3D Animation: SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission leading to COVID-19 Nucleus Medical Media 2026-09-22 | 3D Animation: SARS-CoV-2 virus transmission leading to COVID-19
Opioid Addiction and Overdose: How Drugs Like Fentanyl Work Nucleus Medical Media 2024-03-21 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Opioids are drugs that are prescribed to treat moderately severe or severe pain. Examples of these drugs include hydrocodone, oxycodone, morphine, hydromorphone, methadone, and fentanyl. Heroin, an illegal drug, is also an opioid. In order to understand how opioids work, it's important to know how your body feels pain. The process begins when something harmful happens to your body. Information about this harm is converted to a nerve signal. The signal passes along nerves to your spinal cord and brain. In your brain, the signal is perceived as pain. Opioid drugs affect how you feel pain. They attach to structures called opioid receptors. These receptors are found on cells in your brain, spinal cord, and other areas of your body. Opioids act on these receptors to make you feel less pain. These drugs can also have other effects on your body. For example, they may give you an intense short-term high and feelings of extreme happiness. Opioids also activate the reward pathway in your brain. This causes certain parts of the reward pathway to release a chemical called dopamine. Scientists think dopamine helps you remember how good you felt while taking opioids and makes you want to keep taking them. This link between remembering things that make you feel good with a desire to do them again is an important part of developing addiction. Opioids may also slow your breathing and make you feel nauseated, and they may cause reduced motion of your intestines resulting in constipation. For most people, when opioids are taken as prescribed for a short time, they're fairly safe and effective, but these drugs can be taken in ways that weren't prescribed, such as taking too many, taking them to get high, or giving them to someone else. Misusing these drugs can raise your risk of developing drug tolerance, dependence, addiction, and overdose. Tolerance means the drug is less effective over time. This can happen when opioid receptors become less sensitive to the effects of the drug. As a result, more of the drug needs to be taken for you to get pain relief. Dependence happens if a person has symptoms when they stop using the drug. When the drug is removed or withdrawn, you feel sick. This sickness is called withdrawal. Opioid withdrawal has flu-like symptoms that include restlessness and anxiety, muscle aches, inability to sleep, watery eyes and runny nose, nausea and vomiting, stomach cramps and diarrhea, and dilated or widened pupils. Opioid addiction is a brain disease where you have an overwhelming craving for the drug. You can't stop taking the drug despite the harm it may cause you. Addiction is not the same as dependence. You can be tolerant of a drug or dependent on a drug without being addicted to it. Finally, opioid overdose is a condition where taking too much of the drug can cause life-threatening symptoms or even death. The amount that can cause an overdose varies from person to person and even within the same individual. The symptoms of opioid overdose can include confusion, feeling very sleepy or not alert, nausea and vomiting, constricted or small pupils, unconsciousness, slow or stopped breathing, and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control, over 100 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses. If you have questions about opioids or if you or someone close to you needs help for an opioid use disorder, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#opioids #OpioidAddiction #fentanylANH23269
The Common Cold: How We Catch It and Treat The Symptoms Nucleus Medical Media 2024-03-14 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The upper respiratory tract consists of the nose, mouth, pharynx, and larynx. As air passes through them, these structures provide physical and immunologic barriers to infectious pathogens and other debris. In the nose, viruses, bacteria, and other debris stick to the mucus in the nasal passageway, while the nasal mucosa, warms and humidifies the air. The shape of the pharynx forces air to take a 90-degree turn downward. Larger airborne particles can't make the turn, so they get caught in the mucosa of the posterior wall instead. The palatine and pharyngeal tonsil contain immune cells that engulf and destroy pathogens that land on them. Air then passes through the larynx on its way to the lower respiratory tract. The common cold, also known as nasopharyngitis or acute rhinitis is the most common viral upper respiratory tract infection. Cold viruses, most commonly the rhinovirus, enter the body when contaminated hands touch the nose or mouth, or when virus-filled droplets in the air are inhaled. Then the virus invades the mucus membrane of the upper airway, resulting in an inflammation of the invaded areas. Inflammation of the nasal membranes can result in excessive mucus secretion, nasal congestion, inflammation of the paranasal sinuses, itching, and sneezing. Inflammation of the pharyngeal lining can result in a sore or scratchy throat, and painful or difficult swallowing. Laryngeal involvement can result in a cough. There is no cure for the common cold, so treatments focus on alleviating symptoms. Common lifestyle modifications include rest, and increased fluid intake. Medical options include Ibuprofen for inflammation, pain, and fever. Acetaminophen, for pain and fever. And oral decongestants, or nasal sprays to relieve nasal symptoms. Antibiotics are not used as they're only effective against bacteria, not viruses. ♪ [music] ♪#UpperRespiratoryTractInfections #CommonCold #AcuteRhinitisANM11031
Treatment Options for Type 1 Diabetes Nucleus Medical Media 2024-03-07 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you have type 1 diabetes, your goal is to keep your blood glucose or sugar within a normal range. Your healthcare practitioner may suggest a combination of insulin therapy, other medicines, glucose tablets to quickly raise your blood sugar if it gets too low, checking your blood sugar, eating a healthy diet, and getting regular exercise. In type 1 diabetes, your pancreas doesn't make enough or any insulin. Since you need insulin to stay alive, you will need to take it every day. It will replace what your body should be making. A healthcare practitioner can train you to inject the insulin just under the skin. You may need to give yourself injections several times each day, and you will need to rotate between injection sites. This helps avoid damage to your tissues and helps make sure you get the best results from your insulin. Another way to get insulin when you need it is through an automated insulin delivery system, also known as an artificial pancreas. It mirrors the way a healthy pancreas controls your blood sugar. This system is made up of three parts: a sensor called a continuous glucose monitor or CGM placed under your skin and held in place with a sticky patch, a program that calculates how much insulin you need, and an insulin pump. There are different types of insulin pumps. A traditional pump is commonly worn on your belt or in a pocket. With this type of pump, the CGM measures your blood sugar level and sends this information to the program located on your pump. The program calculates the amount of insulin you need. Then, insulin flows through a small tube leading from the pump into your body. Another type of pump called a patch pump is attached directly to your skin. It has a short tube underneath that delivers insulin into your body. With this type of pump, the CGM sends your blood sugar level information to a program on your smart phone or other wireless controller. The program calculates the amount of insulin you need, then signals the pump to send insulin into your body. With either pump, this process repeats automatically throughout the day to keep your blood sugar in the target range. Your pancreas may not be making enough of a chemical called amylin. Normally, amylin helps control your blood sugar level by reducing the amount of sugar your liver makes during a meal. It also slows the movement of food through your stomach so your body doesn't take it in as fast. If insulin alone isn't controlling your diabetes, you may also receive amylin medication. How much medication you need will depend on the level of sugar in your blood. You will need to check the level of sugar in your blood with a blood glucose meter. It's important to check your blood sugar level multiple times every day to see how it changes with meals and activities. Ask your healthcare practitioner how often to check. To do this, you will prick your finger with a small needle called a lancet. Then, you will place a drop of blood in the blood glucose meter, following the directions provided with your meter. You can also use a continuous glucose monitor to automatically track your blood sugar level. With this system, you'll be able to see your blood sugar levels as often as every five minutes. Knowing your blood sugar level allows you to adjust your insulin dose. For example, if you take insulin with a meal, you'll match the dose to the amount of carbohydrates or carbs you eat. Before starting physical activity, check your blood sugar. If it's too low or too high, delay physical activity until it improves. Your treatment plan also includes eating a healthy diet and getting regular exercise. They will help you manage your sugar level and may help reduce your risk of complications from type 1 diabetes. For more information about treatment for type 1 diabetes, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#Diabetes Treatment #Type1Diabetes #DiabetesANH23273
