hot topics

6 things you need to know about hemophilia B

6 things you need to know about hemophilia B

Hemophilia is caused when the plasma in the blood lacks enough protein to cause blood clotting. Hemophilia is an inherited disorder that leads to abnormal bleeding in the affected person. There are two types of hemophilia: hemophilia A and hemophilia B. Hemophilia A is more common since it affects nearly 80% of the people with this disorder. Hemophilia B is quite rare; it occurs among 20% of the people with hemophilia. The treatment of hemophilia B and hemophilia A is not curative but work towards helping the patient lead a life as normal as possible. Here are six things to know about Hemophilia B: Hemophilia B is linked with the X-chromosome. Since men have XY-chromosome, they are more susceptible to this disorder. Women have XX-chromosome. So, one faulty gene’s effects are nullified by the other normal gene. Although women are less susceptible to hemophilia, they can be carriers of the faulty gene, which they can pass it on to their child. Symptoms of hemophilia B include nose bleeding without any reason, excessive blood loss even with minor cuts and wounds, the presence of blood in stool or urine, bleeding for a long-term after tooth extraction, intermittent bleeding from cuts and wounds, bruises that are large, muscle or joint bleeding with pain and swelling.
Here’s how to improve blood circulation with healthy lifestyle habits

Here’s how to improve blood circulation with healthy lifestyle habits

Blood circulation is the continuous movement of blood in the different parts and organs of the body. The circulation of blood takes place as a result of the heart’s ability to pump out blood at a constant rate. An individual dies when the heart stops pumping out blood and blood circulation comes to a halt. Poor blood circulation can bring about several health conditions. These include blood clots, cardiovascular diseases, headaches and memory loss. This is why it is essential to strive and improve blood circulation. Here is how to improve blood circulation by practicing the following activities: Hydrate the body – Today, most people live a busy lifestyle and tend to ignore the underlying need of the body that is hydration. The organs of the body require being well-hydrated to function properly. Also, blood is made up of a high percentage of water. Water also flushes out toxins from the body. Thus, you should continue to sip on water through the day. Stress management – High-levels of stress has a significant impact on the blood circulation. When one encounters too much of stress, the body puts up a fight. This affects the functioning of the central nervous system and this limits the flow of blood through the body.
How to lower your blood pressure

How to lower your blood pressure

High blood pressure has become a common health problem today. People are becoming very dependent on machines to get their work done. This reduces daily physical activities, which ultimately leads to health issues. Our bodies are designed to be physically active on a daily basis. However, most of the population spends its time sitting in one place. High blood pressure is a condition which develops due to the lack of physical work. It could lead to other severe health issues like cardiac problems and obesity. You need to ensure that you do not have high blood pressure if you want to live a healthy life. Here are a few tips that could help to lower your blood pressure. Tips to lower your blood pressure Even if you live a punctual and disciplined life, you could have high blood pressure due to other diseases. There are several natural ways to maintain normal blood pressure. But if the condition gets worse, you should seek medical help to keep your blood pressure low. Natural ways Since prevention is better than cure, it is best to take precaution. You could try these home remedies to maintain a balanced blood pressure. Weight loss: Losing excess weight and keeping fit can help a lot in keeping the blood pressure normal.
Low platelets count causes and its treatment options

Low platelets count causes and its treatment options

Treating low platelets count depends on the cause and severity. The main aim is to prevent fatality and disability caused by excessive bleeding due to low platelets count. Mild causes of low platelets count do not require treatment. If an individual has a normal platelets count, it is not going to prevent profuse bleeding in case of serious wounds and injuries inflicted in serious accidents. Thrombocytopenia or low platelets count can be cured if the underlying treatment is treated. If low platelets count causes are due to medications, then your doctor might prescribe different medicines to treat the ongoing medical condition. Thrombocytopenia usually gets cured when the medications change. Thrombocytopenia due to heparin (HIT heparin induced thrombocytopenia) is difficult to reverse even if administration of heparin is stopped. Other blood clotting medications might be required to treat the condition. Other than this, following treatment options can be considered to treat low platelets count causes: Medicines Doctors might prescribe corticosteroids, that will help in slowing down platelets destruction. Corticosteroids can be given intravenously or orally. If the reason for low platelets count is an auto immune disease that kills platelets, then the doctor might administer medicines that suppresses the immune system.
Top tips to lower A1C levels fast and effectively

