The elderly are susceptible to problems maintaining a stable blood pressure. While high blood pressure is more common, some elderly adults suffer from chronic or intermittent low blood pressure. Also called hypotension, this condition is...
Psychological symptoms often diminish quality of life for heart failure patients. These must be recognized and treated for both the physical and psychological health of the patient. An Oct. 1, 2007, report in "The British Journal of General...
Calcium is an important mineral in the growth and development of bone. It is also important to maintain the function of nerves, muscles, and the heart. The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs that help regulate the body's fluid and...
Isradipine is a medication used to manage hypertension (high blood pressure). It belongs to a class of medicines called calcium channel blockers and it works to relax your blood vessels and heart muscles, subsequently increasing blood flow and...
Viagra is an oral medication prescribed to treat erectile dysfunction (ED), the inability to get or maintain an erection. The active ingredient in the drug is sildenafil citrate, a medication that affects blood pressure. Doctors at the Mayo Clinic...
Refeeding syndrome after malnutrition is a serious complication that can be prevented. According to a 2005 article in "The Medical Journal of Australia," refeeding syndrome describes severe electrolyte, fluid and metabolic abnormalities that occur...
A pulse oximeter measures the amount of hemoglobin saturated with oxygen. Oxygen saturation measured by pulse oximetry (SpO2) between 96 and 100 percent are considered normal, according to nursing instructor Kathy Lawrence, M.S.N. of the...
Proponents of colon cleansing claim that their products and treatments, such as colonic irrigation, laxative teas and enemas, detoxify the body, remove intestinal parasites and dislodge stool that has clung to intestinal walls. These claims are...
Oxycontin, sold under the generic name oxycodone, treats moderate to severe pain. Oxycontin acts upon the opiate receptors in the brain, reducing the sensation of pain. Drugs.com warns that people can become addicted to Oxycontin. While Oxycontin...
CoQ10, or coenzyme Q10, is a compound that the body makes; it plays a role in cell growth and maintenance. It also functions as an antioxidant, by protecting the body from damage caused by free radicals. CoQ10 supplements are taken for many...
Low blood pressure, or hypotension as it is also known, is any reading lower than 90/60 mm Hg, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood institute. The body is very sensitive to changes in blood pressure. Special cells in the arteries can...
Fish oil, from oil fish like salmon, mackerel, sardines, anchovies, trout and albacore, contains the essential fatty acids EPA and DHA. Adding fish oil to your diet decreases your risk of heart arrhythmia, decreases triglyceride, slows the...
Abdominal pain is pain that is actually located between the chest and groin, says MedlinePlus. This pain can be sharp, dull and heavy. It may be constant or intermittent. Sometimes, abdominal pain can be the result of a serious and potentially...
Hypocalcemia is the medical term for low serum calcium. Causes include hypoparathyroidism, vitamin D deficiency, hyperphosphatemia and acute pancreatitis, according to Christopher O'Callaghan in the book "The Renal System at a Glance." When the...
Hypertension, commonly known as high blood pressure, refers to a medical condition in which the blood within the blood vessels meets with resistance as it moves through the body. The Mayo Clinic says that some symptoms of high blood pressure...
Electrolytes are electrically charged molecules that are integral to many of the body's processes. Electrolytes are particularly important to the heart, both in the transmission of the signal that maintains heart rate, as well as in the...
Amitriptyline hydrochloride is a prescription medication available as an oral tablet and as an injection. It is indicated for the treatment of depression. According to "2005 Lippincott's Nursing Drug Guide," the drug is prescribed off-label for...
As competitive athletes, bodybuilders may take extreme measures to improve their physical performance and physique. According to the Mayo Clinic, bodybuilders and other athletes may take supplements such as steroids, creatine and diuretics without...
Fatigue and dizziness are symptoms that can be related to many medical conditions, such as treatment for cancer, substance abuse, alcoholism, altitude sickness, or strict dieting. Health care providers rely on a comprehensive health history to...
Calcium is the most abundant mineral in your body. Although the bones contain 99 percent of the calcium, the remaining 1 percent in the blood must remain within a very narrow concentration range to support vital physiological functions. In...
Losing too much weight can be as unhealthy as being overweight. Sudden or unintentional weight loss is often a symptom of a serious medical or psychiatric illness. Talk to your doctor if you have lost weight without trying, as excessive weight...
Acute renal failure is the sudden loss of the kidneys' ability to filter waste products from the bloodstream, according to MayoClinic.com. Also known as acute kidney injury, it usually occurs in conjunction with another medical condition such as...
Physicians use mydriatic medications during ophthalmic procedures to dilate the pupil. Mydriatic medications commonly contain atropine, phenylephrine or cyclopentolate hydrochloride. Each of these agents prevents the iris sphincter muscle from...
Dangerously high blood sugar levels cause ketoacidosis. A blood sugar level over 600 for many hours is considered extremely dangerous and should be treated at a hospital. Hyperglycemia is the medical term for elevated blood sugar levels....
Felodipine is a medication used to manage hypertension (high blood pressure). According to Drugs.com, felodipine belongs to a category of drugs called calcium channel blockers. Specifically, it relaxes the muscles in your blood vessels,...
Albuterol is a medication most commonly used to treat asthma. As a "rescue" medication, albuterol can be life-saving. However, some mothers may decide not to use the medication or decrease the dose because they are breastfeeding. A new mother...
Hypocalcemia is a condition that causes foot spasms and other involuntary muscle contractions. The disease results from a loss of calcium in your system. Calcium absorption that requires vitamin D also may be compromised when you have a vitamin D...
Congestive heart failure is the inability of the heart to pump an adequate amount of blood throughout the body. The heart has two pumps: a right ventricle and a left ventricle. The right ventricle pumps non-oxygenated blood to the lungs to become...
According to Medline Plus, blood pressure measures the force applied to the arteries as the heart pumps blood throughout the body. Blood pressure readings are important as high blood pressure (hypertension) can increase the risk of diseases of the...
