Grave disease and symptoms of Alzheimer
Published on Jul 06 2010, in the categories: Graves
Laboratory tests are the most certain sources of finding out if you suffer of a grave disease with symptoms which can affect more than you thought your life. Of course, blood tests are the most frequently done laboratory analysis in order to find out if a person suffers or not of a grave disease with symptoms which rarely can be treated, or worst, if these symptoms will allow to live just eight or ten years more.
Blood tests useful to diagnose the Alzheimer's disease, but also other disease are:
- Blood count, which highlights the number and type of blood cells and helps in the diagnosis
- Liver function tests (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase) to diagnose liver disease
- Determination of folic acid. Folic acid is needed to produce both red cells and white blood cells
- Vitamin B12 concentrations in blood. Vitamin B12 is useful in producing red blood cells in maintaining nervous system health
- Determination of electrolytes and glucose levels (sodium, potassium, glucose, calcium). Electrolytes are useful in maintaining fluid balance in the body at an optimum level and maintain normal functions (ex heart rate, muscle contraction and function of neurons)
- Thyroid function tests. Abnormal thyroid hormone levels are a common cause of symptoms like memory loss, confusion, lethargy and other symptoms of dementia in older people. Drug therapy improves symptoms in people with thyroid function disorders
- Screening for syphilis. Dementia occurs in the last stage of syphilis (tertiary syphilis). If the person had syphilis long ago and it was not properly treated, the disease may progress to affect behavior and intelligence impairment can occur. Although syphilis is a disease becoming more rare, are tests to determine it, because it is a curable disease
- Test for detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS untreated can cause symptoms as personality disorders or concentration problems Imaging like CT scan or MRI are performed to rule out other causes when the diagnosis is uncertain. May be an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor brain electrical activity in case the patient has a history of seizure phenomena. In some cases examining brain autopsy is performed to highlight at this level of changes that may indicate Alzheimer's disease.
Although an autopsy is the only way to make with certainty the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, changes in the initial stages of the disease may not be very clear to make the diagnosis. An autopsy is rarely necessary but can be made when the family wants to know with certainty whether or not Alzheimer's.
-Early detection: At this time there is no screening for Alzheimer's. It is difficult to diagnose this disease in its early stages. However the symptoms of mental decline should not be ignored and attributed to aging. Genetic tests for detecting gene for protein E-4 may become useful as they will know more about genetic causes of disease. These tests are not widely used at this time.
Blood tests useful to diagnose the Alzheimer's disease, but also other disease are:
- Blood count, which highlights the number and type of blood cells and helps in the diagnosis
- Liver function tests (ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase) to diagnose liver disease
- Determination of folic acid. Folic acid is needed to produce both red cells and white blood cells
- Vitamin B12 concentrations in blood. Vitamin B12 is useful in producing red blood cells in maintaining nervous system health
- Determination of electrolytes and glucose levels (sodium, potassium, glucose, calcium). Electrolytes are useful in maintaining fluid balance in the body at an optimum level and maintain normal functions (ex heart rate, muscle contraction and function of neurons)
- Thyroid function tests. Abnormal thyroid hormone levels are a common cause of symptoms like memory loss, confusion, lethargy and other symptoms of dementia in older people. Drug therapy improves symptoms in people with thyroid function disorders
- Screening for syphilis. Dementia occurs in the last stage of syphilis (tertiary syphilis). If the person had syphilis long ago and it was not properly treated, the disease may progress to affect behavior and intelligence impairment can occur. Although syphilis is a disease becoming more rare, are tests to determine it, because it is a curable disease
- Test for detection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). AIDS untreated can cause symptoms as personality disorders or concentration problems Imaging like CT scan or MRI are performed to rule out other causes when the diagnosis is uncertain. May be an electroencephalogram (EEG) to monitor brain electrical activity in case the patient has a history of seizure phenomena. In some cases examining brain autopsy is performed to highlight at this level of changes that may indicate Alzheimer's disease.
Although an autopsy is the only way to make with certainty the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, changes in the initial stages of the disease may not be very clear to make the diagnosis. An autopsy is rarely necessary but can be made when the family wants to know with certainty whether or not Alzheimer's.
