What Is Secondary Hyperparathyroidism? Secondary hyperparathyroidism is a parathyroid disorder resulting from hypocalcemia (low blood calcium level) that is characterized by excessive production of parathyroid hormone in the attempt to normalize the low blood calcium by releasing calcium from bone. ...
Read More »Hypokalemia (Low Potassium Blood Level)
What Is Hypokalemia? Hypokalemia means the level of potassium in the bloodstream is too low to meet metabolic needs of the body for this mineral and is characterized by metabolic acidosis, altered nerve conduction and muscle contraction. Rapid potassium loss can ...
Read More »Delayed Puberty in Boys
What Is Delayed Puberty in Boys? Delayed puberty in boys is characterized by lack of growth and functional activity of the male gonads, called testes or testicals, to produce testosterone by age 14 and failure to grow pubic hair by age 15. ...
Read More »Recurrent Monoarthritis
What Is Recurrent Monoarthritis? Recurrent monoarthritis is a joint disorder characterized by pain and inflammation involving just one peripheral joint (elbow, hand, knee, ankle, foot, or hip). What Is Recurrent Monoarthritis In Celiac Disease and/or Gluten Sensitivity?
Read More »Pulmonary Permeability, Increased
What Is Increased Pulmonary Permeability? Increased pulmonary permeability is a mucosal defect in the lung characterized by alteration of the normally tight epithelial blood-air barrier in the lung apparently caused by inflammation. Q: What is the blood-air barrier in the ...
Read More »Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes
What Are Autoimmune Polyglandular Syndromes? Autoimmune polyglandular syndromes (APS) are rare clusterings of two or more endocrine and non-endocrine autoimmune disorders in the same affected person. Polyglandular is somewhat of a misnomer since many of the manifestations of the diseases ...
Read More »Antiphospholipid Syndrome
What Is Antiphospholipid Syndrome? Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an autoimmune disease and a blood clotting disorder characterized by these clinical and laboratory criteria: Clinical criteria – recurrent vascular thrombosis (clots in veins/arteries) from hypercoagulability (abnormal excessive clotting) and/or recurrent complications of ...
Read More »Plummer-Vinson Syndrome Affecting Esophagus
What Is Plummer-Vinson Syndrome Affecting the Esophagus? Plummer-Vinson syndrome is a manifestation of severe, long-term, iron deficiency anemia that is characterized by post-cricoid esophageal webs and dysphagia. Q: What are esophageal webs? A: Esophageal webs are one or more thin ...
Read More »Arthritis, Enteropathic
What Is Enteropathic Arthritis? Enteropathic arthritis is a form of inflammatory arthritis characterized by peripheral joint disease that also involves the attachments sites for tendons at joints, called entheses, and is characterized by joint stiffness, swelling and loss of motion. Q: ...
Read More »Abscess Formation Causing Lung Cavities
What Is Abscess Formation Causing Lung Cavities? Abscess formation and subsequent lung cavities that develop from necrosis (death) of affected lung tissue constitute severe life-threatening respiratory disease of the lung. Q: What is the difference between lung abscess and lung ...
Read More »Selenium Deficiency
What Is Selenium? Selenium is a mineral that is required by the body in trace amounts for a healthy immune system, normal thyroid function, and antioxidant protection. Selenium is absolutely required in the production of at least 30 selenoproteins in the ...
Read More »Coronary Artery Disease
What Is Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)? Coronary artery disease (CAD), also called ischemic heart disease, is a gradual narrowing of medium and large arteries of the heart by fatty buildups, called atherosclerotic plaques. It is characterized by slowly developing interference with blood flow to heart ...
Read More »Celiac Disease
What Is Celiac Disease? Celiac Disease is a common health disorder affecting more people than breast cancer or Type 1 diabetes mellitus, but is greatly underdiagnosed.1 One person in a hundred is estimated to have celiac disease, but less than 5% ...
Read More »Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
What Is Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)? GERD is an upper digestive disorder that is characterized by a decrease in lower esophageal sphincter pressure (LES,) which allows the abnormal reflux or backflow of stomach contents into the esophagus. It is also ...
Read More »Blepharitis, Non-Infectious (Swollen Eyelids)
What Is Non-Infectious Blepharitis? Non-infectious blepharitis is an inflammatory condition of the eyelids that is NOT caused by an invading organism but rather nutritional deficiencies. It is characterized by non-ulcerative inflammation of the hair follicles and lacrimal glands along the eyelid edges. Q: ...
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