Hearing Loss Due to Nerve Damage Nucleus Medical Media 2024-02-29 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Hearing begins with the external ear funneling sound waves through the external auditory canal to the tympanic membrane. The tympanic membrane vibrates in response to the sound waves. Three connected bones called the malleus, incus, and stapes transmit the vibrations through the middle ear. Movement of the stapes causes vibrations of the membranous oval window of the inner ear. Oval window vibrations create fluid waves in the two perilymph-filled chambers in the cochlea ending at the round window. These waves of perilymph also push on a third fluid-filled chamber called the cochlear duct. Inside the cochlear duct, sensory receptor cells called hair cells line one of the walls of the duct called the basilar membrane. The tectorial membrane covers the hair cells. Collectively, this group of structures is called the organ of Corti. Fluid pressure in the perilymph pushes on the basilar membrane and its attached hair cells which bend when pushed against the stationary tectorial membrane. This event sets off a chain reaction within the hair cells converting the pressure wave to a nerve impulse in the nerve fibers. Nerve fibers throughout the cochlea combine to form the cochlear branch of the vestibulocochlear or auditory nerve which transmits the sound nerve impulse to the brain. Sensory neural hearing loss is caused by disease or damage to the nervous pathway from the organ of Corti to the vestibulocochlear nerve and central auditory system in the brainstem. Damage to the auditory nerve pathway can result from aging, chronic loud noise, viral infections, or physical trauma to the temporal bone. Another common cause of hearing loss is Meniere's disease in which a build up of perilymph fluid left untreated which result in the rupture of the membranous labyrinth. Diagnostic tests include tuning fork test and audiometer testing. Depending on the cause and severity of auditory nerve damage, sensory neural hearing loss is treated with devices such as hearing aides or cochlear implants. #HearingLoss #SensorineuralHearingLoss #HearingANM11038
Symptoms and Complications of Diabetes Nucleus Medical Media 2024-02-22 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you know may have been diagnosed with diabetes. This video will show you what it is and why it's important to keep it under control. People can have different symptoms with diabetes. Common symptoms include feeling very hungry, feeling very thirsty, urinating often, fatigue, blurry vision, and slow healing of wounds. People with type 1 diabetes may also experience weight loss. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes usually develop suddenly. They may make a person feel very ill. On the other hand, symptoms of type 2 diabetes usually develop slowly. They may be mild enough so they are hard to notice. Some people have no symptoms. If your high blood sugar level isn't treated, life-threatening complications can result. For example, you can become severely ill with a condition called diabetic ketoacidosis. It's more common in people with type 1 diabetes. Here's how it happens. Because you have little or no insulin in your blood, your cells can't get the sugar they need for energy. As a result, your body turns to fats and proteins for energy. As your body breaks down the fats, certain substances, known as ketone bodies, build up in your blood. This results in a condition called ketosis. If ketones build up to dangerously high levels in your blood, you may develop diabetic ketoacidosis, or DKA. This may result in coma or death. If your blood sugar level drops too low, you may experience a serious complication of diabetes called hypoglycemia. A common way this can happen is by taking too much diabetic medication or not eating. Too much insulin or oral diabetic medication can cause too much sugar to go into your cells. Then your blood sugar level drops down too low. Certain organs, such as the brain, need a constant energy supply to work properly. Because the brain's main source of energy is sugar, it's the first organ affected by lower sugar levels. When your brain cells, called neurons, don't get enough sugar, they start to malfunction. Symptoms such as nervousness, shakiness, and confusion can result. If your blood sugar keeps dropping, your brain does not have enough energy to work properly. This can result in seizures or diabetic coma. If your blood sugar level remains high over time, long-term health problems can occur. They include heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, blindness, nerve damage, kidney disease, and amputation of a foot or leg. If you have questions about diabetes or the medications for it, speak with your doctor. It is important to take your medications as directed by your doctor. Tell him or her about any side effects you have.#BloodSugar #DiabetesSymptoms #DiabetesComplicationsANH16176
How Your Body Metabolizes Medications Nucleus Medical Media 2024-02-15 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Drug metabolism is the chemical conversion of drugs into water soluble compounds that can be excreted by the body. Drug metabolism mainly takes place in the liver, while excretion mainly takes place in the kidneys. Following drug administration, drugs must pass through tightly packed cells, crossing cell membranes to reach their sites of action. Usually drugs are lipophilic or fat soluble compounds, and cell membranes are composed of phospholipids, so drugs are able to cross them. However, for excretion by the kidneys, it's necessary to convert drugs to water soluble or hydrophilic compounds. Drugs are usually administered orally or parenterally. Parenteral drugs bypass the digestive tract. Parental routes include injection, transdermal patches, lotions, inhalants, and suppositories. If injected, the drugs reach general circulation quickly and have an immediate effect. If taken orally, drugs must pass through the cells of the gastrointestinal tract. Drugs cross through cells of the GI tract and travel to the liver via the hepatic portal vein. The liver has a chance to metabolize some of the drug before it goes into general circulation, this is called the first pass effect. In the liver, drugs enter hepatic cells where a series of enzymes in smooth endoplasmic reticulum metabolize them. Drugs move through the phospholipid membrane of endoplasmic reticulum. Hepatic microsomal enzymes such as p450 convert drugs from lipophilic to hydrophilic compounds. Repeated use of certain drugs increases the amount of metabolic enzymes and increases drug metabolism. This is called enzyme induction. Conversely, certain drugs compete to bind to metabolic enzymes thereby decreasing drug metabolism. This is called enzyme inhibition. Once metabolized, these hydrophilic metabolites leave the cell ready for excretion by the kidney. A drug's duration and intensity of effect are largely determined by metabolic rate. Increased metabolic rate will decrease drug duration and intensity by facilitating excretion. Decreased metabolic rate increases drug duration and intensity. A few of the factors affecting metabolic rate are the first pass effect, liver disease such as cirrhosis, neonates in the elderly have decreased liver function, compromised blood flow to the liver will lower metabolic rate, variation in amount and type of hepatic enzymes, poor diet and nutrition can affect normal liver function, and higher circulating drug levels due to dosage or patient's weight take longer to metabolize. ♪ [music] ♪#MedicationMetabolism #DrugMetabolism #DrugExcretionANM11010
Why Potassium Is Good For Your Body And When Too Much Is Dangerous Nucleus Medical Media 2024-02-08 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you care about may have been diagnosed with hyperkalemia, a problem in which too much potassium is in the blood. This video will help you understand more about hyperkalemia, including its symptoms, common risk factors, and management. There are often no symptoms of hyperkalemia. However, mild symptoms that appear over time may include nausea, muscle weakness, numbness or tingling. More severe symptoms that happen suddenly and require immediate medical care may include shortness of breath, heart palpitations, chest pain, nausea or vomiting. The body needs to keep the right amount of potassium in the blood for nerves and muscles including the heart to work normally. Potassium is one of several minerals that the body gets from food. Most of it is stored in the cells of the body, and a small amount stays outside the cells as well as in the blood. Healthy kidneys help to maintain normal levels of potassium in the blood, by passing excess potassium out of the body in urine. There are risk factors that may damage or impair the kidneys, or prevent the body from keeping potassium in its cells, leading to hyperkalemia. Some common risk factors for hyperkalemia include chronic kidney disease, a condition where the kidneys gradually lose their ability to work properly; heart failure, a condition where the heart has trouble pumping blood to the rest of the body; high blood pressure or hypertension, a disease where the force of blood on the walls of the arteries is too high and may lead to complications like chronic kidney disease and heart failure; diabetes, a disease where too much sugar is in the blood, and taking medications for these or other conditions, which may prevent the kidneys or the body from maintaining normal levels of potassium. A doctor may do a blood test to check the body's potassium level. For most people, a normal range is from about 3.5 to 5.0. Hyperkalemia is a potassium level greater than five. If you are at risk for high potassium, speak with your doctor about ways to manage your potassium levels. You may be asked to avoid or limit eating foods that are high in potassium. In addition, your doctor may make changes to your medications. To help minimize your risk of hyperkalemia, it's important that you know your risk factors, potassium level, foods to avoid, and medications you're taking. If you have questions about hyperkalemia, or any medications you have been prescribed, talk to your doctor. It is important to take your medications as directed, and report any side effects you have.#Hyperkalemia #Potassium #ChronicKidneyDiseaseANH19224
