Ankylosing Spondylitis

          Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) refers to inflammation of the joints in the spine. AS is also known as rheumatoid spondylitis or Marie-Strumpell disease (among other names). A form of arthritis, AS is characterized by chronic inflammation, causing pain and stiffness of the back, progressing to the chest and neck. Eventually, the whole back may become curved and inflexible if the bones fuse (this is known as “bamboo spine”). AS is a systemic disorder that may involve multiple organs, such as the:

·        *eye (causing an inflammation of the iris, or iritis)

·       * heart (causing aortic valve disease)

·       * lungs

·        *skin (causing a scaly skin condition, or psoriasis)

·        *gastrointestinal tract (causing inflammation within the small intestine, called ileitis, or    inflammation of the large intestine, called colitis)

Less than 1% of the population has AS; however, 20% of AS sufferers have a relative with the disorder.

Animal bite infections

      The most common problem following an ani­mal bite is simple infection. The saliva of dogs and cats is known to contain a wide variety of bacteria. According to one recent study, bacteria or other pathogens show up in about 85 percent of bites. When an animal bites, it can then transmit pathogens into the wound. These microorganisms may grow within the wound and cause an infection. The consequences of infection range from mild discomfort to life-threatening complications.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme test

     This test measures blood levels of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), also known as Serum Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (SASE). The pri­mary function of ACE is to help regulate arterial pressure by converting angiotensin I to angiotensin II.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors

           Angiotensin-convert­ing enzyme inhibitors (also called ACE inhibitors) are medicines that block the conversion of the chemical angiotensin I to a sub­stance that increases salt and water retention in the body.

Angioplasty

       Angioplasty is a term describing a procedure used to widen vessels narrowed by stenoses or occlusions. There are various types of these procedures and their names are associated with the type of vessel entry and equipment used. For example, percutaneous transluminal angioplasty (PTA) describes entry through the skin (percutaneous) and navigates to the area of the vessel of interest through the same vessel or one that communicates with it (transluminal). In the case of a procedure involving the coronary arteries, the point of entry could be the femoral artery in the groin and the cath- eter/guidewire system is passed through the aorta to the heart and the origin of the coronary arteries at the base of the aorta just outside the aortic valve.

Angiography

          Angiography is the x-ray study of the blood ves­sels. An angiogram uses a radiopaque substance, or dye, to make the blood vessels visible under x-ray. Arteriography is a type of Angiography that involves the study of the arteries.

Angina

           Angina is pain, “discomfort,” or pressure localized in the chest that is caused by an insufficient supply of blood (isch­emia) to the heart muscle. It is also sometimes characterized by a feeling of choking, suffocation, or crushing heaviness. This condition is also called angina pectoris. Often described as a muscle spasm and choking sensation, the term “angina” is used primarily to describe chest (thoracic) pain originating from insufficient oxygen to the heart muscle. An episode of angina is not an actual heart attack, but rather pain that results from the heart muscle temporarily receiving too little blood. This temporary condition may be the result of demanding activi­ties such as exercise and does not necessarily indicate that the heart muscle is experiencing permanent damage. In fact, episodes of angina seldom cause permanent damage to heart muscle. Angina can be subdivided further into two categories: angina of effort and variant angina..

Aneurysmectomy

         Aneurysmectomy is a surgical procedure performed to repair a weak area in the aorta. The aorta is the largest artery in the body and the main blood vessel leading away from the heart.

Anesthesia local

         Local or regional anesthesia involves the injection or application of an anesthetic drug to a specific area of the body, as opposed to the entire body and brain as occurs during general anesthesia.

Anesthesia, general

     General anesthesia is the induction of a state of unconsciousness with the absence of pain sensation over the entire body, through the administration of anesthetic drugs. It is used during certain medical and surgical procedures.

Anemias

     Anemia is a condition characterized by abnormally low levels of healthy red blood cells or hemoglobin (the component of red blood cells that delivers oxygen to tissues throughout the body).

Anaphylaxis

      Anaphylaxis is a rapidly progressing, life-threat­ening allergic reaction. Anaphylaxis is a type of allergic reaction, in which the immune system responds to otherwise harmless substances from the environment. Unlike other al­lergic reactions, however, anaphylaxis can kill. Reaction may begin within minutes or even seconds of exposure, and rapidly progress to cause airway constriction, skin and intestinal ir­ritation, and altered heart rhythms. In severe cases, it can result in complete airway obstruction, shock, and death.

Analgesics, opioid

     Opioid analgesics, also known as narcotic analgesics, are pain relievers that act on the central nervous system. Like all narcotics, they may become habit-forming if used over long periods.

Analgesics

  Analgesics are medicines that relieve pain.

Anal warts

         Anal warts, also known as condyloma acuminata, are small warts that can occur in the rectum. Initially appear as tiny blemishes that can be as small as the head of a pin or grow into larger cauliflowerlike protuberances. They can be yellow, pink, or light brown in color, and only rarely are painful or uncomfortable. In fact, infected individuals often are unaware that they exist. Most cases are caused by sexual transmission. Most individuals have between one to 10 genital warts that range in size from roughly 0.5-1.9 cm2. Some will complain of painless bumps or itching, but often, these warts can remain completely unnoticed.

