Carvedilol is the generic medical term for a beta-blocker sold as Coreg in the United States. It may be prescribed in the treatment of high blood pressure, known medically as hypertension. This condition puts strain on your heart by making it work...
Pleural effusion is a medical term that means an excess amount of fluid between the two outside layers of the lungs, called pleura. One layer lies on the surface of the lungs while the other lines the chest wall. A variety of conditions may cause...
Femulen is the brand name in the United Kingdom and Israel for the generically named drug ethynodiol diacetate. The medication acts as an oral contraceptive, Netdoctor states. It also is called a POP or progestogen only pill or mini pill....
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 24 million Americans had diabetes mellitus in 2008, almost 8 percent of the entire population. Another 57 million people were at a high risk of becoming diabetic. Diabetes types 1 and 2...
Norvasc is the United States brand name of amlodipine. It is a prescription-only medication used in the treatment of hypertension, or high blood pressure, and pain in the chest known as angina. Norvasc, a medicine called a calcium channel blocker,...
Astragalus membranaceus is the botanical name for astragalus, a medicinal herb that may play a role in reducing the risk of certain health conditions. Although the results of scientific studies are inconclusive regarding the benefits of this...
Neuropathy is a medical term meaning "nerve damage." Nerves travel throughout the body, allowing the brain to communicate with organs, glands and muscles as well as allowing sensory input from those same anatomical structures to travel back to the...
Hyperglycemia is a medical term that means high levels of sugar in the blood. The differential diagnosis of hyperglycemia includes several different conditions linked to abnormalities involving insulin, a hormone that moves sugar out of the...
The lumbar spine is the lower part of the backbone between the bottom of the rib cage and the hip area. Any damage or injury to the spine may cause unpleasant symptoms and physical limitations. If you've been diagnosed with lumbar spinal stenosis,...
Resveratrol, an organic polyphenol, occurs in foods like red wine, grapes, peanuts, cranberries and blueberries. Cell culture experiments have uncovered potential therapeutic benefits of resveratrol such as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory...
The drug amphotericin B is marketed under two names in the United States, Fungizone and Amphocin. Fungizone may be administered as either an injection or as a topical cream, ointment or lotion. In either the topical or intravenous form, your...
An asthma action plan is a management plan developed between a pediatrician and the child's primary caregiver to control the symptoms of asthma. It details the appropriate use of medications as well as when to take a child to the emergency room...
Hepatitis B refers to a serious inflammation of the liver that results from being infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). According to EMedicine.com, over 90 percent of healthy individuals will fight off this infection and recover. Hepatitis B...
Ankle ORIF is a surgical procedure used to repair fractures of the ankle bones. In medical terms, ORIF means open reduction and internal fixation -- the use of screws and metal plates to hold the bone in place. The University of Michigan Health...
Osteoporosis is the medical term for a condition that means weak or brittle bones. Osteoporosis is a condition often related to aging, and it is more common in women than men because of the decrease of hormone production after menopause. Hormones...
Being genetically predisposed to high cholesterol means you have familial hypercholesterolemia, a medical term doctors use to describe a condition that is passed down through families. This condition results in high levels of LDL -- low-density...
Lisdexamfetamine dimesylate, marketed under the trade name Vyvanse by Shire Pharmaceuticals, is a medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration to treat the symptoms of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder in both children and...
The vulva comprises the area around the opening of the vagina, including the opening itself, the clitoris, the vaginal lips or labia, and mons pubis, the pad of fatty tissue over the pubic bone. Vestibulitis means irritation or inflammation of the...
Scarring of lung tissue causes a variety of problems, from difficulty breathing to lack of adequate oxygen intake for optimal function of body organs. Understanding the causes of lung tissue damage helps you make wiser choices about your lifestyle...
Potassium citrate powder is used to treat a condition called metabolic acidosis. As explained in the medical reference UpToDate, in metabolic acidosis, the blood becomes more acidic for one of several reasons, one of which is kidney damage. As a...
The goals of treatment for bronchitis and asthma are to relieve the symptoms and ease breathing. Individuals who suffer from this combination of symptoms must address both factors in order to feel better and be healthy again. A combination of...
Elevated pressure in the main artery to the lungs is termed pulmonary arterial hypertension or PAH. This rare disorder carries a poor prognosis and there is no cure. Many cases have no identifiable cause. However, there is an inherited form, and...
People are constantly warned about the dangers of high cholesterol. TV commercials bombard the public with cholesterol-lowering drugs, foods and supplements. It would be easy to assume that cholesterol is always bad. But even though the dangers of...
The prescription label is the link between you and your doctor as you take your medication. The label not only contains the directions for taking the medicine, it also gives the name of the drug, the drug strength and the quantity. Information on...
The powerful hip muscles contract and relax with every stride while running or walking. Tendinitis in the front of the hip is a common injury among runners, hurdlers, high jumpers and ballet dancers. This painful condition is named iliopsoas...
Dysplasia is a medical term that literally means “disordered growth” and can be applied to numerous systems in the body. It means that the size or shape of affected cells have been affected by abnormal growth. Each type of dysplasia...
According to Brian Hoffman, M.D., Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, the most common cardiovascular disease in America is high blood pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states that as of 2006, 32 percent of...
Physicians and oncologists administer injections of the brand-name drug Bexxar in the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. The drug contains iodine I 131 and tositumomab, MayoClinic.com reports, and only can be...
Chest pressure frequently is associated with heart diseases and abnormalities. While heart conditions are a common cause of chest pressure, problems with other organs, such as the lungs, can cause pressure and fullness in the chest as well. Many...
A heart attack or a myocardial infarction is usually marked by symptoms of pain in the chest, shoulder, jaw, or left arm, and shortness of breath. Learn more about the causes, symptoms and treatments of a heart attack in this health video.
Ear infections occur in three out of four children before age three. The medical term for middle ear infections is otitis media. "Otitis" refers to inflammation of the ear, and "media" means middle. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and...
