Archive | August 2021

Part I Hepatitis and it’s types (A and B):

Hepatitis_Overview       Hepatatis approach-to-evaluation-of-liver-disorders-34-638

Viral hepatitis, including hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C, are distinct diseases that affect the liver and have different hepatitis symptoms and treatments. Other causes of hepatitis include recreational drugs and prescription medications. Hepatitis type is determined by laboratory tests.

HEPATITIS A:

If you have this infection, you have inflammation in your liver that’s caused by a virus. You don’t always get symptoms, but when you do, you might have: Jaundice (yellowing of the skin), Pain in your belly, Loss of appetite, Nausea, Fever, Diarrhea, Fatigue, Loss of weight, fever, sore muscles, **Pain on the right side of the belly, under the rib cage-where your liver is located** (if not a combination of these symptoms).

Children often have the disease with few symptoms.

You can spread the Hepatitis A virus about 2 weeks before your symptoms appear and during the first week they show up, or even if you don’t have any.

How it’s transmitted:

You can catch the disease if you drink water or food that’s been contaminated with the stool of someone with the virus.  You can also get infected if you:

-Eat fruits, vegetables, or other foods that were contaminated during handling.

-Eat raw shellfish harvested from water that’s got the virus in it.

-Swallow contaminated food.

Examples: Sometimes a group of people who eat at the same restaurant can get hepatitis A. This can happen when an employee with hepatitis A doesn’t wash his or her hands well after using the bathroom and then prepares food. It can also happen when a food item is contaminated by raw sewage or by an infected garden worker.

-The disease can also spread in day care centers. Children, especially those in diapers, may get stool on their hands and then touch objects that other children put into their mouths. And workers can spread the virus if they don’t wash their hands well after changing a diaper.

How Is It Diagnosed?

Blood tests allow doctors to diagnose it. **It is important to identify the type of hepatitis virus causing the infection to prevent it from spreading and to start the proper treatment. Since this Hepatitis A virus infection is spread through food or water that has been contaminated by the feces (stool) of an infected person.

Are There Any Long-Term Effects?

Usually the virus doesn’t cause any long-term problems or complications. But according to the CDC, 10% to 15% of people with hepatitis A will have symptoms that last a long time or come back over a 6- to 9-month period. In rare situations, some people may have liver failure or need a transplant.

What’s the Treatment?

No treatments can cure the disease. Your doctor may take tests that check your liver function to be sure your body is healing.

Who is at highest risk for this?

-Live with or have sex with someone who’s infected.*

-Travel to countries where hepatitis A is common.*

Remember the people who are also at risk:

-Men who have sex with men*

-People who inject illegal drugs*

-Kids in child care and their teachers*

HEPATITIS B

Hepatitis is a serious disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Infection with this virus can cause scarring of the liver, liver failure, liver cancer, and even death. What happens to most cases of Hepatitis patients is the adult cases (up to 95%), hepatitis B causes limited infection. Usually people manage to fight off the infection successfully within a few months, developing an immunity that lasts a lifetime. (This means you won’t get the infection again).  Blood tests show evidence of this immunity, but no signs of active infection. Unfortunately, this is not true in infants and young children in which 90% of infants and 30% to 50% of children will develop a chronic infection.

Symptoms of acute infection (when a person is first infected with hepatitis) include:

-Jaundice (yellowing of the skin or whites of the eyes and/or a brownish or orange tint to the urine)/Unusually light colored stool/Unexplained fatigue that persists for weeks or months/Flu-like symptoms such as fever, loss of appetite, nausea, and vomiting/Abdominal Pain

Often, symptoms occur one to six months after exposure, with an average of three month. An estimated 30% of those infected do not have any symptoms at all.

How it’s transmitted:

Hepatitis B is spread in infected blood and other bodily fluids such as semen and vaginal secretions. It is spread in the same way that the virus that causes AIDS (HIV) is spread but hepatitis B is 50 to 100 times more infectious. Most people who are infected with hepatitis B in the U.S. do not know they have it. If you’re pregnant and you’ve got hepatitis B, you could give the disease to your unborn child. If you deliver a baby who’s got it, he needs to get treatment in the first 12 hours after birth.

How it’s diagnosed:                                                                                                              

If your doctor suspects that you may have hepatitis B, he or she will perform a complete physical exam and order blood tests to look at the function of your liver. Hepatitis B is confirmed with blood tests that detect the virus.

If your disease becomes chronic, liver biopsies (tissue samples) may be obtained to detect the severity of the disease.

Are There Any Long-Term Effects?

Liver damage if the virus is not taken care will happen with multiple organ crash from putting affect on other organs from doing their jobs.

