What Is Ulcerative Colitis? Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory disorder of the colon characterized by continuous inflammation of the mucosa and submucosa usually with small ulcers, extending from the rectum and typically involving the distal colon, rectum, and anus and ...
Read More »Colitis, Collagenous
What Is Collagenous Colitis? Collagenous colitis is a disease of the large intestine (colon) that is characterized by microscopic inflammation of the surface mucosal lining and an abnormally thickened collagen band of tissue that develops wthin the lining of the colon. ...
Read More »Common Variable Immunodeficiency
What Is Common Variable Immunodeficiency? Common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) is a primary antibody deficiency disease characterized by the onset of recurrent bacterial infections resulting from markedly decreased immunoglobulin antibody production and antibody levels. Q: What causes common variable immunodeficiency? A: Common variable ...
Read More »Congenital Anomalies
What Are Congenital Anomalies? Congenital anomalies are malformations present in the infant at birth. Q: What anomalies are present at birth? A: Some anomalies are inherited while others are caused by a harmful environmental factor during pregnancy such as diet, ...
Read More »Constipation Alternating with Diarrhea
What Is Chronic Constipation Alternating With Diarrhea? Chronic constipation alternating with diarrhea is an intestinal motility disorder, or irregularity, characterized by alteration in stool formation, consistency, and evacuation which results in a bowel movement that consists of some hard or balled ...
Read More »Constipation, Chronic
What Is Chronic Constipation? Chronic constipation is an intestinal motility disorder characterized by abnormal stool formation, consistency, and evacuation. Motility disorder means the normal rhythmic movement of intestinal muscles, called peristalsis, that moves food matter through the gut is hampered ...
Read More »Copper Deficiency
What Is Copper Deficiency? Copper is an essential trace element that is required for a number of enzymes which are necessary for normal metabolic function. In the body almost all the copper is present as a component of copper proteins ...
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 »Cortical Calcifying Angiomatosis
What Is Cortical Calcifying Angiomatosis? Cortical calcifying angiomatosis is a cortical vascular (brain blood vessel) abnormality that is characterized by calcification of blood vessels and is usually present in the parietal or occipital cortical and subcortical regions of the brain.1 ...
Read More »Crohn’s Disease
What Is Crohn’s Disease? Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease characterized by patchy inflamed areas involving the full thickness of the intestinal wall that can occur anywhere in the intestinal tract, in addition to, mucosal disease. In Crohn’s disease ...
Read More »Cutis Laxa, Acquired
What Is Acquired Cutis Laxa? Acquired cutis laxa is an uncommon skin disorder characterized by abnormal reduction and degeneration of elastic fibers of the skin that can appear simply as thick, saggy skin with loose folds to severe involvement showing ...
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 »Delayed Puberty In Girls
What Is Delayed Puberty In Girls? Delayed puberty in girls is a concerning condition characterized by decreased functional activity of the ovaries resulting in late onset of ovulation and secondary sex characteristics. Q: When should puberty in girls begin? A: ...
Read More »Dementia
What Is Dementia? Dementia is the term used to describe a group of symptoms that show significant deterioration of an individual’s intellectual and social abilities. The deterioration in intellectual function is progressive and is characterized by memory and cognitive impairment involving deficits ...
Read More »Depression
What Is Depression? Depression is a mood disorder characterized by absence of cheerfulness, dejection, and loss of interest or pleasure in living, making the person dysfunctional and unable to cope with or perform tasks of daily living. More than a ...
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