The heart and the circulatory system are the components of the cardiovascular system. The function of the cardiovascular system is to circulate blood through out the body.The healthy heart beats on average of 100,000 times daily. It receives...
Blood vessels can be grouped into three categories: arteries, veins and capillaries. Arteries are the blood vessels that transfer blood away from the heart to the organs. They are the thickest of the blood vessels because they carry the blood...
Sitting for long periods of time can increase the chances of developing a blood clot in one or both legs. Sometimes getting up from a sitting position can cause the clots to move into the lung's blood vessels. This refers to a potentially fatal...
Exercise during pregnancy can offer a host of benefits, from reducing stress to improving recovery post-delivery. However, some of the exercises you used to regularly perform may not be safe for your baby as you advance in your pregnancy. For...
A blocked vein that causes swelling in the ankle is a condition called deep vein thrombosis. The blockage involves the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein in the thigh or lower leg that blocks blood flow. Quick and effective treatment for...
Small-cell lung cancer is a fast-growing cancer of the lung that spreads quickly. Most cases of SCLC are caused by smoking. SCLC often starts in the breathing tubes in the center of the chest, then rapidly spreads to other parts of the body (such...
Lung cancer is the leading cancer cause of death among people ages 45 to 70, according to the Merck Manual. Cigarette smoke is cited as the most common contributor to lung cancer. Originating in the lung tissue, lung cancer is considered a primary...
Small-cell lung cancer can cause symptoms including coughing, chest pain, weight loss or fatigue. However, superior vena cava syndrome is a less-common symptom that develops when a tumor blocks the blood flow returning to the heart through a...
Blood vessels deliver blood from the heart to the tissues, and return oxygen-depleted blood to the heart. The vascular system is made up of three vessel types. Arteries carry blood away from the heart, veins return blood to the heart, and the tiny...
Deep vein thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein that lies deep within the body, according to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute, or NHLBI. Most of the time DVT happens either below the knee or in the thigh. DVT is...
Unilateral upper limb edema refers to the swelling of the soft tissues of either the right or left arm or hand. Edema is more common in the legs and feet. If it occurs in the upper extremity, it is usually due to problems with drainage of the...
For an expectant mother, a regular yoga practice offers an opportunity to connect with the life growing inside. By focusing on your breath, you create more space for the baby, become more attuned to your body and improve the flow of oxygen and...
The National Institute of Health explains that situs inversus is a rare genetic condition in which the internal organs in the chest and the abdomen lie in mirror image of their usual positions in the body. Situs inversus may occur as an isolated...
Chemotherapy drugs, administered to treat cancer, can cause scarring and collapse of veins, making it hard to start intravenous lines. Ports buried partially or completely under the skin connect to catheters that terminate in large veins, reducing...
Chemotherapy is a common treatment for patients with cancer. It is designed to selectively terminate cells that are very rapidly dividing. Because cancer cells divide more quickly than normal cells, they will be more affected by the chemotherapy....
The circulatory system is the body's transportation superhighway. As the blood circulates through the body, it brings oxygen and nutrients to the body tissues and picks up the waste products, delivering them to the kidneys and lungs to be...
A blood clot in the thigh is referred to as deep vein thrombosis. A blood clot in the thigh forms when blood clumps together and sticks on the walls of the vein. The blood clot can significantly hinder blood flow or completely prevent blood from...
Intravenous therapy provides fluids and medications to millions of patients a year in home health and hospital settings, according to Carol Taylor, R.N., Ph.D., author of "Fundamentals of Nursing." Health care providers obtain intravenous access...
Intravenous or IV therapy is beneficial for several conditions and medical situations including dehydration, nutrition, shock, surgery, blood transfusions, chemotherapy and medication administration. There are many types and brands of IV access...
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a type of cancer that forms in lymph tissues such as the lymph nodes and spleen. Lymph tissues provide the body's defenses against germs and infection. When white blood cells, known as B lymphocytes, in these tissues...
Your transverse abdominal muscles -- also known as the transversus abdominus or core muscles -- are located deep in your pelvic girdle. They act like a corset, supporting your internal organs, and are essential for maintaining good posture....
Many strength and exercise moves work both on the floor and on an exercise ball, but slight differences exist between the two platforms. Introducing the exercise ball into your fitness routine provides variety to basic moves like crunches, pushups...
Learning how to sit comfortably while you're pregnant can protect your spine health and may even help reduce the risk of circulation problems. As you approach your third trimester, the baby is large enough to exert constant pressure on your lungs,...
Fuzzy squash, also known as mo gwa, fuzzy melon, hairy cucumber or hairy melon, is aptly named for the fine-textured fuzz that covers the outer covering. The mild, sweet-flavored squash, which is common to Asian cooking, is low in calories and...
Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood. Leukemia causes an uncontrolled accumulation of blood cells in the body. The leukemia and lymphoma Society estimates that roughly 3,500 children under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with leukemia...
This form of cancer begins in the lymphatic system. The American Cancer Society estimates that about 65,540 new cases of non-Hodgkins lymphoma developed in the United States in 2010, with 20,210 deaths resulting from this form of cancer....
Exercising while pregnant can reduce aches and pains, enhance the health of your unborn child and keep your weight within a healthy range during each trimester. HealthDay News online reports that, according to the United States Department of...
The words "core exercises" bring to mind ab workouts -- hardly something that seems appropriate or even possible for someone with a baby belly. The truth is, core strengthening exercises work deep abdominal muscles, back muscles and the interior...
During pregnancy, your blood volume almost doubles to support your growing fetus. This extra blood volume, along with circulatory changes and a rising progesterone level that causes your blood vessels to relax can result in varicose veins....