Anal cancer

     Anal cancer is an uncommon form of cancer affect­ing the anus. The anus is the inch-and-a-half-long end portion of the large intestine, which opens to allow solid wastes to exit the body. Other parts of the large intestine include the colon and the rectum.

Anal atresia

         The anus is either not present or it is in the wrong place. There are basically two kinds of anal atresia. In boys with high anal atresia, there may be a channel (fistula) con­necting the large intestine to either the urethra (which delivers urine from the bladder) or the bladder itself. In girls, the chan­nel may connect with the vagina. Sixty percent of children with high anal atresia have other defects, including problems with the esophagus, urinary tract, and bones. In low anal atresia, the channel may open in front of the circular mass of muscles that constrict to close the anal opening (anal sphincter) or, in boys, below the scrotum. Occasionally, the intestine ends just under the skin. It is estimated that overall abnormalities of the anus and rectum occur in about one in every 5,000 births and are slightly more common among boys. A mother who has one child with these kind of conditions has a 1% chance of having another child who suffers from this ailment.

Anaerobic infections

         An anaerobic infection is an infection caused by bacteria (called anaerobes) which cannot grow in the presence of oxygen. Anaerobic bacteria can infect deep wounds, deep tissues, and internal organs where there is little oxygen. These infections are characterized by abscess formation, foul-smelling pus, and tissue destruction. Anaerobic means “life without air.” Anaerobic bacteria grow in places which completely, or almost completely, lack oxygen. They are normally found in the mouth, gastrointestinal tract, and vagina, and on the skin. Commonly known diseases caused by anaerobic bacteria include gas gangrene, tetanus, and botulism. Nearly all dental infections are caused by anaerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria can cause an infection when a normal barrier (such as skin, gums, or intestinal wall) is dam­aged due to surgery, injury, or disease. Usually, the immune system kills any invading bacteria, but sometimes the bacteria are able to grow and cause an infection. Body sites that have tissue destruction (necrosis) or a poor blood supply are low in oxygen and favor the growth of anaerobic bacteria. The low oxygen condition can result from blood vessel disease, shock, injury, and surgery. Anaerobic bacteria can cause infection practically anywhere in the body. For example:

·        Mouth, head, and neck. Infections can occur in the root canals, gums (gingivitis), jaw, tonsils, throat, sinuses, and ears.

·        Lung. Anaerobic bacteria can cause pneumonia, lung abscesses, infecton of the lining of the lung (empyema), and dilated lung bronchi (bronchiectasis).

·        Intraabdominal. Anaerobic infections within the abdomen include abscess formation, peritonitis, and appendicitis.

·        Female genital tract. Anaerobic bacteria can cause pelvic abscesses, pelvic inflammatory disease, inflammation of the uterine lining (endometritis), and pelvic infections following abortion, childbirth, and surgery.

·        Skin and soft tissue. Anaerobic bacteria are common causes -- of diabetic skin ulcers, gangrene, destructive infection of the deep skin and tissues (necrotizing fascitis), and bite wound infections.

·        Central nervous system. Anaerobic bacteria can cause brain and spinal cord abscesses.

·        Bloodstream. Anaerobic bacteria can be found in the blood­stream of ill patients (a condition called bacteremia).

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

        Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a disease that breaks down tissues in the nervous system (a neurodegenerative disease) of unknown cause that affects the nerves responsible for movement. It is also known as motor neuron disease and Lou Gehrig’s disease, after the baseball player whose career it ended. ALS is a disease of the motor neurons, those nerve cells reaching from the brain to the spinal cord (upper motor neurons) and the spinal cord to the peripheral nerves (lower motor neurons) that control muscle movement. In ALS, for unknown reasons, these neurons die, leading to a progressive loss of the ability to move virtually any of the muscles in the body. ALS affects “voluntary” muscles, those controlled by conscious thought, such as the arm, leg, and trunk muscles. ALS, in and of itself, does not affect sensation, thought processes, the heart muscle, or the “smooth” muscle of the digestive system, bladder, and other internal organs. Most people with ALS retain function of their eye muscles as well. However, various forms of ALS maybe associated with a loss of intellectual function (dementia) or sensory symptoms. “Amyotrophic” refers to the loss of muscle bulk, a cardinal sign of ALS. “Lateral” indicates one of the regions of the spinal cord affected, and “sclerosis” describes the hardened tissue that develops in place of healthy nerves. ALS affects approximately 30,000 people in the United States, with about 5,000 new cases each year. It usually begins between the ages of 40 and 70, although younger onset is possible. Men are slightly more likely to develop ALS than women. ALS progresses rapidly in most cases. It is fatal within three years for 50% of all people affected, and within five years for 80%. Ten percent of people with ALS live beyond eight years.

Amyloidosis

         Amyloidosis is a progressive,incurable,metabolic disease characterized by abnormal deposits of protein in one or more organs or body systems. Amyloid proteins are manu­factured by malfunctioning bone marrow. Amyloidosis, which occurs when accumulated amyloid deposits impair normal body function, can cause organ failure or death. It is a rare disease, occurring in about eight of every 1,000,000 people. It affects males and females equally and usually develops after the age of 40. At least 15 types of amyloidosis have been identified. Each one is associated with deposits of a different kind of protein.