It’s well known that the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test used to screen for prostate cancer is imprecise. Elevations in PSA levels may signal prostate cancer, but they also may be due to nonmalignant prostate conditions. Further complicating the screening process is that several medications and a number of other modifiable … Read More
If you’ve been experiencing a nagging abdominal pain that seems to worsen after eating, it might not be a stomach upset—it might actually be pancreas pain. If pancreatitis is at the root of your pain, it can manifest acutely, or as a chronic illness. Acute pancreatitis is most likely due … Read More
A number of factors—some preventable, others not—can cause abnormal cholesterol levels, or dyslipidemia, in the blood. Here are the factors that you can control: A Poor Diet Diets high in saturated fat and trans fat are linked to higher LDL cholesterol levels. Saturated fats are found in animal products, especially fatty red … Read More
A third or more of Americans have high blood pressure, or hypertension. What is high blood pressure? When the heart pumps, the pressure against the walls of your arteries is abnormally high. The excess pressure, if not controlled, puts you at risk for heart attack, stroke, kidney damage, and other serious … Read More
Kidney stones can be an incredibly painful condition that can strike without warning. If you have only a small stone, you may have no symptoms at all, but if it is large enough to block the tubes inside the kidney, you may experience intense pains that come and go and … Read More
There is no universally accepted "normal" PSA level. In the past, a PSA of 4 nanograms per milliliter of blood (ng/ml) or less was considered normal; however, more recent studies have shown that some men with PSAs below 4 have prostate cancer and some men with PSAs over 4 do … Read More
Pancreatitis can be either short-lived (acute) or long lasting (chronic). While chronic pancreatitis tends to be more serious, either type can cause dangerous complications. Excessive alcohol is known to cause pancreatitis. Or a gallstone from the gallbladder may lodge in the bile duct in such a way that it blocks … Read More
Normal glucose levels are important to monitor, even if you have not been diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is the name of a group of diseases in which the body is unable to properly utilize blood sugar (glucose) for energy. There are three primary forms of … Read More
A kidney stone is formed from substances that are present in urine. Usually these substances are excreted from the body in urine, but if you don’t drink sufficient fluids, they can crystallize and clump together to form tiny stones, creating a sometimes urgent need for kidney stone treatment. Some kidney … Read More
Patients in the U.S. whose doctors follow national guidelines for treating high blood pressure are typically prescribed a diuretic such as hydrochlorothiazide as the primary therapy. According to the guidelines, these drugs, known as thiazide diuretics, should be the preferred initial medication for the treatment of hypertension in older adults.[1] … Read More
