Overview Cirrhosis is a chronic condition of the liver characterised by abnormal liver function and structure, as a result of damage caused by inflammation of liver cells. Inflammation and regeneration that is associated with dying liver cells leads to the formation of scar tissue. Surviving cells multiply as they try to replace dead cells, resulting […]
Overview Diabetes, also known as diabetes mellitus, is a group of metabolic diseases which cause a person’s blood sugar or glucose levels to be too high, due to a malfunction in either insulin secretion or the body’s response to insulin. Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas to normalise glucose levels. When a person […]
Medical terminology refers to a special vocabulary used by medical professionals. Far from being used to bewilder those not trained in healthcare, it is an essential aid in consistent communication between medical professionals. Medical terminology is used consistently in medicolegal reporting. This week we are going to look at how medical words are formed, to […]
Overview Aspiration pneumonia is inflammation of the lungs and airways caused by breathing in foreign material, either from the mouth or regurgitated from the stomach. The foreign material can be made up of oral or gastric content including food, liquid, vomit, saliva or nasal secretions. This can lead to significant infection in the lung. Causes […]
Overview An emboli or an embolus is a foreign object, quantity of gas or air, a bit of tissue or tumour or a blood clot that travels through the circulatory system to another location. A pulmonary embolism is a blood clot in the lung. A blood clot or thrombus forms in one of the body’s […]
LexiMed Educates is going to take a look at some strange, funny and sometimes weird medical myths and the stories behind them. The Myth True or False? The facts…. Cold weather makes you sick. False Eyeing the dropping temps with trepidation since they typically trigger a cold or flu? Turns out, Mother Nature isn’t to […]
Every day advances are made in modern medicine to enable people to live longer, healthier lives. The internet has made medical information more easily accessible than ever before and people are becoming more aware of the importance of looking after their health. However, a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing. Surprisingly, there are many […]
The word Neurology comes from the Greek words νεῦρον, (neuron) meaning nerve; and λογία (logia) meaning study of. A neurologist specialises in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, disorders and impaired function of the central nervous system, the peripheral nervous system, and the autonomic and somatic nervous system. Central Nervous System Consists of the brain […]
In this article on the heart we are taking a look at heart bypass surgery, also known as coronary artery bypass surgery or coronary artery bypass graft. Heart bypass surgery is carried out to reduce the risk of death from coronary artery disease. It involves taking arteries or veins from other parts of the body […]
The human nose is a sense organ which allows us to smell. Another word for smell is olfaction. The olfactory receptors in the nose help to identify food, mates, predators, and provides both sensual pleasure in the odour of flowers and perfume, as well as warnings of danger, for example spoiled food, fire or chemical […]
