West syndrome is an age-related epilepsy syndrome that is most common within the first 12 months of life. Due to the poor prognosis associated with the condition, treatment is usually initiated in a swift and aggressive manner following diagnosis. Treatment aims to deliver the best quality of life by controlling the occurrence of seizures, the fewest side-effects, and the lowest […]
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Risk factors for cardiovascular disease There are several risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Some of these are un-changeable. These include advancing age, male sex and women after menopause and genetic disposition to acquire heart diseases. However, there are several risk factors that can be changed or modified to lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. These include risk factors like smoking, […]
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Major pediatric organizations advise newborns to be as close physically to the new mother as possible. Benefits of sleeping close to baby Several benefits of this practice, known as “rooming in”, have been cited in scientific studies. The rationale behind this practice includes several major factors. Some of these include:- If the mother and newborn share the same room and […]
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Origin of the pink ribbon In 1982, Nancy G. Brinker formed the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation. She formed it to honor her sister who was fighting the cancer. The organization was dedicated to fighting breast cancer and originated the Race for the Cure fitness walk and fundraiser in 1983. This race since then is an international event, with […]
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By Dr Ananya Mandal, MD There is controversy regarding exactly how effective selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are in the treatment of clinical depression. Some reviews of clinical trial data have suggested that SSRIs do not show significant clinical effects. In one analysis of data submitted to the US Food and Drug Administration covering the period 1987 to 1999, 80% […]
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Week 21 By the 21st week of pregnancy, the baby weighs about 400 grams and is poised to gain more weight. At this stage, the baby weighs more than the placenta (which had previously weighed more than the baby). From this point onwards, the placenta will continue to grow throughout the pregnancy, although not as quickly as the baby grows. […]
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Paclitaxel, also known as Taxol, is a hydrophobic mitotic inhibitor with a powerful anticancer effect. It belongs to the group of taxanes (together with docetaxel), which are potent cytotoxic diterpenes derived from yew trees. Paclitaxel is active against a spectrum of malignancies that are generally considered to be refractory to conventional chemotherapy. The drug was initially discovered as part of […]
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Like all procedures that involve a radioactive substance, nuclear medicine techniques that use radiopharmaceuticals generate radiation that could potentially have adverse effects on a patient. According to current international guidelines, it is assumed that even the smallest radiation dose poses a risk to patients. Therefore, as a general rule, the amount of exposure during a nuclear medicine procedure is kept […]
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Dermatology involves the study, research, diagnosis, and management of any health conditions that may affect the skin, fat hair, nails, and membranes. A dermatologist is the health professional who specializes in this area of healthcare. The skin is the largest organ of the body, which acts as a barrier to protect the internal organs from injury and bacteria. It is […]
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Studies show that obesity affects several walks of the population at all ages. With the rise of obesity and its associated health problems like heart disease, diabetes, stroke, hypertension and some cancers, obesity has emerged as a major public health problem. In the United States, more than one third of women are obese according to the recent National Health and […]
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