December 2009
10 posts
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the tenth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
Controllable Risk Factors for High Cholesterol Include:
Diet: The saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat raise total and LDL-cholesterol levels.
Weight: Being overweight...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the ninth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
High Cholesterol Risk Factors
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance made in the liver and found in certain foods, such as from animals, like dairy products, eggs, and meat. The body needs some...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the eighth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
What Drugs Are Used to Treat High Cholesterol?
Cholesterol-lowering drugs include:
Statins
Niacin
Bile-acid resins
Fibric acid derivatives
Cholesterol-lowering medicine is most...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the seventh part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
How Is High Cholesterol Treated?
The main goal in lowering cholesterol is to lower your LDL and raise your HDL. There are two key ways to lower cholesterol: eat a heart-healthy diet and take...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the sixth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
How Can I Lower My Cholesterol and Risk of Heart Disease?
A few simple changes can help lower your cholesterol and risk for heart disease:
Eat low cholesterol foods. The American Heart...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the fifth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
How Much Cholesterol Is Too Much?
Everyone over the age of 20 should get their cholesterol levels measured at least once every five years.
When being tested, your doctor may recommend a non-fasting...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the fourth part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
What Factors Affect Cholesterol Levels?
A variety of factors can affect your cholesterol levels. They include:
Diet. Saturated fat and cholesterol in the food you eat increase cholesterol...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the third part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
Types of Cholesterol
Cholesterol travels through the blood attached to a protein — this cholesterol-protein package is called a lipoprotein. Lipoproteins are classified as high density, low...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
As for the second part of this new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
Cholesterol and Heart Disease
When too much cholesterol is present, plaque (a thick, hard deposit) may form in the body’s arteries narrowing the space for blood to flow to the heart. Over...
About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG...
We are here to start a new article series entitled as About Cholesterol Management Guide and EKG Machines, we will be discussing here about the things we should know on cholesterol management.
The Basics of Cholesterol
Have you been diagnosed with high cholesterol? Is lowering your cholesterol a goal? The first step is to find out: What is cholesterol?
Cholesterol is a waxy, fat-like substance...
November 2009
81 posts
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eighty-fifth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
The problem is, however, as mentioned previously, that only 5% of all patients with adenocarcinomas of the esophagus or cardia (gastroesophageal junction) have had an endoscopy to...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eighty-fourth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Why is it important to screen patients with GERD to diagnose Barrett’s esophagus?
Unfortunately, most of the cancers of the esophagus currently are detected too late to be...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eighty-third entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Today, this surgery is usually done laparoscopically without the need for a large incision. Therefore, patients can be discharged home within a few days with a much shorter recovery...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eighty-second entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
There is no evidence that anti-reflux surgery, or for that matter, acid suppression therapy with drugs, decreases the risk of esophageal cancer. This doesn’t mean that the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eighty-first entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Surgical treatment of GERD, with or without Barrett’s esophagus
GERD, with or without the presence of Barrett’s esophagus, sometimes is treated by anti-reflux surgery....
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the eightieth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
These drugs work by accelerating gastric emptying so that there is less food and fluid available in the stomach for reflux. Cisapride was the most commonly used drug in this class, but...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-ninth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
A number of drugs, including tricyclic antidepressants and calcium channel blockers, may promote gastroesophageal reflux. Therefore, if an alternative medication can be substituted...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-eighth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
In addition to drug therapy, certain lifestyle maneuvers are very important. These include:
Lose weight, if overweight.
Change diet, by reducing fat, chocolate,...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-seventh entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
A main point to remember about PPIs is that patients should never abruptly stop taking them. When PPIs are discontinued, the dose should gradually be decreased (tapered). You see,...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-sixth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
PPIs are potent inhibitors of the secretion of acid from the stomach. They are effective in relieving heartburn and healing esophageal inflammation (esophagitis) and esophageal...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-fifth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
For more persistent symptoms, higher (prescription) doses of the H-2 receptor antagonist drugs may be used (e.g., ranitidine (Zantac), famotidine, nizatidine (Axid), and...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-fourth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
How is GERD treated, with or without Barrett’s esophagus?
Medical (non-surgical) therapy
The medical treatments for the symptoms of Barrett’s esophagus are the same...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-third entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Other clinical features of GERD are due to strictures and ulceration of the esophagus. A stricture is a scarring (fibrosis) of the esophagus that may cause difficulty swallowing...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-second entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Heartburn is a burning sensation behind the breastbone, usually in the lower half, but which may extend all the way up to the throat. Sometimes, it is accompanied by burning or...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventy-first entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
If a person has a longer segment Barrett’s, one would guess that the cancer risk is greater. The data, however, is controversial in this regard. For that reason, the current...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the seventieth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Low grade and indefinite dysplasia are much less threatening than high grade dysplasia, but we don’t know just how much less. In fact, we don’t have precise data to...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-ninth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What is the risk of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus in Barrett’s?
