Also known as hypersensitivity vasculitis, leukocytoclastic vasculitis is a result of inflammation of small blood vessels. This inflammation occurs due to the deposition of nuclear debris from leukocytes, specifically neutrophils, which infiltrate the blood vessels. The key clinical presentation is purpura, which is a purple spotty rash on the skin that is due to bleeding from the underlying small blood […]
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Psychiatry is an area of medicine involving the study, diagnosis and treatment of mental health disorders. A person's mental health is influenced by a combination of factors that are both specific to an individual as well as related to interactions with society, community, and family. There are several components to mental well being including a healthy self esteem, communication skills […]
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Dyskeratosis congenita is a genetic condition that affects many parts of the body. The three main characteristics of this condition include: Leukoplakia or whitish discoloration of the mucous membranes Dystrophy or abnormality of the nails Skin pigmentation Inheritance In most cases, dyskeratosis congenita is inherited in an X-linked recessive manner. This means that the gene mutation that causes the condition […]
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Emphysema is a chronic or long term lung disease. This disease is typically called hyperinflation. What happens in emphysema? Just like a balloon the lungs are over-inflated so that they lose their elasticity and elastic recoil. There are balloon like bullae or blisters in the lung tissues. Because carbon dioxide is trapped in the bullae, the body is deprived of […]
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Diabetic nephropathy describes the damage caused to kidneys due to diabetes mellitus. If left untreated, the condition may eventually result in severe renal disease and renal failure. In the early stages of diabetic nephropathy when the urine levels of albumin are raised, the use of blood pressure medications such as ACE inhibitors can reduce the leakage of protein into urine. […]
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Almost half of visual impairment in the world can be attributed to uncorrected refractive errors, and myopia constitutes a significant proportion of this problem. This condition occurs when focused image falls anterior to the retinal photoreceptor layer of the eye. The prevalence of myopia is increasing, especially in Asian countries, thus both understanding the pathophysiology and timely diagnosis represent are […]
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The term oncology literally means a branch of science that deals with tumours and cancers. The word “onco” means bulk, mass, or tumor while “-logy” means study. What is cancer? Each of the cells of the body have a tightly regulated system that controls their growth, maturity, reproduction and eventual death. Cancer begins when cells in a part of the […]
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Heart failure is defined as the failure of the heart to pump out enough blood for circulation to the various parts of the body. The cardiac output becomes insufficient for meeting the body's requirements. Some of the terms used in the context of heart failure include: Cardiac outputThis refers to the amount of blood pumped out by the heart over […]
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Rosacea is typically characterized by a redness and discoloration across the face, accompanied by persistent red spots and the appearance of prominent blood vessels. Over time, the skin may thicken and enlarge and eventually cause facial deformity. Rosacea. Erythema and telangiectasia are seen over the cheeks, nasolabial area and nose. Inflammatory papules and pustules can be observed over the nose. […]
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Typhoid fever is a life-threatening bacterial infection that affects many organs throughout the body. The condition occurs through infection with the bacterium Salmonella Typhi, a relative of the bacteria that causes salmonella food poisoning. Unless typhoid fever is treated quickly with antibiotics, it can lead to serious complications and even death. Typhoid fever is most common in regions that are […]
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