-Early detection: At this time there is no screening for Alzheimer's. It is difficult to diagnose this disease in its early stages. However the symptoms of mental decline should not be ignored and attributed to aging. Genetic tests for detecting gene for protein E-4 may become useful as they will know more about genetic causes of disease. These tests are not widely used at this time.
Liver’s graves disease and its symptoms
Published on Jul 04 2010, in the categories: Graves
Voluntary pollution?
The advantages of living in a modern society are accompanied by several drawbacks, among which a number of toxic substances to which modern man is wanted or needed, exposed. Air, water pollution, "pollution" with different food products, that noise pollution is more difficult (or may be impossible) to avoid in a big city. A strange choice for some to attend at voluntary intoxication body.
How is someone’s lung feeling, even though he lives in an already sufficiently polluted air, and adds a dose of "moderate" 10 cigarettes per day? Or what a person’s liver "believes", although it has to struggle every day with excessive lipid metabolism, with different E's power, with many kinds of chemicals hidden in precooked foods or even fresh, but over treated,has among all these to face a moderate amount of let’s say, 80 grams of pure alcohol? Adverse effects of alcohol on the liver have been reported since the XVI century. Today in the West, where B virus infection is spreading more limited, alcohol is the main cause of chronic hepatic diseases which is a very grave disease with symptoms very hard to treat.
Viruses with liver weakness
Viruses with liver tropism produce inflammatory processes in which the liver is the target organ. There are at least five viral agents responsible for acute liver damage: viruses A, B, C, E and delta. They have been identified, characterized and no specific methods for detecting them. A virus infection is relatively easy and usually easy to heal without sequelae. I also said "dirty hands disease", I think quite suggestive. B and C viruses are more aggressive – they are transmitted through blood, and not "fecal-oral”, like virus A.
From reversible to irreversible-Over 90% of ingested alcohol is metabolized in the liver, where it is transformed into metabolites and intermediate products. Daily consumption of alcohol overburden enzyme systems and attracts the accumulation of components with toxic action on the liver. Permanent alcohol consume leads to an increase in maintenance lesions and, eventually, to cirrhosis. Metabolism of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates suffer. The first consequence is the liver fat load, the so-called "fatty liver“ or hepatic steatosis being performed. Injury is reversible, meaning that it resolves after discontinuing alcohol consume. The other damage caused by alcohol is alcoholic hepatitis. It is characterized by lesions with destruction of liver cells (necrosis) and inflammatory lesions. The lesion is the most severe cirrhosis, a grave disease with symptoms that rarely can be treated. It is characterized by proliferation of fibrous proteins (collagen) which destroys the liver architecture and regeneration lead to anarchy.
Cirrhosis is irreversible and, at this stage, it can sometimes produce hepatocellular cancer! The amount of alcohol consumed and time consumption are crucial in terms of steatosis, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis appearance. The more they grow, the greater the possibility of reaching the threshold of irreversible cirrhosis. Alcohol is not the only cause for a suffering liver. Add viruses, hepatotoxic drugs, industrial toxins etc.. Although the liver has great regenerative capacity, persistent aggression or reactivity cause great individual suffering chronic liver installation.
The advantages of living in a modern society are accompanied by several drawbacks, among which a number of toxic substances to which modern man is wanted or needed, exposed. Air, water pollution, "pollution" with different food products, that noise pollution is more difficult (or may be impossible) to avoid in a big city. A strange choice for some to attend at voluntary intoxication body.
How is someone’s lung feeling, even though he lives in an already sufficiently polluted air, and adds a dose of "moderate" 10 cigarettes per day? Or what a person’s liver "believes", although it has to struggle every day with excessive lipid metabolism, with different E's power, with many kinds of chemicals hidden in precooked foods or even fresh, but over treated,has among all these to face a moderate amount of let’s say, 80 grams of pure alcohol? Adverse effects of alcohol on the liver have been reported since the XVI century. Today in the West, where B virus infection is spreading more limited, alcohol is the main cause of chronic hepatic diseases which is a very grave disease with symptoms very hard to treat.
Viruses with liver weakness
Viruses with liver tropism produce inflammatory processes in which the liver is the target organ. There are at least five viral agents responsible for acute liver damage: viruses A, B, C, E and delta. They have been identified, characterized and no specific methods for detecting them. A virus infection is relatively easy and usually easy to heal without sequelae. I also said "dirty hands disease", I think quite suggestive. B and C viruses are more aggressive – they are transmitted through blood, and not "fecal-oral”, like virus A.
