Hereditary angioedema (HAE) is a disease characterized by recurrent episodes (also called attacks) of severe swelling of the skin and mucous membranes. The age at which attacks begin varies, but most people have their first one in childhood or adolescence. The frequency of attacks usually increases after puberty. Attacks most often affect 3 parts of …
Acromegaly is a hormonal disorder that develops when your pituitary gland produces too much growth hormone during adulthood. When you have too much growth hormone, your bones increase in size. In childhood, this leads to increased height and is called gigantism. But in adulthood, a change in height doesn’t occur. Instead, the increase in bone …
Lung diseases are some of the most common medical conditions in the world. Tens of millions of people have lung disease in the U.S. alone. Smoking, infections, and genes cause most lung diseases. Your lungs are part of a complex system, expanding and relaxing thousands of times each day to bring in oxygen and send out carbon …
Asthma is a condition in which your airways narrow and swell and may produce extra mucus. This can make breathing difficult and trigger coughing, a whistling sound (wheezing) when you breathe out and shortness of breath. For some people, asthma is a minor nuisance. For others, it can be a major problem that interferes with …
Immunoglobulin is made from plasma separated out from donated blood. During manufacture everything except a type of immunoglobulin called immunoglobulin G (IgG) is removed from the plasma. IgG is very good at fighting bacteria and viruses. IgG has other effects too, so it isn’t just used for people with immune deficiency. You might hear about immunoglobulin being used in some …
Chronic idiopathic constipation (CIC) is an ongoing condition without any known cause or identified underlying illness. Constipation is a condition which can be defined as a state of unsatisfactory defecation, with characteristic features of infrequent stools and difficulty in passing stools, or both. Eight million people in the US seek medical care for constipation every …
Hyperuricemia is when you have too much uric acid in your blood. This condition can lead to health problems such as gout and kidney stones. Around one out of every five people has a high uric acid level. Read on to learn more about hyperuricemia, its symptoms, how to treat it, and more. Causes of Hyperuricemia Hyperuricemia …
Atrial fibrillation (A-fib) is an irregular and often very rapid heart rhythm (arrhythmia) that can lead to blood clots in the heart. A-fib increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and irregularly — out of sync with the lower chambers (the ventricles) …
An arrhythmia (also called dysrhythmia) is an irregular or abnormal heartbeat. What is my pulse? Your pulse indicates your heart rate, or the number of times your heart beats in one minute. Pulse rates vary from person to person. Your pulse is slower when you are at rest and increases when you exercise, since more …
Antifungal medicines treat fungal infections. Fungus in the soil, air and on your skin can cause yeast infections, tinea, and nail and skin infections. Breathing in fungal spores can lead to respiratory sickness. People who have poorly immune systems are more prone to fungal infections that require antifungal medicine. What are antifungals? Antifungals are medicines …