WHAT’S THE TREATMENT:

Treatment depends on whether you:

-Have been recently infected with the virus (treating acute hepatitis B).*

-Have the symptoms of an acute infection. *

-Have chronic infection (Have had the hepatitis B for a chronic period of time).

-Acute vs Chronic=different RX.*

Acute Hep B. you should get a shot of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and the first of three shots of the hepatitis B Vaccine (What is a PDF document?). It is important to receive this treatment within 7 days after a needle stick and within 2 weeks after sexual contact that may have exposed you to the virus. The sooner you receive treatment after exposure, the better the treatment works.

Regarding Chronic Hep B treatment depends on how active the virus is in your body and your chance of liver damage. The goal of treatment is to stop liver damage by keeping the virus from multiplying.

Antiviral medicine is used if the virus is active and you are at risk for liver damage. Medicine slows the ability of the virus to multiply.

Antiviral treatment isn’t given to everyone who has chronic hepatitis B.

Follow-up visits

Whether or not you take medicine, you will need to visit your doctor regularly. He or she will do blood tests to check your liver and the activity of the hepatitis B virus in your body.

Some of the tests can find out whether the virus is multiplying in your liver, which would increase your risk of liver damage.

Liver transplant

If you develop advanced liver damage and your condition becomes life-threatening, you may need a liver transplant. But not everyone is a good candidate for a liver transplant.

If you have not gotten a hepatitis B vaccine and think you may have been exposed to the virus, you should get a shot of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and the first of three shots of the hepatitis B vaccine. It is important to receive this treatment within 7 days after a needle stick and within 2 weeks after sexual contact that may have exposed you to the virus. The sooner you receive treatment after exposure, the better the treatment works.

THOSE AT HIGHEST RISK FOR HEPATITIS B:

-Being born in, or spending more than 6 months in, parts of the world where hepatitis B is common or where a large number of people have been infected for a long time. Such areas include Southeast and Central Asia, the islands of the South Pacific, the Amazon River basin, the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and China.

-Being a man who has sex with men.

-Being sexually active. This includes having unprotected sex with someone who is infected with the virus or whose sexual history is unknown to you.

-Having more than one yex partner. (Your risk is higher if you have another sexually transmitted infection such as chlamydia.)

-Living with someone who has a chronic hepatitis B infection.

-Getting  or body piercing and tattoos from someone who doesn’t sterilize his or her equipment.

-Sharing needles or other equipment (such as cotton, spoons, and water) to inject illegal drugs.

 

 

QUOTE FOR THE WEEKEND:

” High blood pressure (hypertension) is a common condition in which the long-term force of the blood against your artery walls is high enough that it may eventually cause health problems, such as heart disease. Blood pressure is determined both by the amount of blood your heart pumps and the amount of resistance to blood flow in your arteries.”

MAYO CLINIC

Hypertension HTN – what is it?, the causes?,& what are the actual numbers for HTN , & factors influencing HTN.

High Blood Pressure – what is it?

The most common cause of heart disease is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease and happens slowly over time.  In HIGH Blood Pressure the arteries & veins narrow!  Think of a balloons that make animals that mom and dad buy us when at the circus or a fair.  Take one of those long thin balloons and if inflated what happens to the balloon if we step on it?  Right, due to increase pressure and it will POP!  Same concept with HTN; the pressure increases in the vessels due to vessels to narrow or contrict in size (like stepping on the balloon) causing increased pressure in the vessels causing the diagnosis hypertension (HTN).  If the high pressure does not get controlled a vessel can pop causing a hemmoragic stroke if it occurs in the brain or the pop of a vessel will cause hemmorage elsewhere if not in the brain.  Remember vessels in the brain for the most part are small.

High Blood Pressure or HTN affects 80 million Americans and nearly half of the people in the UK between the ages of 65 and 74, and a large percentage of those between the ages of 35 and 65. One of the problems associated with high blood pressure is that you will probably not even know you have it until you happen to have your blood pressure taken during a routine physical examination.

Upon diagnosis, you may wonder why you never saw it coming. Most people don’t. Only those with severe high blood pressure experience any warning signs at all.

These signs can include headaches, impaired vision, and black-outs.

What B/P actually tells us regarding the numbers!

It is the measurement of the force that blood applies to the walls of the arteries as it flows through them carrying oxygen and nutrients to the body’s vital organs and systems. Naturally, our blood is under pressure as it rushes through our arteries. Even those with blood pressure in the normal range will experience an increase in their blood pressure during rigorous physical activity or during times of stress. It only becomes a problem when the blood continues to run high. This condition of blood pressure is known as hypertension or high blood pressure and in 95% of the cases, the cause of it is never known. However, we do know the factors that set a person up to develop hypertension.

