Blood/Blood Pressure
Latest articles on Blood/Blood Pressure
With good health care, many people with sickle cell disease live close to normal lives and are in fairly good health much of the time, says John Paul Scott, MD, Medical College of Wisconsin Professor of Pediatrics.
Estrogen might play a role in hemangioma formation, notes Dr. Deirdre Faust. Hemangiomas are more common in women and seem to grow with hormone replacement and pregnancy.
Christopher N. Bredeson, MD, MSc, FRCPC, describes advances in bone marrow transplant techniques that have reduced side effects and allowed more people with leukemia to keep their disease under control.
Dr. Deirdre Faust explains how even people who are sensitive to supplemental iron can find ways to tolerate it.
"About 20% of children with sickle cell disease will have some form of stroke by the time they are teenagers," says John Paul Scott, MD, Professor of Pediatrics and a specialist in blood disorders.
Hepatitis C, spread primarily through contact with blood or blood products, is considered part of a "silent epidemic" - many infected people show no symptoms of liver disease.
"Not only is iron important for your red blood cells, but it is an essential element for the energy machine of every cell in your body," explains John Paul Scott, MD.
When stressful situations go unresolved, the body is kept in a constant state of activation, causing deterioration and reducing the body's ability to repair and defend itself. Biofeedback teaches patients to modify these responses.
Christopher N. Bredeson, MD, MSc, FRCPC, Medical College of Wisconsin Associate Professor and Director of Hematological Malignancies, describes recent advances in the treatment of three types of leukemia that affect adults: AML, CML, and CLL.
"The good news is that we can usually treat diabetic retinopathy with lasers and other treatments," says Dr. Kimberly Stepien. "We can potentially help prevent the retinopathy from progressing or actually cause it to regress."
"Pediatric ALL (acute lymphocytic leukemia) had terrible survivorship 30 years ago," says Dr. Christopher Bredeson, Associate Professor of Medicine and Director of Hematological Malignancies. "Today, that has changed dramatically."
VWD involves a protein in the blood called von Willebrand factor, which helps the blood to clot. Although she discourages patients with the disorder from playing heavy contact sports, Joan Cox Gill, MD, says people with VWD can lead full, productive lives.
Medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea are all substantially improved by surgical weight loss, says Dr. James Wallace. "The effects of the surgery are remarkable, and quite profound in all areas."
While some cases of this uncommon syndrome are benign, Dr. Julie Mitchell points out that others can result in serious problems.
"The Outcomes Database will provide physicians, scientists, policy makers and patients with the information they need to make the best possible clinical decisions and to advance the field," says Mary Horowitz, MD.
A discovery by Medical College of Wisconsin and BloodCenter of Wisconsin researchers could lead to a permanent genetic cure for hemophilia A patients.
The medical profession continues to improve the process of kidney transplantation, resulting in a high rate of success and providing hundreds of thousands with new hope, says Mark Adams, MD, MS. Yet there are a limited number of kidneys available.
Pernicious anemia is not preventable, but with early detection and treatment of vitamin B-12 deficiency, complications are readily controlled.
Theodore Kotchen, MD, and other researchers have identified several areas of the human genome that are linked to hypertension. The research involves a major study of the condition in Milwaukee's African-American population.
"Fluctuating levels of glucose harm the cells that line the capillaries of the eye. Over time, these vessels close off or become incompetent in playing their proper role in clear vision," says Dr. Dennis Han. The result? Diabetic retinopathy.
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