(also called Hematologic diseases) Your blood is living tissue made up of liquid and solids. The liquid part, called plasma, is made of water, salts and protein. Over half of your blood is plasma. The solid part of your blood contains red blood cells, white blood cells and platelets. Red blood cells deliver oxygen from your lungs to your tissues and ...

h4. Introduction Most of Asia and parts of Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, are currently experiencing expanding outbreaks of an avian influenza that is decimating domestic fowl populations, infecting and killing people that have unprotected contact with the infected birds, and causing genuine concern in the medical and scientific communities throughout the world. The reason for the multi-national concern is ...

h4. THE HEART h4. The Structure of the Heart The size and position of the heart - Despite its heavy workload, the heart is not a large organ. It is about the size of the person's clenched fist and weighs 10 to 12 ounces. It is hollow and roughly conical in shape, with the narrow end pointed downward, to the left, ...

h4. Introduction To maintain a healthy lifestyle, the importance of physical activity can not be underestimated. It is the single most important endeavor that one can participate in to promote health throughout a lifetime. For decades, epidemiological research has accumulated highlighting the health benefits associated with regular physical activity. Furthermore, there is overwhelming research illustrating the morbid and mortal consequences of ...

h4. Introduction: The Purpose of Medical Records Medical records serve many purposes. First and foremost, they document the history of examination, diagnosis and treatment of a patient. This information is vital for all providers involved in a patient's care and for any subsequent new provider who assumes responsibility for the patient. In disciplinary or peer review matters, medical records can justify ...

h4. INTRODUCTION The immune system is the body's primary defensive survival mechanism. It can determine what is "self," which needs to be protected - and what is "non-self," which needs to be destroyed. A properly functioning immune system allows us to live a life virtually free of illness and disease. Nutrition plays a key role in maintaining optimal immune function. Recent ...

Introduction Clinical practitioners need to know about nutrition because research and experience show that proper nutritional care can reduce medical complications, speed healing, and improve outcome in sick people. In the hospital, clinical dietitians are taking an increasingly proactive role in planning and executing treatment regimens. Doctors now routinely order nutrition assessments and seek advice on formulas, diets and supplementation; pharmacists, ...

h4. Introduction History This section is offered for background only, as it is very confusing and of limited value. Many years ago, the state of Florida recognized the importance of professional regulation. A system of regulation developed in which each profession was responsible for regulating its own kind. It soon became apparent that there were common issues among all of the ...

h4. Introduction Prostate cancer is the second leading malignancy of men in the United States; wherein approximately 300,000 cases are diagnosed and 41,000 men die annually. It is second only to lung cancer in terms of male cancer deaths. Although this disease can be treated effectively when it is confined to the prostatic capsule at time of detection, it is beyond ...

h4. Premalignant Lesions Many malignant lesions have their predecessors. The status of any lesion, whether benign or malignant, can only be confirmed by histologic examination. The American Cancer Society guidelines suggest that lesions which have an unknown source and that fail to heal within two weeks undergo biopsy. Unfortunately, patients may dismiss lesions which are asymptomatic as harmless. Yet squamous cell ...

h4. Historical Perspectives During the 1970's and even later a shotgun approach to pre-anesthetic assessment was routine. Reasons for this attitude included the argument that broad based testing was good screening for patients who might not otherwise seek medical advice on a regular basis. Indeed, it was suggested that the information thus gained might well negate the need for an annual ...

h4. Introduction Hypothermia is defined as a core temperature of less than 35 degrees C. Below this temperature the body systems for thermoregulation begin to fail. The body's ability to minimize heat loss through radiation, convection, respiration, conduction, and evaporation are very limited. The very young and the very old are the most susceptible to hypothermia as a result of their ...

h4. Introduction Osteoporosis remains a serious health problem for society. It is estimated that 36 million Americans, both men and women, suffer from the disorder, which is responsible for a high risk for serious fractures especially of the spine, hip and wrist. It is an insidious disease, sometimes referred to as the silent thief, as it slowly drains away bone mass, ...

h4. Introduction Substance abuse and addiction comprise a public health problem with wide-ranging social, economic, and physical consequences. Drug-related deaths have more than doubled since the early 1980s. Although substance abuse costs American society more than $135 billion a year, there is no real way to put a price on the overall costs to society. Increased crime, disease, devastation of families, ...

h4. Introduction Regardless of what the obese state represents in terms of altered metabolic and hormonal function, obesity is above all a psychological or, perhaps more accurately, a behavioral disorder. Eating is a behavior, and the two most logical and direct ways of losing weight and keeping it off, a sensible diet and moderate exercise, represent, for obese persons, a challenge ...

h4. Background h4. Overview The malignant lymphomas, Hodgkin's disease (HD) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL), comprise a group of clinically and pathologically diverse malignant lymphomas of largely unknown cause. Their successful management involves a multidisciplinary approach, proceeding from an accurate diagnosis to a comprehensive staging evaluation and appropriate therapeutic recommendation and regimen. h4. Etiology / Pathogenesis In 1832, Thomas Hodgkin presented a ...

h4. Introduction The next 30 years will result in a unique change in population demographics in this country. This change is already beginning. The baby boomers are getting old. The over 65 population will increase from being the 13% of the population it is today to 20% by the year 2030. More people than ever will reach the 100-year mark. All ...

h4. Definition and Clinical Picture The term "dyspepsia" is derived from the Greek term for "bad digestion". Used broadly and in a general sense, it may be used to describe a number of upper gastrointestinal disorders of known or unknown etiology. The most common disorders in the group of dyspeptic syndromes with a known cause are peptic ulcer disease, gastroesophageal reflux ...

h4. Introduction In the past ten years scientists have been actively studying phytochemicals that have an influence on human health. From this research we have learned much about prevention and treatment of cancer. The recent Dietary Supplement Health Education Act passed in 1994 has enabled food products to make health claims if they are substantiated by scientific research. This has caused ...

h4. Introduction Patients are at the center of the health care process. Physicians use their knowledge, skills, and defined processes to provide or coordinate health care for patients. It is the extent to which this relationship is valued, developed, nurtured, and maintained that determines the success of the patient-physician relationship. This important position at the center of the health care process ...