Archive for March 27th, 2009
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HIV TREATMENT: TWO CLASSES OF MEDICATIONS
Two classes of medications are used to treat HIV itself. The first is composed of zidovudine (AZT), didanosine (ddl), zalcitabine (ddC), stavudine (D4T), and lamivudine (3TC), all of them antiretroviral medications that inhibit HIV’s ability to replicate itself. The second group (saquinavir, indinavir, and retonivir) are the protease inhibitors, which also inhibit the replication of [...]
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STD HEPATITIS B: THE GROUPS OF RISK
In the past, efforts were made to immunize only those who were thought to be at high risk for hepatitis B. This did not stem the tide of new infections, so a new approach is now advocated. The following groups of people should consider receiving the vaccination, as long as there is no contraindication or [...]
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STD CHANCROID: TREATMENT
Chancroid is treatable with antibiotics, but recently there has been increasing bacterial resistance to some of the older antibiotics, such as the sulfas. Treatments that are generally effective include azithromycin, ceftriaxone, erythromycin, and ciprofloxacin. People who have had sex with an infected person within ten days of the time that person developed symptoms must be [...]
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STAGING PROSTATE CANCER: ACID PHOSPHATASE
Acid phosphatase is an enzyme that, just like PSA, is secreted by the prostate gland. When a prostate becomes cancerous, the ductal system stops working properly. So, like PSA, acid phosphatase builds up in the prostate, leaks out and is reabsorbed by the bloodstream. That’s why elevated acid phosphatase levels can signal that something’s wrong [...]
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THE REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM: PENIS
The penis was designed for two primary functions, sexual intercourse and urination. It is a remarkable construction of nerves, smooth muscle, and blood vessels; there is no bone in the human penis (unlike the penis in some other animals, such as dogs). Instead, the penis works on hydraulic principles. Its basic structure is that of [...]