How Medications Reach Their Target Sites Within Your Body Nucleus Medical Media 2024-02-01 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Distribution is the process by which a medication is carried to its target tissue or site of action with the goal of causing a therapeutic response. This process follows medication absorption and precedes medication metabolism. Medication is first carried to highly vascularized tissues including the liver, heart, kidneys, and brain. Then medication is widely circulated within the body, reaching areas of less extensive blood supply such as skin, muscle, and fat. Medication then accumulates in the fat and in poorly vascularized tissues like bone, especially if the medication is lipophilic or strongly attracted to lipids. In the blood, some medication molecules bind to plasma proteins to which they are attracted. In this bound state, medication molecules are unable to produce a pharmacological effect. In bound and unbound form, the medication flows through the arteries and into capillaries. Capillaries carry the medication close to the tissue's cells, where hydrostatic pressure drives molecules between the capillary endothelial cells into the interstitial space. Some protein-bound macromolecules are too large to pass through the vessel walls, so they never reach the target tissue. Unbound or free molecules do reach the target tissue by exiting the bloodstream between the loss junctions in the capillary endothelium into the interstitial space to interact with the tissue cells. Some molecules bind to the cells while others remain in the extracellular fluid. The interaction of the unbound medication with the target tissue results in a therapeutic response. There are many factors that affect distribution. For example, the effect of membrane permeability on distribution can be demonstrated in the brain. The brain's capillaries are impermeable to the majority of medications due to the blood-brain barrier, a membrane that blocks the entrance of both toxic and therapeutic substances into brain tissues. Some medications penetrate the blood-brain barrier based on features like low polarity and high solubility in lipids. Fat-soluble molecules cross cell membranes faster than water-soluble molecules due to the lipophilic nature and phospholipid composition of the cellular membrane. Factors such as body fat percentage and disease also affect medication distribution. Fat deposits retain lipid-soluble unionized medication and release the molecules over time. Thus, obese patients may experience prolonged pharmacologic effects. Inflammation, disease, and injuries such as burns can alter protein levels and thus medication binding, increasing capillary permeability and uptake in cells and tissues. As a complication of kidney disease, albumin cannot bind medications effectively, resulting in a low percentage of protein-bound medication. These shifts result in high levels of free medications circulating throughout the body.#MedicationDistribution #pharmacology #DrugTherapiesANM10008
Rescue Medications for Migraine Attacks Nucleus Medical Media 2024-01-25 | This animation is brought to you by the Association of Migraine Disorders, with support from Amgen/Novartis and AbbVie. Migraine is not just a headache, it's a complex neurological disease that impacts more than 1 billion people worldwide. This animation by Nucleus Medical Media, made in collaboration with AMD, explains what happens in your brain during a migraine attack and how different medications can help ease the pain. Learn more about migraine at www.MigraineDisorders.org or on the AMD YouTube Channel at [link to youtube.com/user/MigraineEquivalent ]ANH23275#migraine #MigraineAttacks #headache
Inflammation: Immune Response to Tissue Injury or Infection Nucleus Medical Media 2024-01-18 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Inflammation is a local immune response to tissue injury or infection, experienced as heat, redness, edema, pain, and loss of function. Immediately after injury, inflammation begins with brief vasoconstriction of the local blood vessels to reduce blood loss and formation of a clot to stop the bleeding. Then, stimulated by cell injury and death, local cells release vasoactive chemicals, such as prostaglandins and histamine to dilate local blood vessels leading to increased blood flow to the area. These chemicals also cause endothelial cells in small blood vessels to contract, opening spaces between them. This increased capillary permeability allows fluids and proteins to pass from the blood into the tissue. Next, during a multi-stage process called chemotaxis, circulating immune cells called neutrophils move out of the blood vessels to the site of injury and destroy pathogens and damaged cells. Chemotaxis begins when cells at the injury site release messenger molecules called chemoattractants, which cause local endothelial cells and circulating neutrophils to stick together. Next, in a process called diapedesis, neutrophils squeeze through the endothelial gaps. The neutrophils migrate to the injury site by following a chemotactic gradient. Upon arrival, the neutrophils encounter bacteria, engulf them and digest them in a process called phagocytosis. After destruction of the bacteria and removal of cellular waste, tissue repair begins when locally produced growth factors cause local fibroblasts to begin dividing rapidly and secreting large quantities of collagen to reinforce the wound. Anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit inflammation by blocking production of inflammatory chemicals. The most common drugs for inflammation are non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, or NSAIDS, such as aspirin and ibuprofen. They contain an enzyme called cyclooxygenase or COX, that inhibits the production of prostaglandins and several other inflammatory chemicals. Thus, reducing vasodilation, edema, and pain associated with inflammation.#inflammation #ImmuneResponse #chemotaxisANM11028
Colorectal Cancer Surgery: Rectum Removal Nucleus Medical Media 2024-01-11 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: An open total mesorectal excision or TME is a surgical procedure to remove your rectum and some of the tissue around it. Your rectum is the last part of your large intestine before the anal canal. The rectum stores solid waste called feces until you pass it out of your body. The mesorectum is the tissue around your rectum that contains lymph nodes. A total mesorectal excision is performed to treat cancer in your rectum as well as cancer that may have spread to the lymph nodes around your rectum. An open total mesorectal excision will begin with an incision in your abdomen. Inside your abdomen, your surgeon will separate the large intestine above your rectum from the tissue covering it. Then, your rectum and mesorectum will be separated from the tissue in your pelvis. Your large intestine will be divided above your rectum and closed with staples or sutures. Your rectum will be divided above your anal canal and removed. Next, your surgeon will create a pouch at the end of your colon. The pouch will function like a rectum because it will store feces. This pouch will be attached to your anal canal. At the end of the procedure, the incision in your abdomen will be closed with staples or stitches. At this point, your surgeon will sometimes create a different way for feces to leave your body while the new attachment heals. To do this, your surgeon will make a separate incision in your abdomen and pull a loop of your small intestine through it. The loop will be opened and attached to the incision. The opening is called a stoma. A bag will be attached to the stoma to allow feces to drain into it. Later, when your large intestine has healed, you will have another procedure to close the stoma. This will allow feces to pass out of your body the usual way. If you have questions about rectal removal surgery, talk to your healthcare provider.#RectumRemoval #TotalMesorectalExcision #ColorectalCancerANH18206
Common Causes of Respiratory Failure Nucleus Medical Media 2023-12-21 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The lungs are part of the lower respiratory tract and contain a series of subdividing tubes, beginning with the bronchi. Air passes through the bronchi into smaller tubes called bronchioles then into tiny elastic sacs called alveoli, where gas exchange occurs. Pulmonary capillaries and alveoli share a thin membrane through which gas exchange occurs. Oxygen defuses from the alveoli into the blood for transport to body tissues, and carbon dioxide, a waste product of cellular processes diffuses from the blood into the alveoli to be exhaled from the body. Shifts in oxygen and carbon dioxide partial pressures in the blood can signal respiratory failure, a condition in which gas exchange is insufficient due to disease involving the lungs or other organs. In hypoxemic respiratory failure, too little oxygen defuses into the blood. In hypercapnic respiratory failure, too much carbon dioxide remains in the blood. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, known as COPD, and acute respiratory distress syndrome, known as ARDS, commonly result in respiratory failure. COPD includes two main conditions, chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Chronic bronchitis involves inflammation of the bronchial lining. Thick mucus accumulation along the bronchial lining and narrowing of the airways called bronchoconstriction which can result in blocked or narrowed airways. In emphysema, some alveolar walls are destroyed leading to fewer, larger, formless sacs. In addition, some of the bronchioles collapse impeding airflow out of the alveoli. In contrast, acute respiratory distress syndrome involves injury to one or both lungs caused by factors such as trauma or blood infection called sepsis. Inflammation leads to alveolar fluid accumulation and alveolar collapse reducing the surface area available for gas exchange. Common treatments for respiratory failure include oxygen therapy via supplemental oxygen or mechanical ventilation. Other common treatments include medications such as bronchodilators and steroids which reduce airflow resistance, and antibiotics which kill bacteria causing bronchitis and other infections.#RespiratoryFailure #COPD #ARDSANM11021