When looking at Barrett’s esophagus patients as a whole group, the risk of cancer has been found to be...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-eighth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Biomarkers
Using molecular research techniques, some changes, referred to as biomarkers, can be detected in biopsy specimens before dysplasia develops. These changes are similar to...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-seventh entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Implications of dysplasia for cancer risk
Dysplasia is considered premalignant. This means that if dysplasia has been demonstrated on several occasions, it is believed that the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-sixth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What is dysplasia in Barrett’s esophagus?
Dysplasia is a change in the cells lining the esophagus in which the cells actually appear malignant (like cancer cells). However,...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-fifth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
If H. pylori goes untreated and remains lifelong, it causes progressive inflammation of the stomach (gastritis). In middle age and beyond, this gastritis is associated with a reduced...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-fourth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Increasing cases of Barrett’s-associated cancer and cancer of the cardia
The answer is not known. An increasing frequency of esophageal adenocarcinoma has been observed for...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-third entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Throughout the remainder of this section, the term esophageal cancer will refer to adenocarcinoma arising from the Barrett’s esophagus, that is, from the metaplastic...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-second entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Smoking and excessive alcohol ingestion are clear-cut risk factors for squamous cancers. They are also risk factors for adenocarcinoma as a complication of Barrett’s esophagus....
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixty-first entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What about the cancer that occurs in Barrett’s esophagus?
Adenocarcinoma of the esophagus
The type of cancer associated with Barrett’s esophagus is adenocarcinoma of...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the sixtieth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Therefore, the results of a routine biopsy of a normal appearing Z line in GERD should not lead to any change in management. What’s more, the finding of goblet cells in this...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-ninth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Intestinal metaplasia of the Z line (gastroesophageal junction) without visible Barrett’s
If biopsies are taken from GERD patients with normal appearing Z lines (no visible...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-eighth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Barrett’s esophagus is often referred to as short or long-segment Barrett’s, based on the length of the part of the esophagus that is affected. Short segment...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-seventh entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
With progressive injury to the esophagus, the metaplasia moves up into the esophagus for a distance that differs from person to person, varying usually from about 0.5 to 2.5 inches...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-sixth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
The process of developing Barrett’s begins right at the junction of the stomach and esophageal linings. The esophagus normally is lined by squamous epithelium. This squamous...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-fifth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Intestinal metaplasia
As indicated previously, the process of the replacement of one tissue lining by another is called metaplasia. In the stomach and intestines, metaplasia is a...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-fourth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What is the specific abnormality in the inner lining (epithelium) of Barrett’s esophagus?
To repeat, the first criterion for the diagnosis of Barrett’s esophagus is the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-third entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Furthermore, there is evidence that in the western hemisphere, esophageal cancer and cancer of the gastroesophageal junction (called cardia cancer) are increasing in frequency,...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-second entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Who develops Barrett’s esophagus?
Approximately 10 to 15% of individuals with chronic symptoms of GERD develop Barrett’s esophagus. The estimates are, however, that...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the fifty-first entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Other contributors to Barrett’s esophagus
The fluid in the stomach contains acid that is produced by the stomach. In addition, however, the fluid may contain bile acids (in...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
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Thus, Barrett’s esophagus is caused by chronic (many years duration) and usually severe acid reflux in people with GERD. So, in some patients with GERD, the esophagus reacts to the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the forty-ninth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What causes Barrett’s esophagus?
Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
GERD causes Barrett’s esophagus. The esophagus is a muscular tube that is located in the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the forty-eighth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Why is there so much interest in Barrett’s esophagus?
The reason for the great interest in Barrett’s esophagus is that it is associated with an increased risk of cancer...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the forty-seventh entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
Barrett’s esophagus is officially coded by the Library of Congress for electronic searches of the literature as Barrett esophagus, but Barrett’s esophagus (with the...
The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines...
As for the forty-sixth entry for this new article series entitled as The Facts About Heartburn, GERD and EKG Machines, we will just continue on discussing here about the things we should know on heartburn, and GERD.
What is Barrett’s esophagus?
Barrett’s esophagus occurs as a complication of chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), primarily in white males. GERD refers to...