Ahumada-Del Castillo is a rare endocrine disorder affecting adult females, which is characterized by impairment in the function of the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. Symptoms may include the production of breast milk (lactation) not associated...

What is sickle cell anemia? Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease) is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein within the red blood cells). The abnormal hemoglobin causes distorted (...

What is sickle cell anemia? Sickle cell anemia (sickle cell disease) is a disorder of the blood caused by an inherited abnormal hemoglobin (the oxygen-carrying protein within the red blood cells). The abnormal hemoglobin causes distorted (...

What is aortic stenosis? Aortic stenosis is abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve. A number of conditions cause disease resulting in narrowing of the aortic valve. When the degree of narrowing becomes significant enough to impede the flow...

Aortic stenosis is abnormal narrowing of the aortic valve. A number of conditions cause disease resulting in narrowing of the aortic valve. When the degree of narrowing becomes significant enough to impede the flow of blood from the left ventricle...

Ahumada-Del Castillo is a rare endocrine disorder affecting adult females, which is characterized by impairment in the function of the pituitary and hypothalamus glands. Symptoms may include the production of breast milk (lactation) not associated...

Batten Turner Type Congenital Myopathy is an extremely rare, inherited muscle disease (myopathy) and is characterized by the lack of muscle tone or floppiness at birth (congenital hypotonia). The symptoms of Batten Turner Type Congenital Myopathy ...

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) affects women and is a complex of symptoms that are not necessarily all present in all cases. Some, but not all, affected women have multiple cysts on the ovaries (polycystic ovaries). Other characteristics include...

Chiari-Frommel Syndrome is a rare endocrine disorder that affects women who have recently given birth (postpartum) and is characterized by the over-production of breast milk (galactorrhea), lack of ovulation (anovulation), and the absence of regul...

Chiari-Frommel Syndrome is a rare endocrine disorder that affects women who have recently given birth (postpartum) and is characterized by the over-production of breast milk (galactorrhea), lack of ovulation (anovulation), and the absence of regul...

What is congestive heart failure (CHF)? Heart failure describes the inability or failure of the heart to adequately meet the needs of organs and tissues for oxygen and nutrients. This decrease in cardiac output, the amount of blood that th...

Atypical mole syndrome, also called dysplastic nevus syndrome, is a disorder of the skin characterized by the presence of many mole-like tumors (nevi). Most people have 10-20 moles over their bodies. People with this syndrome often have more than ...

Endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE) is a rare heart disorder that affects infants and children. It is characterized by a thickening within the muscular lining of the heart chambers due to an increase in the amount of supporting connective tissue (ine...

Fibrocystic breast changes  Fibrocystic breast changes lead to the development of fluid-filled round or oval sacs (cysts) and more prominent scar-like (fibrous) tissue, which can make breasts feel tender, lumpy or ropy. Fibroc...

General DiscussionWeil syndrome, a rare infectious disorder, is a severe form of the bacterial infection caused by Leptospira bacteria known as leptospirosis. Weil syndrome is characterized by dysfunction of the kidneys and liver, abnorma...

Formaldehyde is a transitional molecule that participates in a wide range of biological activities. It can be found in a variety of everyday items, including meals. It's also used in medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Formalin is a 40 percen...

Chiari-Frommel Syndrome is a rare endocrine disorder that affects women who have recently given birth (postpartum) and is characterized by the over-production of breast milk (galactorrhea), lack of ovulation (anovulation), and the absence of regul...

A prolactinoma is a benign tumor of the pituitary gland (adenoma) that produces an excessive amount of the hormone prolactin. In women, hyperprolactinemia is characterized by irregular menstrual periods (amenorrhea), infertility and production of ...

Hashimoto's thyroiditis is also known as Chronic Lymphocytic Thyroiditis, Hashimoto's Thyroiditis, and Chronic Autoimmune Thyroiditis. The thyroid gland gradually stops producing enough hormones to keep the body running normally as a result of Has...

According to the American Heart Association, about 5 million Americans are diagnosed with valvular heart disease each year. What Is Valvular Heart Disease? Heart valve disease occurs when your heart's valves do not work the way the...

What Is a Biventricular Pacemaker? Leads are implanted through a vein into the right ventricle and into the coronary sinus vein to pace or regulate the left ventricle. Usually (but not always), a lead is also implanted into the right atriu...

What Is a Biventricular Pacemaker? Leads are implanted through a vein into the right ventricle and into the coronary sinus vein to pace or regulate the left ventricle. Usually (but not always), a lead is also implanted into the right atriu...

Introduction to heart transplant The idea of replacing a bad organ with a good one has been documented in ancient mythology. The first real organ transplants were probably skin grafts that may have been done in India as early as the second...

Hypoglycemia is the clinical syndrome that results from low blood sugar. The symptoms of hypoglycemia can vary from person to person, as can the severity. Classically, hypoglycemia is diagnosed by a low blood sugar with symptoms that resolve when ...

Infertility means not being able to become pregnant, within certain parameters. Infertility is a common problem of about 10% of women aged 15 to 44. Infertility can be due to the woman (33%), the man (33%) and by both sexe...

Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. It is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. Th...

Menopause is defined as the absence of menstrual periods for 12 months. It is the time in a woman's life when the function of the ovaries ceases. The process of menopause does not occur overnight, but rather is a gradual process. Th...

Pseudomyxoma peritonei is a rare malignant growth characterized by the progressive accumulation of mucus-secreting (mucinous) tumor cells within the abdomen and pelvis. The disorder develops after a small growth (polyp) located within the appendix...

Ovarian cysts facts Ovarian cysts are closed, sac-like structures within the ovary that are filled with a liquid or semisolid substance. Ovarian cysts form for numerous reasons. Pain in the abdomen or pelvis is t...

What are palpitations? Palpations are sensations by a person that they are having hard, rapid, or irregular heartbeats or a combination of these sensations. The following is a brief description of the heart's function that should help read...

Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID) is an infection of the female reproductive organs, including the uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. It is usually caused by sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia and gonorrhea, but can also be cause...

Familial hypophosphatemia is a rare inherited disorder characterized by impaired transport of phosphate and often altered vitamin-D metabolism in the kidneys. In addition, phosphate may not be well-absorbed in the intestines. The hypophosphatemia ...

Polycystic ovary syndrome  Polycystic ovary syndrome is a disorder involving infrequent, irregular or prolonged menstrual periods, and often excess male hormone (androgen) levels. The ovaries develop numerous small collections of flui...

General DiscussionWolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome is a rare congenital heart disorder involving irregularities in the electrical system of the heart. In individuals with WPW syndrome, an abnormal alternate electrical pathway (accesso...

Premature ovarian failure — also known as primary ovarian insufficiency — is a loss of normal function of your ovaries before age 40. If your ovaries fail, they don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regul...

Pernicious anemia is a rare blood disorder characterized by the inability of the body to properly utilize vitamin B12, which is essential for the development of red blood cells. Most cases result from the lack of the gastric protein known as intri...

Uterine fibroids facts Uterine fibroids are benign tumors that originate in the uterus (womb). It is not known exactly why women develop uterine fibroids. Most women with uterine fibroids have no symptoms. Howeve...