Vaginal Yeast Infections Nucleus Medical Media 2023-12-14 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: A vaginal yeast infection is a common condition where too much yeast grows in a woman's vagina. Other names for it are vulvovaginal candidiasis and candida vulvovaginitis. Yeast is a type of fungus which is a plant-like organism. The type of yeast that usually causes the infection is called candida albicans. Your vagina is the passage from the uterus to the outside of your body. The surface inside your vagina normally contains small amounts of this yeast, which usually doesn't cause any problems. Other germs, such as the healthy bacterium Lactobacillus, also live in the vagina with Candida. They keep each other in balance. Sometimes conditions change in the vagina that make the yeast grow out of control. When this happens, yeast cells invade the lining of your vagina, called mucosal epithelium. As the yeast grows and damages your cells, it causes immune cells to enter the tissue. This inflames and damages the tissue as your immune cells try to clear the infection. Unfortunately, yeast cells can avoid immune destruction by killing immune cells. Or, yeast cells may grow too large for immune cells to destroy them. This allows the yeast to grow and spread, forming a layer called a biofilm in your vagina. It's not always clear why a person gets a yeast infection. But, you're more likely to get a yeast infection if you are pregnant, have diabetes. wash the inside of your vagina, also known as douching, have a weakened immune system, take birth control pills, or have taken antibiotics or steroid drugs. The most common symptom of a yeast infection is an extreme itchy feeling in your vagina and your vulva, which is the area around the entrance to your vagina. Other symptoms may include redness, burning and swelling in your vagina or vulva, pain during urination or sex, and a thick white odorless discharge from your vagina. You can treat a vaginal yeast infection with antifungal medicines. These medicines may be creams or suppositories that you apply in your vagina. Or, they may be pills you take by mouth. It's important to use an antifungal medication for as long as the directions tell you to. Don't stop using them early, even if your symptoms go away. Some of the ways you can help prevent a vaginal yeast infection include only washing your vulva, not inside your vagina, and not using douches or hygiene sprays. Keeping the genital area clean and dry. Not wearing tight underwear or pants. Wearing underwear with a cotton crotch. Always wiping front to back after using the toilet. Cleaning your vulva after sex. And, keeping your blood sugar under control if you have diabetes. Also, take antibiotics for other infections only as prescribed. Antibiotics may kill healthy bacteria that keep yeast in check, which can lead to a yeast infection. To find out more about vaginal yeast infections, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#VaginalYeastInfection #VulvovaginalCandidiasis #CandidaVulvovaginitisANH23271
Homeostasis: How Your Body Stays in Balance with its Environment Nucleus Medical Media 2023-12-07 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: All structures in the body function together to maintain homeostasis, a process by which the body maintains its internal environment in response to the external environment. Examples of how the body maintains homeostasis include metabolism of drugs and toxins in the liver, regulation of water and solutes in the blood by the kidneys, regulation of blood glucose by the pancreas. Another homeostatic process, thermal regulation, is the maintenance of normal body temperature. If the body's skin or core temperature drops, thermoreceptors in the skin or internal organs send impulses to the hypothalamus, which acts as the body's thermostat. The hypothalamus responds through the sympathetic nervous system by constricting blood vessels in the skin. Vasoconstriction diverts blood away from the skin and extremities to the warmer interior of the body to prevent further loss of heat to the surroundings and prevent the body's core temperature from dropping further. Arrector pili muscles contract, causing piloerections in which hair follicles stand up in an attempt to trap warm air next to the skin. A continued drop in temperature prompts the hypothalamus to send impulses that elicit a shivering reflex in skeletal muscles, generating additional heat to increase body temperature. If the body's skin or core temperature increases, thermoreceptors in the skin or internal organs prompt the hypothalamus to halt sympathetic stimulation of blood vessels in the skin. The vessels dilate and allow warm blood to distribute heat through the skin. Arrector pili muscles relax and hair follicles lie flat against the skin. Sweat glands produce sweat, allowing heat loss through evaporation. The stimulus or decrease in body temperature causes the brain to act as a thermostat and dissipate heat throughout the body. Once normal temperature is reached, the thermostat shuts off. These examples of the body's response to counteract stimuli are called negative feedback loops, which allows the body to maintain homeostasis.#homeostasis #ThermalRegulation #BodyTemperatureANM11020
Leukemia, Lymphoma, and Multiple Myeloma Nucleus Medical Media 2023-11-30 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you care about may have been diagnosed with a blood cancer. This video will help you understand how it can be managed. Blood cancer, also known as hematologic cancer begins in blood-forming tissues such as bone marrow. Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside your bones that makes blood cells or blood cancer may start within the cells of the immune system. Examples of blood cancer are leukemia, lymphoma, and multiple myeloma. Treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant may control blood cancers depending on the type of cancer and other factors. It is important to have a care plan in place not only for receiving therapy and personal care but also for follow up care. This includes scheduling and going to follow-up appointments. In addition to checking your general health and wellbeing, your doctor will want to check for any signs of the cancer returning and check for health problems that may have resulted from treatment. For example, you may have tests and imaging studies performed, including taking samples of your blood, fluid around your spinal cord or bone marrow to check for cancer as relevant for your situation. Continue taking all your medications as prescribed. Do not stop taking them without talking to your doctor. It is helpful to take notes for points to discuss at your next doctor's visit. This could include any side effects you may have noticed. If you've had treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or a bone marrow transplant, follow any instructions you were given. There are lifestyle changes that can improve your health and help you feel better. There are benefits to stopping smoking. This lowers the risk for cancer returning or spreading. It's generally accepted that eating a healthy diet can help you feel better and stronger both during and after treatment. Physical activities like walking, riding a bicycle or swimming can help you feel better and less tired. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise routine. Knowing you have cancer can be overwhelming. You may have worries about your condition and how sick you could get, how it will affect you and your family, treatments and hospital stays, medical bills, and your job. There are ways to find support for you. Remember that your doctor and healthcare team are there to answer any questions you have. The following sources of support can help you, social workers, faith leaders, counselors, and support groups. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions about your treatment plan, medications or lifestyle changes to help you manage your blood cancer.#BloodCancer #HematologicCancer #LeukemiaANH19229
How Your Body Gets Rid of Medications Nucleus Medical Media 2023-11-23 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The body filters drugs from the bloodstream and eliminates them in a multi-step process called medication excretion. The kidneys are the major route for drug elimination. Most drugs exit the body either unchanged or as drug metabolites in urine. Generally, health professionals refer to the ability of the kidneys to filter blood as renal function. Nephrons, the functional and anatomical units of the kidney, filter blood, regulate fluid volume and pH, and control levels of electrolytes in the body. Each nephron contains a renal corpuscle and renal tubule. The renal corpuscle includes the Bowman capsule and glomerulus. And the renal tubule is composed of the proximal tubule, loop of Henle, distal tubule, and collecting duct. Each component plays a role in renal drug excretion, a four-step process that allows the kidneys to filter and eliminate drugs from the body. These steps are: glomerular filtration, passive tubular reabsorption, active tubular secretion, and excretion. Blood flows into the glomerulus via a blood vessel larger in diameter than the vessel draining blood from the glomerulus. This difference in diameter creates the high blood pressure necessary to filter wastes from the blood. The glomerulus functions as a molecular sieve. Waste materials in water pass through the sieve, while most normal proteins and cells are kept in the bloodstream. Glomerular filtration removes low-molecular-weight drugs from the bloodstream. The process of passive reabsorption of water, solutes, and ions begins in the proximal tubule, continues in the Henle loop, and ends in the distal and collecting ducts. Water-soluble drugs stay in the tubule, while unionized and lipid-soluble drugs are primarily reabsorbed across renal tubules. After reabsorption, lipid-soluble drugs travel through the bloodstream to the liver where certain liver enzymes, such as the cytochrome P450 enzyme complex, metabolize them into more water-soluble forms. Here we show an example of this process through the metabolism of pentobarbital. Some drugs are not filtered from the blood via the glomerulus. Instead, special anionic and cationic pumps in the walls of the renal tubule actively transport the drugs from the blood into the tubules and collecting duct. Urine from the collecting ducts travel through the ureters where it is collected and stored in the urinary bladder until elimination from the body. Although the kidneys are the major route for drug elimination, medication excretion can also occur in lactating women through their breast milk, exhalation through the lungs, release into bile, and elimination through saliva and sweat.#MedicationExcretion #DrugElimination #kidneysANM10007