Blood Pressure Readings:

Factors influencing High Blood Pressure

They are as follows:

NON-MODAFIABLE RISK FACTORS ARE 4: HEREDITY-HIGH B/P RUNNING IN THE FAMILY

AGE-THE OLDER, THE HIGHER PROBABILITY YOU WILL END UP WITH B/P DEPENDING ON YOUR HEALTH AND HOW GOOD YOU TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF.

SEX-MALES VS FEMALES

RACE-HIGHIER IN AFROAMERICAN AS OPPOSED TO WHITE.

MODAFIABLE RISK FACTORS=FACTORS YOU CAN CONTROL IN YOUR LIFESPAN:

1-Obesity=Those with a body mass index of 30 or greater.

2-Drinking more than 2 to 4 alcoholic drinks a day.

3-Smoking

4-High cholesterol

5-Diabetes

6-Ongoing Stress/Anxiety

7-Continuous use of excessive salt consumption

Possible causes of High Blood Pressure

Sometimes the cause of a person’s high blood pressure is determined, but this happens in only 5% of the cases. When a cause is found, the person is diagnosed with secondary high blood pressure [hypertension]. In most of these cases, the cause can be linked to an underlying illness such as kidney disease, adrenal gland disease, or narrowing of the aorta. Contraceptive pills, steroids, and some medications can also cause secondary high blood pressure [hypertension], though instances of this are not all that common.

High Blood Pressure and the important numbers:

See the source image

We hear the numbers, but do we really know what they mean? Since your blood pressure numbers can help you to understand your overall health status, it is important that you keep track of it. By knowing where your numbers are right now, you can head off such serious high blood pressure complications as angina, heart attacks, stroke, kidney damage, and many others that might surprise you – like eye problems and gangrene.

Medical professionals generally provide your blood pressure to you in terms of two numbers – a top one and a bottom one. For example, if your blood pressure is 120/80, they may say that you have a blood pressure of 120 over 80. Here is a definition for these numbers:

The top number this is your systolic blood pressure. It measures the force of blood in the arteries as your heart beats. The top number means the pressure is reading your heart at work.  That is why this number is always highier.

The bottom number this is your diastolic blood pressure. It is the pressure of your blood when the heart is relaxed in between the times when it is pumping. Means the pressure is reading your heart at rest.  That is why the number is always lowest.

Your blood pressure requires monitoring when you have a systolic blood pressure of 140 or over and/or a diastolic blood pressure of 90 or over. Those with diabetes must maintain a lower blood pressure that those who don’t have the condition. Diabetics should maintain a blood pressure of less than 130/80.

Monitors for measuring High Blood Pressure

It is wise to monitor your blood pressure at home in addition to having it taken at your doctor’s office. This will allow you to provide your doctor with readings that have been taken over time, providing a more in depth look at your personal health condition. This will help your doctor to prescribe the right hypertensive medication and treatment for your specific condition.  Taking your B/P everyday will help you notice, probably before your visit to the MD,  changes in your B/P and especially high blood pressure started which will allow you to get it under control sooner and before it’s a challenge in life changes or before it does worse give you a result that is not reversible (like a stroke  or a aortic aneurysm rupture, for example).

The best blood pressure monitors are those that take your measurement from the upper arm. Those that provide readings from the wrist or finger are not as reliable. You’ll also want to make sure that the blood pressure monitor you are considering has been proven in clinical trials. Trusted name brands include those made by Omron, LifeSource, Mark of Fitness, Micro Life, and A and D Instruments. There are other brands available – the important thing is to do your research.

Revised 2/16/2021 by Elizabeth Lynch RNBSN 35 yrs/Cardiac RN

QUOTE FOR FRIDAY:

“At least seven disorders are part of or closely related to Autism. Each disorder has symptoms commonly seen with autism, as well as its own specific symptoms.  Medical comorbidities are also commonly seen in autism spectrum disorder including PANS/PANDAS, ADD/ADHD, seizures, dental issues, sleep disturbances and gastrointestinal symptoms. ”

Autism Research Institute

Related Conditions to Autism

Williams Syndrome

Williams Syndrome (also known as Williams-Beuren syndrome) is a rare genetics disorder in which a portion of DNA material on chromosome 7 is missing. The prevalence in the population is somewhere between 1 out of 10,000.

Many people with Williams Syndrome exhibit autistic behaviors. This includes: developmental and language delays, problems in gross motor skills, hypersensitivity to sounds, picky eating, and perseverating.

However, Williams Syndrome includes other symptoms that may require different or additional treatments. A diagnosis is essential to maximize quality of care.

These individuals differ from the typical autistic individual because they also have cardiovascular abnormalities, high blood pressure, elevated calcium levels, and are very sociable. They also have unique pixie-like facial features–almond shaped eyes, oval ears, full lips, small chins, narrow faces, and broad mouths.

