 | ADD: attention deficit disorder
| ADHD: attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
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New hope for a feared disease Since the first cases of AIDS surfaced in 1981, the disease has killed more than 400,000 people in the United States and almost 13.9 million men, women and children worldwide. The epidemic has changed the lives of friends, families, lovers. It has devastated communities. And it has spurred AIDS activists to fight for compassion, support services, and effective treatments. When the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) enters your body, it weakens your natural defenses and makes you vulnerable to a collection of potentially deadly diseases and infections called AIDS. Currently there is no cure for HIV disease. However, an unprecedented number of researchers are working on both treatments and vaccines. New drug therapies give tremendous hope to many people living with HIV and AIDS, often prolonging and improving their lives. AIDS is a hard disease to get; it's not spread by casual contact. You can keep from getting HIV by using a latex condom during intercourse -- or abstaining from sex -- and by not sharing needles. Abbreviations of Condition
The HIV virus is not in itself deadly. The problem comes when the virus weakens and eventually depletes the immune system, allowing infections to take hold. It attaches itself to and destroys white blood cells (CD4 lymphocytes, also known as helper T cells), an essential component of the immune system. As the virus depletes the T cells, your body becomes increasingly susceptible to an array of other infections and diseases. Currently, AIDS is incurable. There is good news, however, in the form of protease inhibitors, a new class of drugs that helps keep HIV in check. Protease inhibitors helped cut the number of U.S. AIDS deaths by almost half from 1996 to 1997. As a result, AIDS dropped from the eighth leading cause of death in the United States to the 14th. But the steep decline in U.S. AIDS deaths seems to have reached a plateau. And AIDS continues to be a scourge in Africa, parts of Asia, and Latin America. In fact, nine of every 10 cases of AIDS are in the developing world. HIV can lie dormant for years. Although HIV infection and its progression to AIDS is generally a slow process, HIV can develop at an extremely variable rate; it can take less than five years, or as long as 15 years, to progress to AIDS. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) defines AIDS as one of more than 20 diseases occurring in an individual with no known cause of decreased resistance to the disease. These diseases usually do not develop until the T-cell blood count drops below 200 (in healthy adults, normal T-cell blood count is 800 to 1,300). Some of the more common AIDS-defining illnesses include:
More than 688,000 Americans have been diagnosed with AIDS since 1981, and more than 400,000 have died. HIV infects people of all ages -- more than 40,000 in the United States every year. In the United States, the highest percentage of AIDS cases is in those between ages 24 and 44, the most sexually active age group. About 80% of all U.S. AIDS cases since 1981 have been men, although cases among women are increasing at a faster rate. The proportion of new cases among people of color is also increasing dramatically. For related news, products, and links to community, visit the AIDS & HIV Information eCenter |
| Manic depression
| Bipolar affective disorder, type I
| Bipolar affective disorder, type II
| Mania
| Mood disorder
| Cyclothymic disorder | |
| Bipolar affective disorder, type I consists of alternating
episodes of major depression and full-blown psychotic mania in which the
person is incapacitated by physical frenzy and hallucinations
| Bipolar affective disorder, type II is marked by alternating
episodes of depression and hypomania (a milder form of mania in which the
person has an inappropriately elevated mood, but whose behavior doesn't
impair his or her ability to work or have relationships)
| Bipolar affective disorder, not otherwise specified consists of
major depressions and episodes that almost but don't quite reach criteria
for hypomania
| Cyclothymic disorder is characterized by hypomania and mild
depression alternating together over the course of a few days | |
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An Ancient Virus That Affects Millions of Americans In Greek the word "herpes" means "to creep." Since ancient times, herpes has crept into the lives of millions of people. Genital herpes is an infection caused by a virus, usually spread through sexual contact, that produces sores and blisters on or around the penis, buttocks, vagina, and vulva. While some people have only one outbreak, 90% of the time people with herpes have recurrent infections. Although it is rarely a serious health problem, herpes is uncomfortable and emotionally disturbing. And while there is no cure for this sexually transmitted infection, a couple of drugs may control its course and manage its symptoms. Education is an important part of herpes treatment since it can help you prevent and manage outbreaks and reduce the risk of spreading the disease. Pronunciation HER-pees Synonyms & Abbreviation
There are two types of herpes simplex virus (HSV): type 1 and type 2. Type 1 typically infects the lips, mouth, or nasal membranes. These sores, which are known as cold sores and fever blisters, are not related to sexual activity. But type 1 can also infect the genitals and causes up to one-third of genital herpes cases. Usually though, type 2 causes genital herpes, and doesn't cause oral lesions. Herpes is a virus spread through physical contact. Infection occurs when the virus penetrates the penis, vagina, urinary opening, cervix, or anus, usually through a break in the skin, and invades healthy cells. In an effort to defend itself, the body produces sores (lesions) and blisters. These may also become infected with bacteria. A few days after being infected with the herpes virus you may notice flu-like symptoms, including fever, chills, and muscle aches. Small, fluid-filled blisters may appear on or around the sex organs. Although these sores heal within a few weeks, some of the virus travels to