Leukemia Treatments Nucleus Medical Media 2023-11-16 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you care about may have been diagnosed with leukemia. This video will help you understand some of the available treatment options. Leukemia is a cancer that originates from blood cells while they are forming, usually white blood cells. In leukemia, blood-forming cells in the bone marrow make many cancerous white blood cells that don't work properly. This weakens your immune system. Your doctor will make a treatment plan specifically for your leukemia. It will be based on the type of leukemia, your symptoms, age, overall state of health, and other factors. Treatment options may include one or more of the following. chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell transplant. Chemotherapy uses drugs that travel through the bloodstream to kill fast-growing cells like cancer cells. Another treatment option is radiation therapy. It uses radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. The target area of the radiation varies depending on the stage and type of leukemia. The type of radiation therapy used for leukemia is external radiation. It uses a machine that aims radiation at the cancer from outside the body. Target therapy uses drugs that aim for specific targets or markers on cancer cells. Since cancer cells may have more of these markers than normal cells do, targeted therapy may affect cancer cells more than normal cells. When targeted therapy drugs attach to the markers on cancer cells, the cancer cells may stop growing and dividing. Immunotherapy can help your immune system fight leukemia. For example, monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced versions of proteins that your immune system makes to fight bacteria, viruses, chemicals, and other foreign substances. Monoclonal antibodies can be designed to attach to markers on leukemia cells and become part of the immune system attacking the leukemia. When attached to immune cells, monoclonal antibodies can help recognize and destroy the leukemia cells. A stem cell transplant replaces blood-forming cells that were damaged or destroyed during your cancer treatment with either your or a healthy donor's stem cells. First, healthy stem cells are collected from you or a donor. Then the stem cells are stored while you receive treatment for cancer such as chemotherapy or radiation to kill all your blood cells. After these treatments are complete, the healthy stem cells are given to you. In your body, these stem cells provide a healthy supply of future blood cells. Your doctor may prescribe a combination of the treatments we've discussed or different treatment options than those mentioned here. As you deal with a diagnosis of leukemia, continue to talk to your doctor and your cancer care team.#leukemia #BloodCancer #cancer ANH19228
Liver Failure Nucleus Medical Media 2023-11-09 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The liver is the second-largest organ in the body. It consists of four lobes, comprised of hundreds of lobules. Each lobule, the basic structural element of the liver, metabolizes carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins. Lobules process glucose, the sugar that is the main energy source for cells. Glucose from the digestive tract flows into the lobules where hepatocytes, the primary cell type in the liver, store excess glucose as glycogen, and distribute glucose to the body. Hepatocytes also secrete bile, which helps the body digest lipids. Kupffer cells reside in the liver and help to remove toxins and bacteria from the blood. Hepatocytes also produce blood-clotting factors to prevent hemorrhage. Other vital functions performed by the liver include protein synthesis, vitamin storage, and the breakdown of old red blood cells. Because the liver filters toxins, their accumulation can cause liver failure. Chronic liver failure, the most common form of liver failure, is most often caused by long-term alcohol abuse or slow-acting hepatitis B or C infection. Chronic liver failure causes damage through cirrhosis, or scarring, of the liver. As cells die over time, they are gradually replaced with scar tissue that forms nodules. The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver, slowing the metabolism of nutrients and filtration of toxins, gradually diminishing liver function. Acute liver failure is less common than chronic liver failure. Common causes of acute liver failure are poisoning, such as an overdose of acetaminophen or other medications, or acute infection with hepatitis A or B, which rapidly kills hepatocytes. Cirrhosis is not reversible, so treatment focuses on cessation of alcohol consumption, prevention of disease progression, and treatment of complications. The only definitive treatment for chronic liver disease is a liver transplant. There are vaccines to prevent infection with hepatitis A and B, but not C. Interferon and other antiviral drugs, such as ribavirin, block the replication of viral hepatitis. When acute liver failure is caused by an overdose of acetaminophen, it is treated with N-acetylcysteine, commonly known as mucomyst. If administered shortly after an overdose, mucomyst helps the liver safely excrete acetaminophen metabolites.#LiverFailure #ChronicLiverFailure #liverANM11019
STDs: Chlamydia Nucleus Medical Media 2023-11-02 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Chlamydia is the most common bacterial sexually transmitted disease or infection worldwide. It's more common in women than men. The germs that cause the infection are tiny bacteria called Chlamydia trachomatis. You can catch Chlamydia from an infected person during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. And if a pregnant woman has Chlamydia, she can pass it to her baby as the baby moves through the birth canal during childbirth. In your body, the infection begins when the bacteria attached to cells in the tissue that lines many of your body cavities, called mucosal epithelium. Once attached, the bacteria begin to invade this tissue. Inside the cell, the bacteria start multiplying. When they escape to infect other cells, the bacteria may leave the cell they came from intact or the cell may be destroyed as the bacteria are released. The bacterial infection causes the body's own immune cells to enter the tissue. This inflames and damages the tissue as your immune cells try to clear the infection. Unfortunately, some of the bacteria can avoid immune destruction inside of your cells. The main risk for getting Chlamydia is having unprotected oral, anal, or vaginal sex with a person who's infected. You may have a high risk if you are sexually active and are a young person, especially a young woman, don't always use condoms during sex, have more than one sex partner, or are a man who has sex with men. Many people have no symptoms. If symptoms do occur, they may not appear until several weeks after infection symptoms a woman may have include an abnormal discharge from the vagina or birth canal, painful sex, or a burning feeling while urinating. A man may have similar symptoms such as an abnormal discharge from the penis, a burning or itching feeling at the tip of the penis, or a burning feeling while urinating. In both men and women, chlamydia chlamydia may also infect the rectum, which is the last part of the large intestine. Symptoms of infection in the rectum may include pain, abnormal discharge, or bleeding. Left untreated, the infection may cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women. This means the infection is spread to the uterus and fallopian tubes. Pelvic inflammatory disease can lead to pain in the pelvis. Infertility, which means not being able to get pregnant. Or ectopic pregnancy. Meaning a pregnancy that grows outside of the uterus, usually in one of the fallopian tubes. Such a pregnancy cannot be successful. If a woman gives birth while having untreated Chlamydia, her baby may be born early, have an eye infection called ophthalmia neonatorum, or have pneumonia. In both men and women, untreated Chlamydia can cause reactive arthritis. This is painful swelling in joints as a reaction to the infection. The good news is that Chlamydia can be cured with antibiotics, such as Doxycycline or Azithromycin. You may also be prescribed a second antibiotic, such as Ceftriaxone, to treat possible infection with another sexually transmitted disease called gonorrhea. People who have Chlamydia are often infected with gonorrhea at the same time. It's important to know that treatment may not fix any damage the disease has already done to your body. You can reduce your risk of getting Chlamydia if you only have sex with one long-term partner who doesn't have sex with other people and who has been tested for Chlamydia and doesn't have it. And you can practice safer sex, which means taking steps before and during sex to prevent you from getting or spreading Chlamydia. For example, using condoms correctly every time you have sex can reduce your risk. The most reliable way to avoid getting Chlamydia is to practice abstinence. This means not having vaginal, anal, or oral sex. To find out more about Chlamydia, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#chlamydia #STD #BacterialInfectionANH23272
