...Autoimmune Diseases Your body's immune system protects you from disease and infection. But if you have an autoimmune disease, your immune system attacks healthy cells in your body by mistake. Autoimmune diseases can affect many parts of the body. These diseases tend to run in families. Women - particularly African-American, Hispanic-American, and Native-American women - have a higher risk for some autoimmune diseases. The diseases may also have flare-ups, when they get worse, and remissions, when they all but disappear. The diseases do not usually go away, but symptoms can be treated. Multiple Sclerosis Is a disease affecting nerves in the brain and spinal cord, causing problems with muscle movement,balance and vision. Every nrve fibre in the brain and spinal cord is surrounded by a layer of protein called myelin which protects the nerve and helps electrical signals from the brain travel to the rest of the body. In MS, the myelin becomes damaged. This disrupts the transfer the transfer of these nerve signals,causing a wide range of potential symptoms such as: * numbness and tingling * blurring of vision * problems with mobility and balance * muscle weakness and tightness * MS can damage nerve fibres in your brain and spinal cord, which can cause muscles to contract tightly and painfully (spasm). Your muscles may also become stiff and resistant to movement, which is known as spasticity. * Neuropathic pain – caused by damage to the nerve fibres in...
Words: 1694 - Pages: 7
...Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease that affects the skin. A lot of autoimmune diseases attack healthy cells and cause inflammation in the body. Unfortunately, psoriasis not only can affect your skin, research has shown it can affect your heart as well. Because of the increased amount of inflammation in your body researchers believe this can lead to an “increased chance of heart attack or stroke.” If you have psoriasis it is imperative to monitor your heart health and take steps to prevent heart disease. In order to try and avoid having such complications routine checkups, diet, and exercise can help improve or slow down the progression of the disease, researchers believe. Even though psoriasis is an unpredictable disease and it is difficult...
Words: 268 - Pages: 2
...Lupus an Autoimmune Disease Human Body Professor E. December 2012 Abstract Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) is a complex disease characterized by the appearance of autoantibodies against nuclear antigens and the involvement of multiple organ systems, including the kidneys. The exact events that trigger the onset of clinical manifestations of SLE are not yet well understood. However, research using various mouse strains impulsive and inducible lupus in the last two decades has provided insights into the role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of this disease. According to our present understanding, the immunological defects resulting in the development of SLE can be categorized into two phases: (a) systemic autoimmunity resulting in increased serum antinuclear and antiglomerular autoantibodies and (b) immunological events that occur within the target organ and result in end organ damage. TABLE OF CONTENT Abstract…………………………………………………………………….....2 Introduction…………………………………………………………………..4 Discussion……………………………………………………………………..5 What is lupus? Lupus is a chronic autoimmune disease, which causes inflammation of various parts of the body, especially the skin, joints and kidneys. The body’s immune system normally makes proteins called antibodies to protect the body against viruses, bacteria and other foreign materials. These foreign materials are called antigens. In an autoimmune disorder such as lupus, the immune system loses its ability to tell the difference...
Words: 1470 - Pages: 6
...disorders, alopecia areata cannot occur because of stress. Genetics A study done by babycenter.com shows that one in every five people with alopecia areata is related to someone with that condition. If your family has this disorder, the likelihood of getting it at a young age is very high. A sixty percentile of people with alopecia areata are below the age of twenty according to a study done by Mayo clinic. Autoimmune diseases Study done by Academy of Dermatology in America, Alopecia areata will occur as a result of the immune system posing an attack on a person’s hair follicles. It is a common condition with families that have autoimmune diseases like diabetes, asthma and atopic eczema. These diseases raise the chances of getting the disorder. Viral trigger Alopecia areata can be triggered by a virus. People that succumb to viral allergies and illness are at a higher risk of contracting the disorder. Diagnosing alopecia areata To determine whether a patient has alopecia areata, doctors usually examine the patient’s medical history to see if they have any of the diseases that are associated with people with that disorder like atopic eczema and check out the patients hair loss patterns. The doctor may also conduct a physical examination of their hair. The physical examination will involve examination of the patients scalp and hair or doing some tests on the patient’s blood to see if they have an overactive thyroid glands or an underactive one. Treatment of...