nerve cells near the spine, where they remain inactive until something triggers a recurrence. It is not always clear what triggers new outbreaks, but stress, fatigue, infection, and the use immunosuppressive or anticancer drugs are all causes. About 90% of people with herpes have recurrent infections. You may notice tingling, burning, itching, and irritation where the virus first entered your body (this is called the prodrome) just prior to a recurrence. You may also feel pain radiating to your buttocks and knees. Herpes is a very individual infection: some people have only one or two outbreaks a year with painful symptoms while others might have many outbreaks a year with very mild symptoms. This first outbreak (known as the primary infection), usually lasts about three weeks and is generally the most painful. While recurrences may be common, they are usually less severe. Besides the sex organs, genital herpes can affect the tongue, eyes, gum, lips, fingers, inside of the mouth, and other body parts. There is no cure for herpes -- yet. But drugs, alternative therapies, and self-treatment can help you control the infection's course and manage pain. Herpes is not life-threatening in adults, but it can be very serious for newborns. If you're pregnant and have herpes or suspect you do, you'll need special medical attention to prevent passing the virus to your child, possibly a cesarean section if lesions are active in or near the birth canal. How Common Is Genital Herpes? According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), as many as 30 million Americans have genital herpes. Approximately 500,000 new cases appear each year. Because the virus is usually transmitted through sexual contact, it is more prevalent among young, sexually active people with more than one partner. Using condoms may keep you from exposing a sexual partner. The number of initial doctor's office visits for herpes has increased from about 25,000-50,000 in the early '70s to 160,000 in 1995. What You Can Expect Schedule a doctor's appointment right away if you have symptoms of herpes or think you may have been infected. The sooner your doctor diagnoses herpes, the more successfully you can treat it. And the sooner you know you have it, the less likely you are to spread it to someone else. There are several tests to detect herpes. Don't wait until your sores are healed to see a doctor: it is much harder to diagnose herpes once the visible symptoms are gone. If you are diagnosed with herpes, your doctor will probably prescribe a medicine called acyclovir that prevents the virus from multiplying. Acyclovir is available as an ointment, in capsules, or intravenously (by vein); in the capsule form, it can prevent or reduce the number of future outbreaks. The drug may be taken only during an outbreak, or if necessary, it may be taken continuously. Your doctor will also offer self-care advice and tips on preventing recurrence. For related news, products, and links to community, visit the Reproductive & Sexual Health eCenter. |
Heartburn Can Signal Serious Trouble
People urged to act on condition, not ignore it
By Robert Preidt
HealthSCOUT Reporter
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A recent NHBA survey found that 64 percent of Americans who suffer heartburn are not aware that left untreated, the condition can cause complications, like asthma, chronic cough and even cancer.
The survey also revealed that 43 percent of people with heartburn don't even consider it a medical condition. Only 40 percent have discussed their heartburn with a doctor or pharmacist and almost 50 percent say they prefer to ignore heartburn.
The random telephone survey of 1,000 adults, half of whom admitted to suffering heartburn, was conducted last January.
"I think there's a lot of confusion out there. Some people have looked at this as a way of life. It's such a common phenomenon, people have ignored it. Other people feel it's something they've done, so they're embarrassed or feel guilty about talking about it to their physician, so they sort of suffer," says Dr. David Peura, an NHBA board member and associate chief of the division of gastroenterology and hepatology at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.
U.S. National Institutes of Health statistics show that more than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month.
To increase awareness that heartburn can be controlled and shouldn't be endured or ignored, the NHBA has launched a new campaign called "Get Heartburn Smart."
"To me heartburn can be a very significant quality-of-life detractor," says Timothy Covington, another NHBA board member and a professor of pharmacy at the McWhorter School of Pharmacy at Samford University in Birmingham, Ala.
"There are a few medical conditions that the media and our culture just tend to trivialize. And I think one of the reasons people take heartburn kind of casually is because it has slang names like acid indigestion and sour stomach. I guess it doesn't sound all that clinically significant or dramatic so they just suffer silently and unnecessarily," Covington says.
Heartburn symptoms that occur at least three times a week, or when you bend over or lay down, or that wake you up at night, all might indicate a problem, Peura says.
"But a large number of people are taking over-the-counter medicines on a daily basis trying to treat something that probably requires something a little bit more aggressive, some appropriate counseling and also some screening to make sure they haven't developed damage over the years," he says.
Adjusting your lifestyle and avoiding the things that trigger heartburn also would help, Covington says.
He and Peura offer these suggestions to reduce heartburn: |
Stop smoking. It decreases saliva production, which
neutralizes stomach acid, and increases acid production in the stomach.
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Go easy on greasy and fatty foods as well as spicy
dishes. Watch your intake of alcohol, caffeine, chocolate, peppermint or
spearmint.
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Don't overeat and think about losing weight. Don't
stretch out on the couch after a meal. Moderate exercise can help food empty
out of the stomach.
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