From reversible to irreversible-Over 90% of ingested alcohol is metabolized in the liver, where it is transformed into metabolites and intermediate products. Daily consumption of alcohol overburden enzyme systems and attracts the accumulation of components with toxic action on the liver. Permanent alcohol consume leads to an increase in maintenance lesions and, eventually, to cirrhosis. Metabolism of lipids, proteins and carbohydrates suffer. The first consequence is the liver fat load, the so-called "fatty liver“ or hepatic steatosis being performed. Injury is reversible, meaning that it resolves after discontinuing alcohol consume. The other damage caused by alcohol is alcoholic hepatitis. It is characterized by lesions with destruction of liver cells (necrosis) and inflammatory lesions. The lesion is the most severe cirrhosis, a grave disease with symptoms that rarely can be treated. It is characterized by proliferation of fibrous proteins (collagen) which destroys the liver architecture and regeneration lead to anarchy.
Cirrhosis is irreversible and, at this stage, it can sometimes produce hepatocellular cancer! The amount of alcohol consumed and time consumption are crucial in terms of steatosis, hepatitis and liver cirrhosis appearance. The more they grow, the greater the possibility of reaching the threshold of irreversible cirrhosis. Alcohol is not the only cause for a suffering liver. Add viruses, hepatotoxic drugs, industrial toxins etc.. Although the liver has great regenerative capacity, persistent aggression or reactivity cause great individual suffering chronic liver installation.
Symptoms Of Graves Disease
Published on Apr 10 2010, in the categories: Graves
The most common form of hyperthyroidism is caused by a general hyperactivity of the entire thyroid gland. This disorder is known as diffuse toxic goiter "widespread because the gland as a whole is part of the disease process, because due to a toxic infection, and because the crop grows, the gland hyperactivity.
The crop is also known as Graves' disease, in honor of the Irish doctor, Robert J. Graves was one of the first to describe the symptoms and who scored the first protrusion of the eyes that are sometimes associated with it. Between one and two percent of the U.S. population suffers from this disease, there is three to four times more often in women than men and usually occurs between twenty and forty.
In the initial phase of Graves' disease the thyroid begins to produce more thyroid hormones. By doing this, the gland usually increases gradually in size and, in most cases, will grow so that it can be seen in front of the neck. The patient may realize only by the growth of the neck or may not be aware of anything until the doctor or a third person let him out. Usually, this form of hyperthyroidism the thyroid gland is not sensitive, and should not cause discomfort in swallowing.
The patient may lose weight eating too much. May feel nervous and agitated and may become very irritable and edgy. The skin may become thinner and more delicate and you can lose hair. The nails may grow faster and with irregular borders. It is also possible the appearance of urticaria.
Signs and symptoms of Graves' disease
Muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms and legs, may make it difficult to lift weights or climb stairs. The patient may actually have a weakness that will not be able to stand with his legs bent without needing help. The hands may tremble and heartbeat speed up the normal 70 to 80 beats per minute to more than 100. Sometimes the pulse can accelerate without warning causing sudden palpitations lasting several minutes then stops abruptly. It is difficult to occur, but real diarrhea bowel movements may become more extensive and frequent.
Eye problems
One of the most enigmatic of Graves' disease covers his eyes. Usually it is simply an elevation of the eyelids that makes the eyes appear more prominent. Sometimes, however, the swelling of tissue located behind the eyeball may cause actual protrusion of the eyes.
In many cases, eye problems and thyroid hyperactivity occur at different times, sometimes years later. Very rarely, eye problems are the only manifestation of the disease but occur only in the form of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease. Another typical problem of this disease is a rare skin disorder that manifests itself in the front legs and sometimes on top of feet, pretibial myxedema.
Also may occur at any time. One of the rarest symptoms of Graves' disease is acropachy thyroid swollen tissue around the base of the nail without causing pain. In some patients were found periodic paralysis characterized by sudden weakness of all muscles of the body. In patients who are predisposed, sugar and starch-rich foods seem to cause a lowering of blood potassium, which hinders the normal functioning muscle. The periodic paralysis in most cases is observed in Asian men suffering from Graves' disease.