Words: 394 - Pages: 2
... No lesion, no fever, and no change in his walking. He was admitted to the floor for IV steroid and pain management. When we received the sign-out from the ED doctor on this case; I was wondering what “chilblains” means and how I can manage it. The term chilblains is a descriptive word usually referring to an idiopathic medical condition, often cold-induced vasculopathy characterised by dusky red-purple nodules over skin of the hands and feet (Collins, Arnold, & Kissel, 2013). Chilblain is a clinical diagnosis; therefore, it is important to obtain a detailed history and do a comprehensive physical examination to exclude associated conditions, such as systematic disease or connective tissue disorder. Furthermore, full laboratory workup for a patient with chilblains should be done to exclude any systemic or autoimmune disorders, including the following lab tests: complete blood count with differentia, antinuclear antibody screen, cold agglutinin, cryoglobulin, cryofibrinogen and antiphospholipid antibody pane. Moreover, nerve biopsy is crucial for definitive diagnosis of a patient with suspected vasculitic neuropathy that leads to chilblains; a histologic diagnosis of definite vasculitic neuropathy requires inflammation within the vessel wall and signs of active or chronic vascular damage (Larkins & Murray, 2013). The fundamental histopathologic findings in equestrian chilblain show a relatively dense superficial...
Words: 607 - Pages: 3
...The immune system is a complex system within the body that, when healthy, defends against foreign invaders and keeps the body free of infectious organisms that could cause harm to the body. When it is healthy and fights off a certain bacteria, infection, etc. it can grow an immunity to that specific agent and lower the person’s chances of contracting that sickness again. If the immune system gets out of balance, however, this can cause several problems. The body will become susceptible to any infectious sicknesses that they come in contact with and can even die. There is also the chance of this resulting in an autoimmune disease which is when “the immune system can attack the body’s own tissues…or it can over respond to common substances, creating...
Words: 343 - Pages: 2
...Promotion Shenetter C. Morris Dr. Cynthia Davis HSA 505 December 11, 2011 Product, Price, Distribution, and Promotion Identify a specialty that fits for your geographic area and justify your selection. A specialty that’s fits the Alabama geographic area is women’s health. The top five areas of women’s health that are affecting the lives of women on a daily basis are: heart disease, breast cancer, stroke, autoimmune diseases, and osteoporosis. Based on research I will attempt to prove why women’s health was chosen as a specialty by providing statistical facts and benefits. Worldwide, 8.6 million women die from heart disease each year, accounting for a third of all deaths in women. Heart disease is the number one killer in the state of Alabama. Research shows that in the year 2007 a total of 11,926 people died of heart disease and of that number 6, 018 were females. On an average, nearly twenty-one females die from heart disease in Alabama each day. Alabama is one of five states to have the highest death rate from heart disease. Alabama has the second highest death rate from cardiovascular disease in the country ("Alabama state fact,”). Statistics for the Alabama area show that per 100,000 women a rate of 116.8 was white and a rate of 116.2 was black that reported breast cancer incidents. Based on 100,000 women rates of 24.1 experienced deaths by breast cancer, rates show that 21.5 of women that died by breast cancer were white and 33.1 of those women were black ("Breast...
Words: 1569 - Pages: 7
...CONNECTIVE TISSUE DISEASE Dominique Lewis Anatomy & Physiology I | BIO1011 15 South University . Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) What’s considered to be an autoimmune disorder, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) is one of the most puzzling diseases due to its overlapping characteristics. These overlapping characteristics include the diseases systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis, and polymyositis (http://lup.sagepub.com/content/15/3/132.short). Though the disease is somewhat unknown and presumably hereditary, the uncovered cause and criteria for diagnosis is linked through like antibodies and antigens (http://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJM197611182952101). MCTD affects numerous body systems i.e. skeletal, muscular, skeletal, digestive, and nervous (https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases_conditions/hic_Mixed_Connective_Tissue_Disease). Treatment for this disease is patient specific depending on the severity of each case; while the medications prescribed are ailment specific, creating a huge risk of developing side effects due to contraindications and normal use. In diagnosing these side effects, one must first explore the history of MCTD. What is Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD)? In 1972 (Venables) Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) was first recognized for its overlapping features by its like or “mixed” similarities noticed in patients presenting with signs and symptoms of three autoimmune connective tissue...