Fragile X

Fragile X syndrome (also known as Martin-Bell syndrome) is a sex-linked genetic disorder. The exact frequency of Fragile X syndrome is unclear, but the CDC estimates that roughly 1.4 in 10,000 males and 0.9 in 10,000 females are affected by this disorder. Males afflicted with this syndrome typically have a moderate to severe form of intellectual handicap. Females may also be affected but generally have a mild form of impairment.

Approximately 15% to 20% of those with Fragile X Syndrome exhibit autistic-type behaviors, such as poor eye contact, hand-flapping or odd gesture movements, hand-biting, and poor sensory skills. Behavior problems and speech/language delay are also common features of Fragile X Syndrome.

People with Fragile X syndrome also have a number of recognizable physical features, including a high arched palate, strabismus (lazy eye), large ears, long face, large testicles in males, poor muscle tone, flat feet, and sometimes mild, heart valve abnormalities. Although most individuals with Fragile X syndrome have a characteristic ‘look’ (long face and large ears), there are some who do not have typical features.

Many hospitals and laboratories perform blood tests to diagnose Fragile X syndrome. Several treatments are recommended for individuals with this disorder, including mild medications for behavior problems and therapies for speech and language and sensory improvement. Families are advised to seek genetic counseling to understand the inheritable nature of Fragile X Syndrome and to discuss with family members the likelihood other individuals or future offspring may have this disorder.

Thank  You to Dr. Peter Jacky of Kaiser Sunnyside Hospital in Clackamas, Oregon for his comments on this article.

Landau-Kleffner Syndrome

Landau-Kleffner Syndrome is a rare form of epilepsy that manifests as a form of aphasia, (loss of language), which usually develops between 3 and 7 years. It is twice as common in males than females and is often diagnosed in conjunction with autism. Initially, these individuals have a healthy, problem-free development with normal speech and vocabulary. These individuals first lose their ability to comprehend (i.e., receptive speech) and then their ability to speak (i.e., expressive speech). These changes can occur gradually or suddenly.

People with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome have abnormal EEG patterns (i.e., brain waves) in the temporal lobe (located on the sides of the brain) and in the temporo-parieto-occipital regions during sleep. Diagnosis of this syndrome usually involves examining the person’s EEG patterns during sleep. Approximately 70% develop epilepsy; and these seizures are typically infrequent and can be either with or without convulsions.

One common characteristic of Landau-Kleffner Syndrome is the failure to respond to sounds. Thus, parents may suspect their child of hearing loss. Autistic characteristics seen in Landau-Kleffner Syndrome individuals include pain insensitivity, aggression, poor eye contact, insistence on sameness, and sleep problems.

The cause of Landau-Kleffner Syndrome is not known. Some suggested causes have been a dysfunctional immune system, exposure to a virus, and brain trauma. The prognosis is better when the onset is after age 6 and when speech therapy is started early. Several other treatments have also been shown to be beneficial for many of these individuals, such as anticonvulsant mediations and corticosteroids. There is also a surgical technique in which the pathways of abnormal electrical brain activity are severed.

Prader-Willi Syndrome

Prader-Willi Syndrome is a disorder which is sometimes associated with, but not a subtype of, autism. The classical features of this disorder include an obsession with food which is often associated with impulsive eating, compact body build, underdeveloped sexual characteristics, and poor muscle tone. Because of their obsession with food, many people afflicted with Prader-Willi Syndrome are overweight. Most individuals afflicted with Prader-Willi Syndrome have mild mental deficits.

Some of the behaviors which are common to both Prader-Willi Syndrome and autism are:

  • delays in language and motor development
  • learning disabilities
  • feeding problems in infancy
  • sleep disturbances, skin picking
  • temper tantrums
  • high pain threshold

Prader-Willi Syndrome affects approximately 1 in 10,000 people. Most individuals suffering from this disorder are missing a small portion of chromosome 15 which appears to come from the paternal side of the family. When a small portion of chromosome 15 is missing and comes from the maternal side, the person may suffer from Angelman Syndrome.

The most effective form of treatment for people suffering from Prader-Willi Syndrome is behavior modification. In general, medications do not appear to be very effective for these individuals.

Angelman Syndrome

Angelman syndrome is a genetic disorder that affects the nervous system. Initial symptoms of this disorder typically manifest in the first year of life and become more apparent through early childhood. It is estimated that Angelman syndrome occurs in roughly every one in 15,000 people. Similarly to Prader Willi Syndrome, this disorder derives from a missing portion of chromosome 15, but unlike Prader Willi, this deficit comes from the maternal side.