The crop is also known as Graves' disease, in honor of the Irish doctor, Robert J. Graves was one of the first to describe the symptoms and who scored the first protrusion of the eyes that are sometimes associated with it. Between one and two percent of the U.S. population suffers from this disease, there is three to four times more often in women than men and usually occurs between twenty and forty.
In the initial phase of Graves' disease the thyroid begins to produce more thyroid hormones. By doing this, the gland usually increases gradually in size and, in most cases, will grow so that it can be seen in front of the neck. The patient may realize only by the growth of the neck or may not be aware of anything until the doctor or a third person let him out. Usually, this form of hyperthyroidism the thyroid gland is not sensitive, and should not cause discomfort in swallowing.
The patient may lose weight eating too much. May feel nervous and agitated and may become very irritable and edgy. The skin may become thinner and more delicate and you can lose hair. The nails may grow faster and with irregular borders. It is also possible the appearance of urticaria.
Signs and symptoms of Graves' disease
Muscle weakness, especially in the upper arms and legs, may make it difficult to lift weights or climb stairs. The patient may actually have a weakness that will not be able to stand with his legs bent without needing help. The hands may tremble and heartbeat speed up the normal 70 to 80 beats per minute to more than 100. Sometimes the pulse can accelerate without warning causing sudden palpitations lasting several minutes then stops abruptly. It is difficult to occur, but real diarrhea bowel movements may become more extensive and frequent.
Eye problems
One of the most enigmatic of Graves' disease covers his eyes. Usually it is simply an elevation of the eyelids that makes the eyes appear more prominent. Sometimes, however, the swelling of tissue located behind the eyeball may cause actual protrusion of the eyes.
In many cases, eye problems and thyroid hyperactivity occur at different times, sometimes years later. Very rarely, eye problems are the only manifestation of the disease but occur only in the form of hyperthyroidism caused by Graves' disease. Another typical problem of this disease is a rare skin disorder that manifests itself in the front legs and sometimes on top of feet, pretibial myxedema.
Also may occur at any time. One of the rarest symptoms of Graves' disease is acropachy thyroid swollen tissue around the base of the nail without causing pain. In some patients were found periodic paralysis characterized by sudden weakness of all muscles of the body. In patients who are predisposed, sugar and starch-rich foods seem to cause a lowering of blood potassium, which hinders the normal functioning muscle. The periodic paralysis in most cases is observed in Asian men suffering from Graves' disease.
Graves Disease Symptoms
Published on Feb 26 2010, in the categories: Graves, symptoms
Hyperthyroidism is the hyper function of the thyroid gland. Graves disease is also known as Basedow's disease or Parry disease and is a disease that is characterized by 3 major manifestations: hyperthyroidism with diffuse goiter, dermopathy and ophthalmopathy. These major events do not always occur together.
Basedow disease is a relatively common disease that may occur at any age but is most common in 3rd and 4th decades of life, its frequency being increased in women. In geographical areas where goiter is endemic men to women ratio is 7:1 compared to geographical regions with endemic goiter where the ratio is much lower.
Graves disease symptoms are classified to reflect events associated to thyrotoxicosis and Basedow disease specific. The most common Graves disease symptoms are: emotional lability, nervousness, tremors, insomnia, excessive sweating and intolerance to heat and increased peristalsis. Also weight loss is common despite maintenance or increased appetite. The presence of proximal muscle weakness with reduction in force is often manifested by difficulty in ascending the stairs.
Periomenopause in women tends to trace the appearance of amenorrhea. Young people are generally dominated by nervous symptoms while the predominant symptoms in the elderly are cardiovascular and eye tests. Specific manifestations of Graves disease are: - Hyper functional diffuse goiter; - Dermopathy; - ophthalmopathy.
These symptoms occur in different combinations and with a highly variable frequency, the most common being goiter. Diffuse goiter and lobular hyper functions may be asymmetrical. Detection of the thyroid gland usually indicates this thyrotoxicosis, but this sign is sometimes present in other forms of thyroid hyperplasia. Differential diagnosis is made with the murmur of breath, venous and carotid. On palpation of thyroid can be detected an increased pyramidal lobe.
Dermopathy usually manifests itself in the rear part of the legs and is called pretibial mixed. This is a late phenomenon that occurs in approximately half of patients in active stage of thyrotoxicosis and virtually in all patients with ophthalmopathy.