Words: 702 - Pages: 3
...Goodpasture’s Syndrome Goodpasture’s syndrome is a rare disease caused by an autoimmune disorder. The history and disease process will be reviewed during the education process. Following the review, this education plan will direct methods of learning, challenges, impact of quality of life for a 44-year-old male patient, named Jim. Shah, M, and Hugghins, S (2002) describe case results of a study completed about Goodpasture’s syndrome. Based on their study, the median age of a patient presenting with Goodpasture’s syndrome was 44 and the patients were predominantly male. This gentleman is the manager of a shoe store and has a history of good health. This Caucasian gentleman also has a wife of Spanish descent, and a teenage daughter. Shah, M., & Hugghins, S (2002) found the first reported case of Goodpasture's syndrome was found in an 18-year-old male patient coughing blood and presenting with renal failure. During this presentation of symptoms the pandemic of 1919 was also taking place, 2002. Stanton and Tange, 1958) used the term "Goodpasture's syndrome" to identify patients with pulmonary hemorrhage and damage to the filtrating system of the kidneys called, glomerulonephritis. In 1967 the autoimmune quality of Goodpasture's syndrome was discovered after finding antiglomerular basement membrane antibodies. Presentation of Symptoms Like most patients, Jim, presented with hemoptysis, a cough, shortness of breath on exertion, and fatigue. Other symptoms include signs and symptoms...
Words: 1310 - Pages: 6
...Have you ever seen people walking around with white patches all over there body? Do you ever wonder what condition or disease that person may have? Do we at times just these people and look down on them just because they look different? What is our reaction when we see a person walking on the street that has white patches all over them? Are we quick to judge, or do we simply look at it as they have a health problem and there's nothing wrong with that? Do some of us even know what those white patches on the skin may mean? Those white patches that we at times see in some people are a condition known as Vitiligo. Vitiligo is medically known for being an auto-immune disease. An auto-immune disease simply means that the person's own immune system attacks its own tissues and in some cases their organs. When a person has vitiligo, their melanocytes are destroyed or killed off and they start to get pigmentations (white patches) on different parts of their bodies. The parts of the body that may get pigmentations are: the hands, feet, face, the inside of the mouth, genitals, rectum, and in some cases the persons hair may turn white because of the vitiligo. In other cases of vitiligo, the mucous membranes (tissues that line the inside of the mouth and nose) and the retina (inner layer of the eyeball) can be affected. The cause of vitiligo is still unknown, but some scientists and doctors have developed a few theories about its origin. Some scientists and doctors...
Words: 368 - Pages: 2
...Being told you or a loved on has to go on chemo can be a very scary thing, but what I find scarier than that is Chemotherapeutic treatments are not cures for diseases, they are simply treatments. And yes I used the word diseases and not cancer nor types of cancer. Chemo is used for more than cancer even though it actually cures nothing. One of the most well known diseases that chemo is used to treat (aside from cancers) is an autoimmune disease called lupus. Chemo being used to treat Lupus is better know due to Selena Gomez being diagnosed with Lupus an Autoimmune disease, though some people think Lupus is a try of cancer due to the chemo( it’s not) but I digress. Chemo may not always be what is best for someone who has been given the option...