Kidney Failure Nucleus Medical Media 2023-10-26 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The kidneys are located on either side of the spinal column in the posterior abdominal cavity behind the peritoneum in the retroperitoneal space. The functions of each kidney include: filtration of metabolic wastes, fluids, and electrolytes from the blood during urine production, stimulation of red blood cell production, and regulation of blood pressure. The medullary pyramid and outer cortex compose the renal lobe, the structural unit of the kidney. Branches of the renal artery supply each renal lobe. The functional unit of the kidney is the nephron, composed of the renal corpuscle and the renal tubule. The renal corpuscle is where initial blood filtration occurs. It consists of a spherical network of capillaries called the glomerulus enclosed by a cup-shaped structure called Bowman's capsule. The size difference between the afferent arteriole and the efferent arteriole of the glomerulus creates the pressure that forces glomerular filtrate into Bowman's capsule. Reabsorption of water and other substances occurs in the renal tubule. Ninety-nine percent of the glomerular filtrate is reabsorbed as it passes through the parts of the renal tubule, including the proximal convoluted tubule, loop of Henle, distal convoluted tubule, and collecting duct. Acute renal failure is the sudden loss of the kidney's ability to remove waste and concentrate urine. Prerenal acute renal failure causes include anything that compromises blood flow to the kidneys such as hemorrhage or hypotension. Singularly or together, reduced blood pressure and reduced blood volume at the glomerulus result in less filtrate moving into Bowman's capsule. Intrarenal acute renal failure results from damage to nephrons. Toxins and lack of oxygen to kidney tissues can damage the nephron. Postrenal acute renal failure is associated with urinary tract obstructions such as kidney stones. Treatment for acute renal failure depends on the cause. Maintaining blood fluid volume, hemodialysis, or surgical removal of kidney tract obstructions may be required. Chronic renal failure is the loss of kidney function over a period of years. Nephron function is lost as a result of systemic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes mellitus, or kidney diseases such as chronic glomerulonephritis. Treatments include dietary control, including fluid restrictions, medication for the underlying condition, and electrolyte modifiers, ACE inhibitors for hypertension, and insulin therapy or hemodialysis can reduce chronic renal failure. End-stage renal failure usually requires dialysis and kidney transplantation. ♪ [music] ♪#KidneyFailure #RenalFailure #kidneystone ANM11017
Understanding Your Heart Beat Nucleus Medical Media 2023-10-20 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The cardiac cycle is the sequence of contraction and relaxation of the heart chambers during a single heartbeat. The contraction of the heart chambers is called systole. And relaxation of the heart chambers is called diastole. The cycle begins with both the atria and ventricles in diastole. Both atrioventricular valves are open while the pulmonary and aortic semilunar valves are closed. Blood flows into the right atrium through the superior and inferior vena cava. Blood flows from the lungs into the left atrium through the pulmonary veins. Then blood moves from both atria into the ventricles through the open atrial ventricular valves. During atrial systole, the atria contract and force any remaining atrial blood into the ventricles. The ventricles are still in diastole, allowing them to expand and completely fill with blood. During ventricular systole, the ventricles contract, the atrioventricular valves close, preventing backflow or regurgitation of blood into the atria, the pulmonary semilunar valve opens, and the right ventricle expels blood into the pulmonary arteries to the lungs. Likewise, the aortic semilunar valve opens and the left ventricle expels blood into the aorta and out to the rest of the body. After ventricular systole, the cardiac cycle begins again as both the atria and ventricles enter diastole to allow the heart to fill with blood. Normally, this cycle repeats 60 to 100 times a minute. The right-side of the heart produces pulmonary circulation. This is the movement of deoxygenated blood from the body through the right atrium and ventricle, out through the pulmonary artery and to the lungs. Blood oxygenated in the lungs' alveoli returns to the heart through the pulmonary veins. The left side of the heart produces systemic circulation. This is the movement of oxygenated blood returning from the lungs to the left atrium and ventricle and out through the aorta to be distributed to the rest of the body.#HeartBeat #CardiacCycle #BloodFlowANM11018
How to Manage Heart Failure Nucleus Medical Media 2023-10-12 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you've been diagnosed with heart failure, it's important to control your symptoms. Heart failure, also called congestive heart failure, or CHF, is a lifelong condition in which your heart continues to work but not as well as it should. Your heart can't pump enough blood and oxygen to meet the needs of your body. Excess fluid builds up in the lungs, legs, and other body tissues. The symptoms of heart failure include shortness of breath, chronic coughing or wheezing, swelling of the legs, feet, or abdomen, weight gain, feeling tired all the time, nausea or lack of appetite, heart palpitations, difficulty lying flat due to feelings of suffocation, and having to sit up to breathe. Over time, heart failure weakens your heart and can shorten your life if not well managed. Fortunately, you can help control your symptoms by following your doctor's instructions, adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, and staying aware of changes in your symptoms. Following the instructions of your healthcare team is very important in managing your symptoms and preventing unnecessary trips to the hospital. This includes taking your medications exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Don't stop taking your medications or skip doses. Take note of any side effects, and tell your doctor. If the cost of your medication is an issue, discuss other options with your doctor. Your medications may include angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor blockers, or angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitors, beta-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, also known as aldosterone blockers, or sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors. These medicines are important in managing heart failure. Don't take any over-the-counter medication or supplement without asking your doctor if it's okay. Make and keep all of your follow-up appointments for both doctor's visits and lab tests. Get vaccinated against the flu and pneumonia as directed by your doctor. Managing your heart failure also means adopting a healthy lifestyle. You may need to make the following changes. Eat a heart-healthy diet, including low-fat, low-cholesterol, and high-fiber foods. A heart-healthy diet helps you maintain or achieve a good blood pressure and weight and helps prevent other conditions that may further stress your heart. Check food labels for the amounts of these ingredients and others. Limit your salt and sodium intake to 2,000 milligrams a day, which is less than a teaspoon, by doing the following. Don't add salt when you cook or to food at the table. Avoid processed and fast foods. Compare food labels, and choose the items that are lower in salt and sodium. Limit your alcohol intake. Ask your doctor if your condition allows you to include any alcohol in your diet. Monitor your fluid intake. Too much fluid makes your heart work harder. Ask your doctor how much fluid is the right amount for you. Don't smoke. Nicotine increases heart rate and blood pressure. At the same time, it decreases the amount of oxygen-rich blood delivered to your body's tissues. Become physically active. Regular exercise through daily activities such as gardening and housework can make you feel better. Other good exercise options, with your doctor's approval, are walking, swimming, and bicycling. As you exercise, keep these precautions in mind. Rest as needed. Stop if you feel chest pain or more than usual shortness of breath. And don't exercise when temperatures are very hot or very cold. Your doctor may also prescribe a cardiac rehabilitation program that is a combination of medically supervised exercise, lifestyle counseling, and education. It is important to stay aware of changes in your symptoms and know when to get help. Using the traffic light colors, green, yellow, and red, to assess how you feel can help you take the proper action to manage your heart failure symptoms. Green is your goal and means that your symptoms are under control. Continue to follow your doctor's directions, and keep all medical appointments. Weigh yourself daily to see if your body is retaining fluids. Do it at the same time each day before eating or drinking, and wear the same type of clothing or no clothes at all. Record and take note of any changes in your weight. Symptoms in the yellow zone are warning signs. Call your doctor immediately if you gain 2 to 3 or more pounds in one day or 5 pounds in one week, have an increased shortness of breath, have difficulty sleeping due to trouble breathing, feel persistent, fast, or irregular heartbeats, or feeling lightheaded or as if you may faint. Red-zone symptoms are emergencies that mean you need medical evaluation right away. Call 911 if you experience chest pain that lasts more than 15 minutes, severe and ongoing shortness of breath, coughing up pink frothy foam, or fainting. Staying on top of your symptoms and following your doctor's instructions...#HeartFailure #CongestiveHeartFailure #CHFAND23020