Angelman syndrome is commonly characterized by:

  • Mental and speech deficits
  • Speech impairment
  • Problems with motor skills and balance
  • Epilepsy
  • Small head size
  • Hyperactivity
  • Smiling, Laughing and Hand flapping
  • Difficulty sleeping

To learn more about Angelman Syndrome, please visit the Angelman Syndrome Foundation

Rett Syndrome

Rett Syndrome was first recognized by Andreas Rett in 1966 and is a neurological disorder affecting primarily females. Autopsies on the brains of these individuals indicate a pathology different from autism; however, children afflicted with Rett Syndrome often exhibit autistic-like behaviors, such as repetitive hand movements, prolonged toe walking, body rocking, and sleep problems. In most cases, there is a regression in cognition, behavior, social, and motor skills throughout their lifetime.

The prevalence of Rett Syndrome is estimated to be between 1 in 10,000 and 1 in 15,000 people.

Typical characteristics:

  • Normal development until 1/2 to 1 1/2 years
  • Behavioral, social, and cognitive regression
  • Shakiness of the torso, and possibly the limbs
  • Unsteady, stiff-legged gait
  • Breathing difficulties (hyperventilation, apnea, air swallowing)
  • Seizures (approximately 80% have epilepsy)
  • Teeth grinding and difficulty chewing
  • Stunted growth and small head
  • Severe mental deficits
  • Hypoactivity

In 1999, Dr. Huda Zoghbi and her colleagues located the gene for Rett syndrome. The gene was located on one of the two X chromosomes that determine sex. Rett syndrome results from the mutation of the gene that makes methyl cytosine binding protein, resulting in excessive amounts of this protein.

For more information about this disorder, visit International Rett Syndrome Association

Tardive dyskinesia

Tardive dyskinesia is a syndrome involving dysfunctional, involuntary movements associated with long-term, chronic use of neuroleptic medications, such as Haldol, Prolixin, and Thorazine. These drugs lead to an apparent general calming or sedative effect on the individual and are considered major tranquilizers.

Tardive dyskinesia may appear anywhere from three months to several years after initial use of these medications, and withdrawal from neuroleptics often exacerbates the symptoms.

Common tardive dyskinesia movements include, but are not limited to:

  • facial tics, grimacing
  • eye blinking
  • lip smacking
  • tongue thrusting
  • moving one’s head back or to the side
  • foot tapping
  • ankle movements
  • shuffled gait
  • head nodding

Tardive dyskinesia may lead to very serious problems, such as respiratory interference, inability to eat, oral ulcerations, and difficulty standing/walking.

Tardive dyskinesia movements may be confused with stereotypy because of the repetitive nature of both behaviors. Stereotypy refers to ritualistic, often complex behaviors, such as body and head rocking, hand-flapping, and complex hand movement patterns. Stereotypy appears to be under voluntary control. In contrast, tardive dyskinesia movements are less complex, less ritualistic, and are not volitional.

Other psychoactive drugs, such as clozaril/clozapine, have similar effects on behavior but do not produce tardive dyskinesia as neuroleptics do.

Is it Autism?

While the behavioral symptoms of the conditions above may overlap with autism, they may require different or additional treatments. Seek a diagnosis and treatment plan from a qualified medical professional before starting any form of treatment.

Benign Prostate Hypertrophy or Hyperplasia

Normal Prostate vs. Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

The prostate is a walnut-shaped gland that is part of the male reproductive system. The main function of the prostate is to make a fluid that goes into semen. Prostate fluid is essential for a man’s fertility. The gland surrounds the urethra at the neck of the bladder. The bladder neck is the area where the urethra joins the bladder. The bladder and urethra are parts of the lower urinary tract. The prostate has two or more lobes, or sections, enclosed by an outer layer of tissue, and it is in front of the rectum, just below the bladder. The urethra is the tube that carries urine from the bladder to the outside of the body. In men, the urethra also carries semen out through the penis.

What is benign prostatic hyperplasia?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia––also called BPH––is a condition in men in which the prostate gland is enlarged and not cancerous. Benign prostatic hyperplasia is also called benign prostatic hypertrophy or benign prostatic obstruction.

The prostate goes through two main growth periods as a man ages. The first occurs early in puberty, when the prostate doubles in size. The second phase of growth begins around age 25 and continues during most of a man’s life. Benign prostatic hyperplasia often occurs with the second growth phase.

As the prostate enlarges, the gland presses against and pinches the urethra. The bladder wall becomes thicker. Eventually, the bladder may weaken and lose the ability to empty completely, leaving some urine in the bladder. The narrowing of the urethra and urinary retention––the inability to empty the bladder completely––cause many of the problems associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Ending line the prostate enlarges pushes up to the superior both front and back aspects of the penis (just below the urinary bladder) narrowing the urethra in the penis shaft (on both sides of the urethra) causing urination difficulty and frequently urinating.  (See figure below  the picture shows in the top part the urinary bladder and the prostate below it Left normal Right BPH).