Words: 1733 - Pages: 7
...Clinical Applications Objectives In this chapter we will study • various approaches to the study of disease; • the role of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; • common causes of disease; • the distinction between signs and symptoms of disease; • terms used to describe the time course of a disease; and • common abbreviations for medical specialists and specialties. Homeostasis and Disease The body’s tendency to maintain internal stability is called homeostasis. Examples include the body’s relatively stable temperature, blood glucose concentration, hormone levels, acid-base balance, and electrolyte balance. When physiological variables deviate too much from their set point, the body activates negative feedback loops that tend to restore stability and maintain health. In some cases, such as the stoppage of bleeding, positive feedback loops are activated to bring about rapid change. If the attempt to regain homeostasis fails, disease results. There is a strong emphasis in medicine today on promoting wellness through prevention. However, this manual focuses on what happens when prevention fails, homeostasis is disrupted, and disease occurs. The Study of Disease Disease (illness) is any deviation from normal that interferes with correct, life-sustaining bodily function. Literally, the word means dis-ease, the opposite of ease (comfort and normal function). Disease may have underlying structural foundations, such as a broken bone, and its effects may be observed not...
Words: 3427 - Pages: 14
...Celiac disease can begin at any time in a person’s life, and there is no consistent set of symptoms. Some people lose a tremendous amount of weight; others experience fatigue, joint pain, or seizures; and sometimes there are no symptoms at all and the disease is discovered quite by accident. Celiac disease can strike at any age, even in people who once tested negative for the condition. Research published in the Annals of Medicine in 2010 found that celiac disease rates rose as people aged. a change in the composition of the intestinal bacteria in people who are genetically predisposed to celiac could trigger the autoimmune response, and "this is probably driving this epidemic." Surgery, antibiotics, an infection, or stress – like the death of a spouse – can change the bacterial composition Simply getting older may play a role in developing celiac disease later in life. New research shows that you can develop celiac disease at any age -- even if you previously tested negative for this autoimmune intestinal disorder. During the past 30 years, there has been a fivefold increase in the prevalence of celiac disease, and a lot of these cases occurred in elderly people, according to a study published in the Annals of Medicine. "This has been such an unexpected result," says study researcher Alessio Fasano, MD, director of the University of Maryland's School of Medicine Center for Celiac Research and their Mucosal Biology Research Center in Baltimore. "Our impression...
Words: 326 - Pages: 2
...Huntington's Disease Huntington’s Disease is an inherited disease that breaks down the nerves of the brain. This disease can affect the individuals functional abilities. Most people with this disease start getting symptoms in their 30s or 40s. When this disease affects people before the age 30 it is called “ juvenile Huntington’s disease”. The causes of Huntington’s is due to a inherited defect in a single gene. Cystic Fibrosis Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease that causes lung infections and makes it difficult for the individual to breathe. This disease causes sticky build up of mucus in lungs, pancreas, and other organs. Cystic Fibrosis is a genetic disease, the individuals have 2 copies of defective CF gene Down's Syndrome...
Words: 802 - Pages: 4
...• Diseases of affluence Less strenuous physical exercise, often through increased use of a car Easy accessibility in society to large amounts of low-cost food (relative to the much-lower caloric food availability in a subsistence economy) More food generally, with much less physical exertion expended to obtain a moderate amount of food More high fat and high sugar foods in the diet are common in the affluent developed economies of the late-twentieth century More foods which are processed, cooked, and commercially provided (rather than seasonal, fresh foods prepared locally at time of eating) Increased leisure time Prolonged periods of inactivity Greater use of alcohol and tobacco Longer life-spans . Explain how these cause disease. • 8. Diseases of affluence Cardiovascular disease Read the article and summarise the main findings. This can take the form of a Mind Map • 9. Diseases of affluence Nutrition and exercise There are a number of reasons why affluence brings ill-health. One of the most important is lack of exercise. People in tertiary sector jobs are desk-bound and commute long distances by car or public transport, rather than walk. Longer hours and longer distances to commute also mean less time to cook healthy food. Fast food or convenience food, the consumption of much more food than can be used , and less movement all set people up for obesity, high blood pressure, and general poor fitness. Obesity in particular is thought to increase the risk of heart...
Words: 542 - Pages: 3