Lactose Intolerance Nucleus Medical Media 2023-10-05 | Lactose Intolerance. The digestive system consists of specialized organs and glands that process food and supply nutrients to body cells. The digestive organs form a continuous tube called the gastrointestinal tract. In normal digestion, swallowed food moves down the esophagus and into the stomach, where the food is broken down into smaller particles. From the stomach, these particles enter the small intestine, where enzymes from the pancreas, liver, and the intestinal lining breakdown the particles into nutrient molecules. Along the lining of the small intestine, cellular projections called microvilli absorb the nutrients as well as water, sugars, and fats. Unabsorbed food particles move into the large intestine which absorbs more water and salts. The remaining material enters the rectum, where it will stored until it exits the body as solid waste called feces. Lactose intolerance is an example of abnormal digestion. Lactose is the major carbohydrate in milk and milk products. Normally, ingestion of lactose stimulates cells lining the small intestine to secrete a digestive enzyme called lactase. Lactase divides the lactose into simple sugar molecules which are easily absorbed. In lactose intolerance, lactase is either absent or insufficient. After ingestion of food containing lactose, no lactase is available to break it down. As a result, lactose accumulates in the small intestine which disrupts normal water absorption, causing water retention. The unabsorbed water and undigested lactose enter the large intestine, where bacteria metabolize the lactose. This process generates gas that fills the large intestine, causing abdominal pain and flatulence. In addition, lactose in the large intestine causes water retention, producing watery feces known as diarrhea. While there is no cure for lactose intolerance, treatments include taking lactase tablets before eating foods containing lactose, using lactase enzyme drops in milk, and drinking lactose-free milk.#LactoseIntolerance #dairy #FoodSensitivityANM11047
Fentanyl: How to Stop an Overdose with Narcan Nucleus Medical Media 2023-09-28 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug. The pharmaceutical form is prescribed to treat severe pain, usually from cancer or after surgery. There’s also an illicit form that’s made and sold illegally on the drug market. People take it because it produces a strong “high” and intense feelings of well-being. It’s potency, or strength, is up to fifty times that of heroin, an illegal opioid, and one hundred times that of morphine, another opioid used to treat severe pain. As with any opioid, fentanyl addiction is a brain disease where you have an overwhelming craving for the drug. You can’t stop taking the drug despite the harm it may cause you. If you’re addicted and stop taking the drug, you can feel sick. This sickness is called withdrawal. An important treatment for addiction to opioids, such as fentanyl, is called medication-assisted treatment, or “MAT.” MAT is a “whole patient” approach that combines medication to help you stop using opioids, with counseling and behavioral therapy. Three common medications used to treat opioid addictions, including fentanyl, are methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone. In the brain, each drug attaches to the same receptors on cells as fentanyl does. Methadone activates the receptors, but it's a slower acting drug than fentanyl because it takes longer to reach the brain when used as prescribed. This reduces the “high” feeling and prevents withdrawal symptoms. Buprenorphine is a weaker drug than fentanyl because it doesn’t activate the receptors as strongly. This makes it much less likely to cause an overdose than a drug that fully activates the receptors. It also blocks fentanyl from attaching to the receptors. As a result, it reduces uncomfortable cravings for fentanyl without making you feel high. Naltrexone blocks the opioid receptors by attaching to them so fentanyl can’t. This prevents fentanyl from getting you “high”. It does reduce cravings, but does not stop withdrawal symptoms. Drug treatment is more effective when combined with behavioral therapy. Therapy can help you handle stress and life events that can trigger cravings for fentanyl. A fentanyl overdose is a condition where taking too much of the drug may cause life-threatening symptoms. An overdose of fentanyl can slow or stop your breathing. As a result, the lack of oxygen can lead to coma, permanent brain damage, and even death. Call nine-one-one immediately if you think a fentanyl overdose has happened. Start CPR if the person isn’t breathing or doesn’t have a pulse. The most effective and life-saving treatment for an overdose is naloxone. It’s an injectable drug or nasal spray that quickly blocks the effects of fentanyl and can stop an opioid-related overdose. For more information about treating fentanyl addiction and overdose, talk to your healthcare practitioner. #fentanyl #opioids #overdose ANH23267
How Concussion Affects the Brain Nucleus Medical Media 2023-09-19 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: A concussion is a brain injury resulting from a violent head impact or rapid head acceleration deceleration. The brain is a soft and pliable organ, and requires physical protection from the environment. The walls of the cranial cavity provide a hard external shield from outside impacts. Inside the cranium, the brain floats in and is surrounded by cerebrospinal fluid. Cerebrospinal fluid provides a protective cushion as everyday movements of the head gently jostle the brain. A violent impact or rapid acceleration deceleration of the head can cause the brain to rotate and strike the inside of the skull. This injury compresses the brain and sends shock waves rippling away from the point of impact. The impact force stretches or tears neuronal axons, resulting in a mild form of the traumatic brain injury called diffuse axonal shearing. This injury compromises normal brain function because it interrupts communication between neurons. Physical symptoms of concussion include headache, nausea, poor muscle coordination, dizziness, light sensitivity and blurred vision, ringing in the ears, and loss of consciousness. Cognitive and emotional symptoms include disorientation, confusion, amnesia, inability to focus and concentrate, irritability, and depression. Treatment for concussion depends on the severity and duration of symptoms. Mild concussions require plenty of rest, increased fluids, and close monitoring of symptoms for 24 to 48 hours. Although mild pain medication, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen may be prescribed, alcohol and illegal drugs should be avoided. Severe concussions require immediate professional medical evaluation. In many cases, steroids are used to decrease swelling and inflammation in the brain. A CT scan or MRI of the brain may be needed to rule out gross internal damage or hemorrhages.#concussion #BrainInjury #brainANM11014
Fentanyl Used to Treat Pain Nucleus Medical Media 2023-09-14 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Opioids are drugs that are prescribed to treat moderately severe or severe pain. Fentanyl is a strong synthetic opioid. It may be prescribed to treat severe pain from cancer or after surgery. Its potency, or strength, is up to fifty times that of heroin, an illegal opioid, and one hundred times that of morphine, another opioid used to treat severe pain. In order to understand how opioids like fentanyl work, it’s important to know how your body feels pain. The process begins when something harmful happens to your body. Information about this harm is converted to a nerve signal. The signal passes along nerves to your spinal cord and brain. In your brain, the signal is perceived as pain. Fentanyl affects how you feel pain. It attaches to structures, called opioid receptors. These receptors are found in cells in your brain, spinal cord, and other areas of your body. Fentanyl acts on these receptors to make you feel less pain. Fentanyl can also have other effects on your body. For example, it may give you an intense, short-term “high” and feelings of extreme happiness. Fentanyl also activates the reward pathway in your brain. This causes certain parts of the reward pathway to release a chemical, called dopamine. Scientists think dopamine helps you remember how good you felt while taking fentanyl, and makes you want to keep taking it. This link between remembering things that make you feel good with the desire to do them again is an important part of developing addiction. Fentanyl may also slow your breathing and make you feel nauseated. And, it may cause reduced motion of your intestines, resulting in constipation. There are two types of fentanyl: the pharmaceutical form, and the illicit, or illegal, form. While the pharmaceutical form of fentanyl may be prescribed to treat severe pain, it can be taken in ways that weren’t prescribed, such as taking too many, taking them to feel “high,” or giving them to someone else. The illicit form is made and sold illegally on the drug market. People take it because it produces a strong “high” and intense feelings of well-being. Fentanyl is a dangerous and addictive opioid because of its potency. As with any opioid, fentanyl addiction is a brain disease where you have an overwhelming craving for the drug. You can’t stop taking the drug despite the harm it may cause you. If you do stop taking the drug, you feel sick. This sickness is called withdrawal. Fentanyl withdrawal symptoms can be severe, which is why many people don’t stop taking it. Symptoms may include: anxiety, bone and muscle pain, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, vomiting and diarrhea, sweating and chills, and sleep problems. A fentanyl overdose means you’ve taken too much of the drug, which can cause life-threatening symptoms, or even death. Depending on your body size and how long you’ve been taking the drug, as little as two milligrams can kill you. Most cases of overdose and death from fentanyl in the United States are related to taking the illicit form. And, because fentanyl is strong and cheap to make illicitly, it’s often mixed with other illegal drugs, such as heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamines. This is dangerous because a person may take it without meaning to, which may result in accidental overdose or death. The symptoms of fentanyl overdose include: confusion; constricted, or “pinpoint” pupils; feeling sleepy or losing consciousness; weak, slowed, or stopped breathing; inability to talk; limp body; cold, clammy skin with discolored skin, lips, and nails; slowed or stopped heartbeat; and death. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, over one hundred and fifty Americans die each day from opioid overdoses, including fentanyl. If you have questions about fentanyl, or if you or someone close to you needs help for an opioid use disorder, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#fentanyl #opioids #PainManagementANH23266