What causes benign prostatic hyperplasia?

The cause of benign prostatic hyperplasia is not well understood; however, it occurs mainly in older men. Benign prostatic hyperplasia does not develop in men whose testicles were removed before puberty. For this reason, some researchers believe factors related to aging and the testicles may cause benign prostatic hyperplasia.

Throughout their lives, men produce testosterone, a male hormone, and small amounts of estrogen, a female hormone. As men age, the amount of active testosterone in their blood decreases, which leaves a higher proportion of estrogen. Scientific studies have suggested that benign prostatic hyperplasia may occur because the higher proportion of estrogen within the prostate increases the activity of substances that promote prostate cell growth.

Another theory focuses on dihydrotestosterone (DHT), a male hormone that plays a role in prostate development and growth. Some research has indicated that even with a drop in blood testosterone levels, older men continue to produce and accumulate high levels of DHT in the prostate. This accumulation of DHT may encourage prostate cells to continue to grow. Scientists have noted that men who do not produce DHT do not develop benign prostatic hyperplasia.

How common is BPH?

Benign prostatic hyperplasia is the most common prostate problem for men older than age 50. In 2010, as many as 14 million men in the United States had lower urinary tract symptoms suggestive of benign prostatic hyperplasia. Although benign prostatic hyperplasia rarely causes symptoms before age 40, the occurrence and symptoms increase with age. Benign prostatic hyperplasia affects about 50 percent of men between the ages of 51 and 60 and up to 90 percent of men older than 80.

Signs and Symptoms

BPH, the prostate gland grows in size. It may compress the urethra which courses through the center of the prostate. This can impede the flow of urine from the bladder through the urethra to the outside. It can cause urine to back up in the bladder (retention) leading to the need to urinate frequently during the day and night. Other common symptoms include a slow flow of urine, the need to urinate urgently and difficulty starting the urinary stream. More serious problems include urinary tract infections=pain in pelvic region and complete blockage of the urethra, which would be a medical emergency and can lead injury to the kidneys.

Treatment:

Is BPH always treated?

No. Treatment of BPH is usually reserved for men with significant symptoms. Watchful waiting with medical monitoring once a year is appropriate for most men with BPH.

How is BPH treated?

There are several different ways to treat BPH:

Men should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of each of these options. Prostate surgery has traditionally been seen as offering the most benefits for BPH but unfortunately carries the most risks.

  • Watchful waiting is often chosen by men who are not bothered by symptoms of BPH. They have no treatment but get regular checkups and wait to see whether or not the condition gets worse.

Medical Treatment through drugs is used by some men rangaing from alpha blockers relax the smooth muscles of the prostate, and the bladder neck.  An example of these meds are tamsulosin (Flomax), alfuzosin (Uroxatral), and older medications such as terazosin (Hytrin), slidosin (Rapaflo) or doxazosin (Cardura).  

Also 5-alpha reductase inhibitors block the conversion of the male hormone testosterone into its active form in the prostate.  Examples of 5-alpha reductase inhibitors include Finasteride (Proscar) and dutasteride (Avodart). Side effects of finasteride may include declining interest in sex, problems getting an erection, and problems with ejaculation.

Surgery or office procedures may also be used to treat BPH, most commonly in men who have not responded satisfactorily to medication or those who have more severe problems, such as a complete inability to urinate.

  • Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) has been used for the longest period of time. After the patient is given anesthesia, the doctor inserts a special instrument into the urethra through the penis. With the instrument, the doctor then shaves away part of the inner prostate to relieve the outflow of urine from the bladder.
  • Laser procedures: A number of laser procedures are available, some of which can be performed in the doctor’s office with minimal anesthesia. These procedures also involve the removal of obstructing prostate tissue. They are generally associated with less bleeding and quicker recovery than TURP.
  • Microwave therapy: This procedure is generally performed in the office and involves the use of microwave energy delivered to the prostate to kill some of the cells leading eventually to shrinkage of the prostate.

QUOTE FOR WEDNESDAY:

“Overweight and obesity can cause changes in the body that help lead to cancer. These changes can include long-lasting inflammation and higher than normal levels of insulin, insulin-like growth factor, and sex hormones. The risk of cancer increases with the more excess weight a person gains and the longer a person is overweight”

Center for Disease Control and Prevention CDC

Part 2: Now there is a Obesity and Cancer Link

LOOKING AT ACTUAL STUDIES SUPPORTING OBESITY&CANCER LINK

Take for example through the American Cancer Society they stated in an article 2006 that a substantial evidence from clinical trials has established that obesity significantly increases the risk for heart disease and diabetes. More recently, suspicions that obesity is linked to prostate cancer have been supported by a number of investigations, but the relationship has remained unclear. Now through a pair of new studies provides scientists with some important insights that may have an impact on how physicians manage their patients with prostate cancer.

