for family physicians and you
General Illness Information Common Name: Coronary Artery Disease Medical Term: Ischemic Heart Disease Description: Coronary artery disease is a condition in which fatty deposits (atheroma) accumulate in the cells lining the wall of the coronary arteries. These fatty deposits build up gradually and irregularly in the large branches of the two main coronary arteries which encircle the heart and are the main source of its blood supply. This process is…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANIMAL BITES Medical Term: None Specified Description: Bite injuries and wounds to humans from dogs, cats, or other animals including humans. Causes: Animal bites are primarily caused by the following: Most bite wounds are from a domestic pet known to the victim. Large dogs are the most common source. Human bites are often the result of one person striking another in the mouth with a clenched…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANEMIA DURING PREGNANCY Medical Term: None Specified Description: A low level of hemoglobin (less than 10 gm/dl) during pregnancy. Hemoglobin carries oxygen to body tissues via the red blood cells. Anemia in pregnancy is very common and is present in almost 8o% of pregnant women. Because volume of blood increases during pregnancy (hemodilution), a moderate decrease in the concentration of red blood cells and hemoglobin…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANEURYSM Medical Term: None Specified Description: Weakness in the wall of an artery is causing an abnormal enlargement or bulge. Aneurysms may be round (saccular) or tube-like (fusiform) swellings. Majorities are fusiform in shape. Aneurysms usually affect the aorta (major artery in the chest and abdomen) but may affect other arteries e.g. those that supply the brain, legs, or heart wall. Aneurysms can develop anywhere…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANEMIA, PERNICIOUS Medical Term: None Specified Description: This anemia is caused by lack of vitamin B-12 (cobalamin). It is a megaloblastic anemia . In this type of anemia the bone marrow produces large abnormal blood cells (megaloblasts). It often affects adults between the ages of 50 and 60. The symptoms of pernicious anemia develop slowly and gradually and may not be immediately recognized . This…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANAL FISTULA Medical Term: None Specified. Description: An abnormal channel from the anus or rectum to the skin near the anal opening but may occasionally be to another organ such as the vagina. Most fistulas begin from a deep gland in the wall of the anus or rectum. However, fistulas may sometimes result from drainage of an ano-rectal abscess. The fistula may be painful and…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANAL FISSURE Medical Term: Fissure-in-Ano Description: A tear or ulcer in the lining of the anus, causing pain on defecation. Causes: Causes include stretching of the anal wall by large hard stool or tightening of the anal canal due to tension or the laceration by foreign body. Prevention: Avoid constipation by: Drinking at least 8 glasses of water daily; Eating a diet high in fiber;…
General Illness Information Common Name: ANAPHYLAXIS Medical Term: None Specified Description: An acute, generalized life-threatening allergic or hypersensitive reaction in a previously sensitized person (i.e. a person who has previously been exposed to that particular allergen) who comes into contact with the same allergen again. Reactions that occur almost immediately tend to be the most severe. Anaphylaxis can be caused by any allergen. The most common allergens are medications, insect…
General Illness Information Common Name: AMYOTROPHIC LATERAL SCLEROSIS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease) Medical Term: None specified Description: A progressive disease which usually begins with muscle weakness most frequently in the hands and less often in the feet .Weakness is usually asymmetric (usually progresses more on one side of the body) and is accompanied by muscle wasting and proceeds either up the arm or down the leg. It is due to progressive…
General Illness Information Common Name: AMENHORRHEA, PRIMARY Medical Term: None specified Description: Complete absence of menstruation in a young woman who is at least 16 years old. It is a rare disorder as over 95% of girls have their first menstrual period by age 15. Causes: Usually unknown. Possible causes include: Delayed puberty (i.e. hormonal causes); Congenital abnormalities, such as the absence or abnormal formation of female organs (vagina, uterus,…