Dermopathy (manifestations of skin) is characterized by: - Skin is soft, warm, moist, fine, erythematous (redness especially the emotions in the region prior to the neck and chest); - Itching skin; - Hyper pigmentation in the certain areas (Jellinek sign), and at the elbows, hands or diffuse hyper pigmentation; - Vitiligo; - Alopecia (in the scalp is low, soft, very friable); - The hair on the body is fine and reduced - Nails are thinner; they become soft, loose and shiny.
Ophthalmopathy is characterized by:
- Upper eyelid retraction determine the discovery of a large portion of the sclera giving the patient a fixed, fearful that creates the impression of apparent exophthalmia. This causes delay in achieving the upper eyelid descent causing strange movements of the eye. The reasons for this mechanism are represented by high muscle spasm due to higher eyelid increased sympathetic nervous system activity (activity blockers)
- Corneal surface moist and glossy
- Exophthalmia - it consists in prominent eyeballs. Exophthalmia is commonly bilateral and rarely meets unilaterally. The look here is fixed and due to excessive opening of the fissure and tears to the eyes is double. Sometimes exophthalmia can progress to malignant form, setting up blindness.
- Congestion of the conjunctiva which is more intense at the edge of circumscribing the eyelids accompanied by hyper secretion; - limiting upward movement of the eyeball to a certain threshold; - inability to perform eye movements
Basedow disease is a relatively common disease that may occur at any age but is most common in 3rd and 4th decades of life, its frequency being increased in women. In geographical areas where goiter is endemic men to women ratio is 7:1 compared to geographical regions with endemic goiter where the ratio is much lower.
Graves disease symptoms are classified to reflect events associated to thyrotoxicosis and Basedow disease specific. The most common Graves disease symptoms are: emotional lability, nervousness, tremors, insomnia, excessive sweating and intolerance to heat and increased peristalsis. Also weight loss is common despite maintenance or increased appetite. The presence of proximal muscle weakness with reduction in force is often manifested by difficulty in ascending the stairs.
Periomenopause in women tends to trace the appearance of amenorrhea. Young people are generally dominated by nervous symptoms while the predominant symptoms in the elderly are cardiovascular and eye tests. Specific manifestations of Graves disease are: - Hyper functional diffuse goiter; - Dermopathy; - ophthalmopathy.
These symptoms occur in different combinations and with a highly variable frequency, the most common being goiter. Diffuse goiter and lobular hyper functions may be asymmetrical. Detection of the thyroid gland usually indicates this thyrotoxicosis, but this sign is sometimes present in other forms of thyroid hyperplasia. Differential diagnosis is made with the murmur of breath, venous and carotid. On palpation of thyroid can be detected an increased pyramidal lobe.
Dermopathy usually manifests itself in the rear part of the legs and is called pretibial mixed. This is a late phenomenon that occurs in approximately half of patients in active stage of thyrotoxicosis and virtually in all patients with ophthalmopathy.
Dermopathy (manifestations of skin) is characterized by: - Skin is soft, warm, moist, fine, erythematous (redness especially the emotions in the region prior to the neck and chest); - Itching skin; - Hyper pigmentation in the certain areas (Jellinek sign), and at the elbows, hands or diffuse hyper pigmentation; - Vitiligo; - Alopecia (in the scalp is low, soft, very friable); - The hair on the body is fine and reduced - Nails are thinner; they become soft, loose and shiny.
Ophthalmopathy is characterized by:
- Upper eyelid retraction determine the discovery of a large portion of the sclera giving the patient a fixed, fearful that creates the impression of apparent exophthalmia. This causes delay in achieving the upper eyelid descent causing strange movements of the eye. The reasons for this mechanism are represented by high muscle spasm due to higher eyelid increased sympathetic nervous system activity (activity blockers)
- Corneal surface moist and glossy
- Exophthalmia - it consists in prominent eyeballs. Exophthalmia is commonly bilateral and rarely meets unilaterally. The look here is fixed and due to excessive opening of the fissure and tears to the eyes is double. Sometimes exophthalmia can progress to malignant form, setting up blindness.
- Congestion of the conjunctiva which is more intense at the edge of circumscribing the eyelids accompanied by hyper secretion; - limiting upward movement of the eyeball to a certain threshold; - inability to perform eye movements
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