The pair of studies show 2 significant studies relating how obesity links with prostate cancer, which were:

The implication is that prostate cancer patients who are obese should probably be followed more closely than patients with similar cancer characteristics who are not obese. That could include regular digital rectal exams, more frequent prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing, and perhaps setting a lower PSA cutoff point as an indication of recurrence, Kane explained.

The greater risk associated with obesity may be related to technical issues, Kane said. For example, it’s more difficult for surgeons to perform a radical prostatectomy in obese patients. However, surgical challenges offer only a partial explanation. In studies where surgeons verified that they had removed all cancer cells during radical prostatectomy, obese patients were still more likely to experience a recurrence of the disease.

The second study, a multi-center trial coordinated at the Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, NC, found that obese men under the age of 63 tend to have larger prostates, which makes finding tumors more difficult. As a result, there’s a real danger of delayed diagnosis, which decreases the chances of a cure and puts patients at greater risk for dying of the disease. The findings appear in the Journal of Urology.

“It’s harder to find cancer in larger prostate glands,” explained Stephen J. Freedland, MD, assistant professor of urology and member of the Duke Prostate Center at the Duke University School of Medicine. “Consequently, our data suggest that we may be underdiagnosing cancers in younger obese men. That also means that the tumors we do pick up are likely to be at a more advanced stage and perhaps more aggressive, and therefore more difficult to treat.”

Let’s look at this at a broader aspect, not just pertaining to prostate cancer. This would be, “It’s not just patients with prostate cancer that studies like this should be directed toward,” Dr. Kane said. “Patients who are clearly at risk for developing the disease should also take notice of our findings. The central message is yet again that obesity has been identified as an important risk factor for a potentially deadly disease. For all of us, controlling our weight through diet and exercise is important, and we shouldn’t have blinders on and just think of prostate cancer. The number one risk of death for American men is heart disease, so anything we can do to reduce that risk that also reduces the risk for prostate cancer is useful.” Including it reduces risk for other cancers as well that are impacted by disease, it makes sense.

Obesity links to an increased risk of ovarian cancer. Let’s look at this no: Atlanta 2009/01/05 -A new epidemiological study has found that among women who have never used menopausal hormone therapy, obese women are at an increased risk of developing ovarian cancer compared with women of normal weight. Published in the February 15, 2009 issue of CANCER, a peer-reviewed journal of the American Cancer Society, the research indicates that obesity may contribute to the development of ovarian cancer through a hormonal mechanism. Ovarian cancer is the most fatal of gynecologic malignancies, and has a 5-year survival rate of only 37 percent.

To investigate this issue, Dr. Michael F. Leitzmann of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues studied 94,525 U.S. women aged 50 to 71 years over a period of seven years. The researchers documented 303 ovarian cancer cases during this time and noted that among women who had never taken hormones after menopause, obesity was associated with an almost 80 percent higher risk of ovarian cancer. In contrast, no link between body weight and ovarian cancer was evident for women who had ever used menopausal hormone therapy.

According to Dr. Leitzmann, these findings support the hypothesis that obesity may enhance ovarian cancer risk in part through its hormonal effects. Excess body mass in postmenopausal women leads to an increased production of estrogen, which in turn may stimulate the growth of ovarian cells and play a role in the development of ovarian cancer.

In another study done 2003, American Cancer Society researchers analyzed data based on 900,000 American adults with obesity and cancer that they monitored for a total of 16 years. This is what they found in their landmark study: 1)The researchers found that the most obese women had a 62% increase in their risk of dying from cancer than women of normal weight; for obese men, the increase was 52%. The wide range of tumor types included colorectal, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, esophageal, kidney, prostate, breast, uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. The researchers conclusion was that above-normal weight was associated with almost 20% of all cancer deaths in the United States. “There’s an incredibly powerful link between obesity and cancer,” says oncologist Joyce Slingerland of the University of Miami, Florida. “Everyone’s heard of obesity’s effect on heart disease and diabetes, and we’re now beginning to understand that the cancer risk is just as great,” she says.

Although researchers and epidemiologists had long suspected that diet and cancer were linked, efforts to explain why being fat makes cancer more deadly have only begun to deliver results in the past decade.

So it is up to the people in society of that country they live in to take on responsible actions to make their country a better for all, not just one. I say that is becoming as healthy as possible that an individual can reach and without America has the answers in knowing how to make this happen 100% in our country.

