Midol PM all have diphenhydramine as a common active ingredient. Diphenhydramine HCl, or citrate, is...
EDTA chelation therapy uses a compound called ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid. EDTA is able to bind to certain metals via a process called chelation. This binding causes them to be unable to react with anything else. It also causes the kidneys to...
Cataflam is a branded prescription drug that is marketed by the pharmaceutical company, Novartis. The medicinal ingredient in Cataflam is diclofenac potassium, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1993 to treat pain...
Potassium iodide, also known as KI, is a non-radioactive iodine that the FDA has issued as a thyroid blocking agent in radiation emergencies. If radioactive iodine is present in our environment, your thyroid can absorb it, which can cause...
Diabetes is a group of diseases resulting in high blood glucose levels due to the body's inability to use and produce natural insulin. Living with diabetes can have mild or serious effects on a person's life, depending on the stage, type and...
Years ago, physicians would taste your urine to check for diabetes. Of course, that is no longer done, but an analysis of your urine is still important. It is not only vital if you have kidney disease, the organ that makes urine, or if you suffer...
Potassium is a mineral responsible for the electrical and cellular body functions. Having an extremely low level of potassium in the blood is called hypokalemia and is normally the resultant symptom of another disease or condition. The main...
Also known by the generic name naproxen, Aleve is part of a group of drugs categorized as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDs. Aleve reduces hormones that cause inflammation and pain, and is therefore used to treat a variety of...
Ibuprofen is a generic drug developed by the pharmaceutical company McNeil Consumer and approved as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory by the FDA in 1974. Ibuprofen is now a common over-the-counter pain medication used primarily for headaches,...
Potassium is a mineral that aids in the function of all cells and organs; it is necessary for heart function and smooth muscle contraction. Excess potassium in the urine may simply indicate that the you have consumed large amounts of potassium,...
EDTA is a chemical compound that's able to bind to certain compounds in the blood and remove them. EDTA therapy (also known as chelation) is commonly used to treat mercury and lead poisoning, but it has also gained use among some alternative...
Myoglobin is a protein, or protein pigment, found in your heart and in the voluntary muscles that support your skeleton. If your muscle tissue gets damaged, this protein can accumulate in your bloodstream and travel to your kidneys. Inside your...
While ibuprofen is available over the counter (OTC) at the 200mg level under brand names like Motrin, Advil and Midol, 800mg ibuprofen must be prescribed by a physician. This nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) helps relieve pain and...
Hydrocodone bitartrate is an opiod pain reliever and antitussive (cough suppressant). Acetaminophen is a non-opiod, non-salicylate (non aspirin) pain reliever and fever reducer. According to the National Institute of Health (NIH) how these two...
A urinalysis is very useful for determining if there are any diseases that involve the urinary tract. It can even be used to monitor the status of some diseases. Certain congenital disorders, toxins, medications, infections, injuries and diseases...
Rhabdomyolysis is a condition that is characterized by the breakdown of muscle fibers. When muscle fibers break down, the contents are released into the bloodstream. These contents are called myoglobin. The kidney filters myoglobin from the...
Potassium is an electrolyte that your body needs for good health. The balance of potassium in your body is regulated via excretion in your urine. It's important to maintain the correct electrolyte balance in your body because electrolytes help...
Chelation therapy involves injecting a solution known as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, or EDTA, into your bloodstream to remove toxic heavy metals from your body. Chelation therapy is also sometimes used to remove calcium deposits in the...
Diclofenac is a generic drug classified as a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory, or NSAID. Diclofenac exists as either diclofenac potassium or diclofenac sodium, which was first brought to market in 1988 by the company, Novartis, under the branded...
