Heart Attack
If you think you are having a heart attack, seek help immediately. Do not ignore chest pain or discomfort. Time is of vital importance. Go immediately to a hospital emergency department. Do not attempt to drive yourself or have someone else drive you. Call 911 for emergency transport.
The heart is a muscular pump located in the chest. Its job is to pump blood around the body via the circulatory system of blood vessels. The heart consists of 4 chambers: right atrium and right ventricle, and left ... more
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. Inflammation of the liver can result from infection, from exposure to alcohol, certain medications, chemicals, or poisons, or from a disorder of the immune system.
Hepatitis A refers to liver inflammation caused by infection with the hepatitis A virus (HAV). HAV is one of several viruses that can cause hepatitis and is one of the 3 most common hepatitis viruses in the United States. The other 2 are hepatitis B and hepatitis C. ... more
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. The liver can become inflamed as a result of infection, a disorder of the immune system, or exposure to alcohol, certain medications, toxins, or poisons.
Hepatitis B is caused by infection with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). This infection has 2 phases: acute and chronic.
Acute (new, short-term) hepatitis B occurs shortly after exposure to the virus. A small number of people develop a very severe, life-threatening form ... more
Hepatitis C
Hepatitis is a general term that means inflammation of the liver. This inflammation can be caused by infection. Hepatitis can also be caused by exposure to alcohol, certain medications, chemicals, poisons, and other toxins, or by other diseases. Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the many viruses that can cause inflammation of the liver.
Inflammation of the liver caused by infection with HCV is referred to as hepatitis C.
If the inflammation is not reversed, it becomes chronic (ongoing, long ... more
HIV/AIDS
HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) infection has now spread to every country in the world and has infected more than 40 million people worldwide as of the end of 2003. More than 1.1 million people in the United States have been infected with HIV. The scourge of HIV has been particularly devastating in Sub-Saharan Africa. The proportion of adult women among those infected with HIV is increasing.
HIV: A lentivirus of a subgroup of retroviruses, HIV causes AIDS. The virus kills or damages cells ... more
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