Top tips to lower A1C levels fast and effectively

Blood sugar testing at home is a useful and important tool for assessing the progress of lowering the blood sugar levels, on a day to day basis. But the problem is that these tests can only offer a snapshot of the present condition without any long-term information. That is the reason why your doctor might ask you to undergo the A1C test once in two to three months. The A1C is a type of blood test which shows how effectively the diabetes management plan is working. How to lower A1C levels? The A1C levels provide a considerable picture of diabetes control even though it is not the primary indicator of a person’s health conditions. An individual with wide fluctuations in the blood sugar levels might have lower A1C levels due to a good average. But these fluctuations can lower the quality of life and pave the way for complications. Therefore, you should bring about some healthy changes to your lifestyle in order to manage diabetes effectively and lower A1C levels. Here are some pointers which can aid in lowering A1C levels and improve the quality of life: Have an active lifestyle: Make an attempt to indulge in at least a half-an-hour workout for 5 days in a week.
What your high blood pressure indicates

What your high blood pressure indicates

High blood pressure is one of the most common problems people face today. Several factors like age, weight and stress level lead to high blood pressure. What is blood pressure? Blood pressure (BP) refers to the pressure of circulating blood on the walls of blood vessels. BP is usually measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). High blood pressure is called hypertension and low blood pressure is called hypotension. In the both the conditions, a person needs to consult a doctor for medication. Blood pressure is not same throughout the day, it keeps changing. It’s the lowest while we are asleep and slowly gets high as we get active. Blood pressure levels A blood pressure that reads under 120/80 mmHg is considered to be optimal while readings over 120/80 mmHg and up to 139/89 mmHg are in the normal to high range. When high blood pressure is persistent, the risk of heart disease increases. As you grow old hypertension becomes more common. So keeping this in mind, a regular check-up is essential for sound health. Blood pressure can be measured at home or in clinics. First, it is important to be aware of how the chart of high blood pressure is read.
Why should you take the hemoglobin A1C test

Why should you take the hemoglobin A1C test

Hemoglobin is that one term you often come across when you go for a blood test. These are iron-containing agents (complex protein) you find in your red blood cells that help the body to function by using oxygen. Hemoglobin determines when and how to use oxygen for the body. In other words, hemoglobin’s function is to carry oxygen to the body tissues form lungs and to pump oxygen. It is the iron content in hemoglobin that keeps the red blood cells in shape. Here is what goes wrong and why you go for hemoglobin A1C test: As we read above that hemoglobin is a protein that is found in the red blood cells. Glucose is type of sugar that helps provide energy to your body. When everything is in the right amount, your body functions perfectly. But then there is too much glucose in your body, it crosslinks to your hemoglobin and this crosslinking is called Glycation. And the glycated hemoglobin is called A1C. This is why we go for a hemoglobin A1C test to find out the level of glycated hemoglobin in your blood. Another term for glycated hemoglobin is Hb1c. If you are diabetic, getting a hemoglobin A1C test is gives you a clear picture of how much glucose has been cross-linked to your hemoglobin or in other words, how much glycation is there in your body.
Blood Thinners Used As Medications To Prevent Blood Clots And Stroke

Blood Thinners Used As Medications To Prevent Blood Clots And Stroke

Blood thinners are medications used to prevent the formation of blood clots and stroke. It is taken by millions of people in the USA, including those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation (a heart rhythm disorder). The dosage of the drug is adjusted based on the blood test done on the patient. Sometimes, the patients are expected to do a test every other week in order to prescribe the right amount of drug. It is imperative to prescribe the right measure of the drug, as it can increase the risk of bleeding if prescribed in large doses and on the contrary it may not help in preventing clots if the dosage is low. The most commonly prescribed drug treatments are: Unfractionated Heparin (UFH) : This is a fast-acting drug that works with antithrombin, a natural protein that is present in the body, to prevent clotting. The drug is administered in a hospital intravenously (IV) through the arm vein or as a subcutaneous injection under the skin. Initially, the dosage is determined by the patient’s body weight. Once UFH is administered, there will be regular blood testing, sometimes on a daily basis. This is done to ensure that the drug administered is the right amount.
Guide to Understand and Treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Guide to Understand and Treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

The condition in which the high blood pressure condition affects the patient’s right side of the heart and the lungs is known as Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. The blood flow through the lungs can completely stop or become restricted because of a narrowing or blockage of pulmonary arterioles. As the blood flow is restricted through the pulmonary arteries, this puts pressure on the right heart chamber causing it to pump more blood thereby exerting more pressure on it. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension can be different types some of which are progressively degenerative and some of which can be treated to some extent. What are the causes of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension? The human heart has four chambers which are two lower chambers and two upper chambers. The chamber which pumps blood through the lungs is the right lower chamber which pumps the blood through the pulmonary artery. When all the systems are working fine, the pressure of the lungs is normal. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension causes a change in the cells of the pulmonary arteries. Because of the changes, the arteries get thickened, and inflammation of the cells occurs. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension is subdivided into five categories, based on what causes it. Diagnosis and treatment Once a confirmed diagnosis has been made, depending on the severity of the disease, the doctor can classify it into four subcategories.