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Cleo Libonati, RN, BSN

Hypertension, Reversible

Grade_1_hypertension[1]What Is Reversible Hypertension?

Reversible hypertension is a pressure disorder of arteries associated with increased systemic (body wide) blood vessel resistance to blood flow due to endothelial (cell) dysfunction of arterial blood vessels that can improve with nutritional treatment.

Hypertension itself is defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of 140 mm Hg (mercury) or greater and/or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) of 90 mm Hg or greater.

Q: What is blood vessel (vascular) resistance to blood flow?

A: Vascular resistance to blood flow means the arteries carrying blood away from the heart cannot relax or dilate when needed to lower blood pressure but stay constricted, which in turn, keeps the pressure high.

Here’s an analogy: if you replace your garden hose having a one inch inside diameter with one that has a smaller half inch diameter and open the water valve as usual, the result would be water shooting out with more force.

What Is Reversible Hypertension In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Homocysteine, Elevated Blood Level (Hyperhomocysteinemia)

A 3-D model of homocysteine.
A 3-D model of homocysteine.

What Is Elevated Homocysteine?

Elevated homocysteine in blood, called hyperhomocysteinemia, indicates an abnormal blood level of this transient amino acid.

Q: How does the level of homocysteine become abnormal?

A: In metabolism, homocysteine is briefly formed in the breakdown of the amino acid methionine. It is normally converted to cystathione and then to the amino acid cysteine by means of an enzyme that requires vitamin B6.

In the reverse, conversion of homocysteine to methionine requires an enzyme dependent on adequate folic acid and vitamin B12 levels.

Insufficient methionine levels and/or inefficiency in this process results in elevated homocysteine plasma levels that are toxic to blood vessels.

Folic acid, vitamin B12 and vitamin B6 are involved in the metabolic removal of homocysteine, but folic acid deficit occurs the most often.1

What Is Elevated Homocysteine In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Lim PO, Tzemos N, Farquharson CA, et al. Reversible hypertension following coeliac disease treatment: the role of moderate hyperhomocysteinaemia and vascular endothelial dysfunction. Journal of Human Hypertension. Jun 2002;16(6):411-5. [↩]

FoxP3+ T cells: definition

FoxP3+ T cells represent a major subset of regulatory T cells. They can be produced as natural or induced cells. FoxP3+ T cells are made in the thymus gland as natural FoxP3+ T cells and… 

T Lymphocytes or T Cells

Comparison of normoblast and megaloblastWhat Is Macrocytosis?

M acrocytosis is a blood cell disorder characterized by altered blood cell formation that results in abnormally large erythrocytes (red blood cells) circulating in the bloodstream.

The mean corpuscular volume (MCV), which is a measure of the size of red blood cells in the bloodstream, is greater than 100 fL as shown in a complete blood count (CBC) laboratory analysis report.

Macrocytosis produces macrocytic anemias that are classified as megaloblastic or non-megaloblastic:

  1. Megaloblastic anemias result from disorders of DNA synthesis of red blood cell precursors (megaloblasts) in bone marrow due to B vitamin deficiency demonstrated by macro-ovalocytes and hypersegmented neutrophils.1
  2. Non-megaloblastic anemias are or those caused primarily by alcoholism, liver disease and hypothyroidism.2

What Is Macrocytosis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Kaferle J, Strzoda CE.Evaluation of macrocytosis. Am Fam Physician. 2009 Feb 1;79(3):203-8. [↩]
  2. Davenport J. Macrocytic anemia. Am Fam Physician. 1996 Jan;53(1):155-62. [↩]

Bone Tissue: definition

Called osseous tissue. Bone is composed of specialized connective tissue (collagen) made up of living bone cells (osteocytes) that are embedded in a hard matrix (framework) of calcified substance. Bone matrix contains collagen fibers and… 

Dry Eyes, Chronic

Microscopic View of a Liver Granuloma. Courtesy pathology.med.umich.edu/greensonlab.
Microscopic View of a Liver Granuloma. Courtesy pathology.med.umich.edu/greensonlab.

What Is Hepatic Granulomatous Disease?

H epatic granulomatous disease is an infiltrative chronic liver disorder characterized by growth of small granulomas.

Rather than being a final diagnosis, the presence of hepatic granulomas entails the need for further investigations towards identifying the underlying etiology, with a pathologist being at the center of the diagnostic process.1

Q: What are hepatic granulomas?

A: Hepatic granulomas are unique inflammatory formations that require liver biopsy for diagnosis.2

Hepatic granulomas develop through the interactions of T lymphocytes and macrophages, with the integral involvement of T-helper (T(H)) 1 or T(H)2 pathways or both, depending on the specific granulomatous disease.

Hepatic granulomas may be detected clinically by elevated levels of serum alkaline phosphatase and g-glutamyltransferase enzymes, damage to specific structures (e.g., intrahepatic bile ducts in primary biliary cirrhosis), or infrequently, progressive liver disease with portal hypertension and cirrhosis (e.g., sarcoidosis).

Systemic immunologic disorders, infectious diseases, drug hepatotoxicity, and reaction to neoplastic disease are the major causative factors responsible for granulomas in the liver.3

What Is Hepatic Granulomatous Disease In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?

Sources:
  1. Turhan N, Kurt M, Ozderin YO, Kurt OK. Hepatic granulomas: a clinicopathologic analysis of 86 cases. Pathol Res Pract. 2011 Jun 15;207(6):359-65. doi: 10.1016/j.prp.2011.03.003. Epub 2011 Apr 30. [↩]
  2. Bhardwaj SS, Saxena R, Kwo PY. Granulomatous liver disease. Curr Gastroenterol Rep. 2009 Feb;11(1):42-9. [↩]
  3. Lagana SM1, Moreira RK, Lefkowitch JH. Hepatic granulomas: pathogenesis and differential diagnosis. Clin Liver Dis. 2010 Nov;14(4):605-17. doi: 10.1016/j.cld.2010.07.005. [↩]

Eczema (Atopic Dermatitis)

loss of vitalityWhat Is Loss of Vitality?

Loss of vitality is a state of diminished power to live or go on living, interfering with normal functioning and survival.

As weakness and fatigue worsen, the affected person increasingly loses interest in surroundings, activites, and the ability to care for self.

Q: Does loss of vitality affect only older individuals?

A: No. Loss of vitality can affect all ages.

What Is Loss of Vitality In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?