A new study from American Cancer Society researchers finds it’s not just how much physical activity you get, but how much time you spend sitting that can affect your risk of death.

My final study supporting how obesity links with cancer:

Just think if this was you or someone you know in the world and this happens to you or them; GOD FORBID, but you can help yourself through prevention with losing the weight or just staying slim and tone if you already are. This will just decrease your risk of getting the cancer.

The JCCC study, led by Dr. Guido Eibl, JCCC member and professor-in-residence in the department of surgery at David Geffen School of Medicine, revealed that mice made obese with high-calorie, high-fat diets developed abnormally high numbers of these lesions.

This is the first study to show a direct causal link in an animal model between obesity and risk of this deadly pancreatic cancer.

The JCCC study, led by Dr. Guido Eibl, JCCC member and professor-in-residence in the department of surgery at David Geffen School of Medicine, revealed that mice made obese with high-calorie, high-fat diets developed abnormally high numbers of these lesions. This is the first study to show a direct causal link in an animal model between obesity and risk of this deadly pancreatic cancer.

The mice eating the normal diet gained an average of approximately 7.2 g over 14 months. Mice on the high-fat, high-calorie diet more than doubled this with an average weight gain of 15.9 g.

Pathological tests showed that mice fed the normal diet had mostly normal pancreases with very few scattered PanIN lesions=intraepithelial neoplasias=precursors to pancreatic lesions. They are used as markers but can only be seen microscopically so a biopsy is needed. The mice fed high fat & cholesterol in their diet had significantly more PanIN lesions with less overall healthy pancreases.

The study showed that the mice fed a diet high in fats and calories gained significantly more weight, had abnormalities of their metabolism and increased insulin levels, and had marked pancreatic tissue inflammation with the development of PanIN lesions.

These observations suggest that such a diet like this which leads to weight gain, metabolism disturbances, pancreas inflammation and pancreas lesions that are precursors to cancer.

Obviously research is showing obesity has a link with cancer. We now know this information let’s make a move America and people elsewhere to become a healthier nation including world. For diversity is the US and other countries filled with all cultures, races and genders need to learn this knowledge to help make their country whether they were either born there and stayed or those born elsewhere moving to a new country, like America and we the people making up the country need to be responsible not just for yourselves but for your children and future generations in spreading good habits, good dieting, and good exercise to prevent high disease in the country for yourself and your children and the future generations by being a good role model in thinking=live healthy not unhealthy. In time this would play an impact on your countries economy and health care system in how its run. So come with me, like many others if you need to know the simple steps in how to go about losing weight safely but easy with learning better healthy habits and practicing some form of exercise which will benefit you in having a healthier body than join me at my website healthyusa.tsfl.com and become a member with getting guidance through Dr. Anderson on his healthy habits through his book and me as your health coach. Take a peek you might just like what you see. You make all the choices in what you want and going to the site costs nothing. There will come a point you get your routine down and don’t need our help with staying healthy for life with decreasing your chance of so many diseases, not just cancer, from occurring. Help me with so many others in tring to make a difference in America by becoming healthier. Slowly but surely I am and I know you can to at your pace.

References:

1 –American Institute for Cancer Research, Schernhammer ES et al. Circulating levels of insulin-like growth factors, their binding proteins, and breast cancer risk. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2005 Mar;14(3):699-704 ES et al. their binding proteins, and breast cancer risk— Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2006 Mar;14(3):699-704/ AICR ScienceNow /Volume 16/Spring 2006

2 – Studies Help Clarify Link Between Obesity and Prostate Cancer  Article date: March 2, 2006 Impact of Obesity on Prostate Cancer Recurrence After Radical Prostatectomy: Data from CaPSURE.” Published in the Nov., 2005 Urology (Vol. 66, No. 5: 1060-1065). First author: William W. Bassett, University of California, San Francisco.

“Obesity, Serum Prostate Specific Antigen and Prostate Size: Implications for Prostate Cancer Detection.” Published in the Feb. 2006 Journal of Urology (Vol. 175, No. 2: 500-504). First author: Stephen J. Freedland, MD, Duke University School of Medicine.

3 – Director, Medical & Scientific Communications American Cancer Society david.sampson@cancer.org Article: “Body mass index and risk of ovarian cancer.” Michael F. Leitzmann, Corinna Koebnick, Kim N. Danforth.

QUOTE FOR TUESDAY:

“Research shows that excess body fat increases your risk for several cancers, including colorectal, post-menopausal breast, uterine, esophageal, kidney and pancreatic cancers. What’s less clear is exactly how being obese increases that risk.”

MD Anderson Cancer Center