Nucleus Medical Media Celebrates 25 Years at SIGGRAPH 2023 Nucleus Medical Media 2023-09-07 | Nucleus Medical Media celebrates twenty-five years of improving health literacy worldwide, with a retrospective look at how its medical animations have evolved over time to serve the education, healthcare, pharmaceutical, medical device, and biotechnology markets.Nucleus was honored to have this animation accepted in the 2023 SiGGRAPH Conference’s Electronic Theater Retrospective Celebration that highlighted groundbreaking moments in computer graphics over the last 50 years.#NucleusMedicalMedia #MedicalAnimation #siggraph
Heart Bypass Surgery (CABG) Nucleus Medical Media 2023-08-31 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you or someone you know has recently had a coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG, this video will help you understand the steps of the procedure and how it restores blood flow to your heart. A coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG, is performed to improve circulation to the heart muscle. In this procedure, a healthy artery or vein from another part of the body is connected, or grafted, to the blocked coronary artery. The grafted artery or vein bypasses the blocked portion of the coronary artery, carrying oxygen-rich blood to the heart muscle. One or more coronary arteries may be bypassed during a single operation. Before the surgery, an intravenous line will be started and you may be given a medication to help you relax. CABG procedures are done under general anesthesia, which will put you to sleep for the duration of the operation. A breathing tube will be inserted through your mouth and into your throat to help you breathe. A catheter will be placed in your bladder to drain your urine. Coronary artery bypass surgery generally takes three to six hours. During a conventional bypass surgery, your surgeon begins by making an incision in the skin over your breastbone, or sternum. He or she will then cut the sternum and move your ribcage in order to get to your heart. Throughout the procedure, your circulatory system may be connected to a cardiopulmonary bypass pump, or heart-lung machine. This machine may temporarily perform the functions of your heart and lungs during the surgery, allowing your heart to be stopped if desired while the surgeon sews the grafts into place. Different blood vessels may typically be used for the grafts: the internal thoracic arteries in the chest, also known as internal mammary arteries, or the saphenous veins in the legs. For the internal thoracic artery graft, your surgeon will leave the upper end attached to the subclavian artery and divert the lower end from your chest wall to your coronary artery, just beyond the blockage. Your surgeon will then sew the graft into place. For the saphenous vein graft, your surgeon will suture one end to the aorta and the other end to the narrowed artery, just beyond the blockage. With the grafts securely in place, your surgeon may use electrical signals to restore the heartbeat and attach a temporary pacemaker to the heart. Once your heart is again beating normally, if the surgeon used the heart-lung machine, it would be disconnected. Your surgeon will wire the breastbone back together, and suture the skin incision closed. A temporary drainage tube will be placed through the skin, beneath the incision. When the surgeon chooses to do the surgery without using the heart-lung machine, the heart continues to beat. This may be referred to as off-pump bypass surgery or minimally invasive surgery. Instead, a mechanical device is used to steady the part of the heart where grafting is being done. Surgeons perform minimally invasive bypass procedures using specially designed instruments inserted through small incisions or "ports" in the chest. After surgery you will be taken to the intensive care unit. The activity of your heart will be carefully monitored. If necessary, pacing wires will be used to temporarily control your heart rate. The chest tube will remain in place to drain excess blood and air from the chest cavity. Once you can breathe on your own, your breathing tube will be removed and replaced with an oxygen mask. The bladder catheter will remain in place. As you recover from surgery over the next three to four days, all of these devices will be gradually removed. Upon discharge from your procedure, be sure to contact your doctor if you have any questions or experience any side effects from the medications you are taking.#HeartBypassSurgery #HeartBypass #CABGANCE00199
Managing Head and Neck Cancer (Squamous Cell Carcinoma) Nucleus Medical Media 2023-08-24 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you know may have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer. This video will help you understand some of the available treatment options. The most common type of head and neck cancer called squamous cell carcinoma is a disease where cancer cells form inside the nose, sinuses, mouth, throat, voice box, or salivary glands. Your doctor will make a treatment plan specifically for your tumor. It will be based on the location of the tumor, the stage of the disease, how far it has spread, and your age and general health. Treatments may include one or more of the following. Surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, and immunotherapy. There are several types of surgery depending on the size and location of the tumor. Surgery may be used to remove the cancer or repair a function that was damaged by the cancer. Another treatment option is radiation therapy. It uses radiation to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. External radiation therapy uses a machine that aims radiation at the cancer from outside the body. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive source that gives off radiation. The radioactive source is put inside the body into or near the cancer. Chemotherapy fights cancer by using drugs. These drugs may act on the whole body or they may act on one area. Targeted therapy uses drugs that are designed to target specific cancer cells. Some of these drugs act by preventing the cancer cells from growing and dividing. Since these drugs mainly affect the cancer cells, there's less damage to normal cells. Immunotherapy helps your immune system fight cancer. Cancer cells can sometimes hide from the immune cells that attack them. For example, cancer and immune cells may have proteins called checkpoint proteins. When they attach, attack from immune cells is stopped. Some immunotherapy drugs for head and neck cancer act by blocking the checkpoint proteins from attaching to each other. As a result, the immune cell can attack and destroy the cancer cell. If you have questions about head and neck cancer or any medications you have been prescribed, talk to your doctor. It is important to take your medications as directed and report any side effects you may have.#HeadAndNeckCancer #SquamousCellCarcinoma #cancerANH18215
How Your Muscles Work Nucleus Medical Media 2023-08-15 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Skeletal muscles are voluntary, controlled consciously by the nervous system, and are made up of fascicles, which are bundles of muscle fibers surrounded by connective tissue, blood vessels, and nerves. Motor nerve axons supply one or more skeletal muscle fibers, constituting a motor unit. Inside a muscle fiber, thread-like structures called myofibrils are organized into contractile units, or sarcomeres, reflecting the striations characteristic of skeletal muscle. Each sarcomere is made up of thick and thin myofilaments, strands of proteins called myosin and actin. Myosin forms thick filaments. Actin forms thin filaments. The protruding heads of myosin filaments form cross bridges that bind to actin filaments and ATP, an energy transport molecule. Thin filaments contain a sequence of actin molecules with myosin-binding sites. At rest, actin molecules bind tropomyosin and troponin, two contractile proteins that inhibit contraction. Skeletal muscle contraction begins at the muscle fibers' plasma membrane, or sarcolemma, with invaginations called transverse or T-tubules that surround each myofibril, and open to the extracellular space. T-tubules connect to a membranous network called the sarcoplasmic reticulum that store calcium and transfer ions via voltage-gated channels into the myofibril sarcoplasm to regulate muscle contraction. In the first step of muscle contraction, called excitation, a motor nerve fires an impulse, or action potential, across the neuromuscular junction, depolarizing the sarcolemma, and generating an action potential that spreads through the sarcolemma into the T-tubules, and excites the muscle fiber. The second step is coupling, wherein the action potential depolarizes the T-tubules. Channels in the sarcoplasmic reticulum release calcium into the sarcoplasm. Along the myofilaments, troponin binds calcium and separates from tropomyosin. In the third step, called contraction, tropomyosin shifts away from actin to expose the myosin-binding sites, enabling myosin to bind to actin, resulting in the activation of ATP and the cross bridges. Released energy causes the myosin heads to rotate and pull the thin filaments inward, sliding past the thick filaments and shortening the sarcomere. The fourth step of muscle contraction is relaxation, in which calcium ions return to the sarcoplasmic reticulum and break the myosin-actin bonds. The cross bridges disengage, and the sarcomere lengthens, resulting in relaxation of the muscle and the end of the contraction. ♪ [music] ♪#MuscleContraction #muscles #physiologyANM11013
Enlarged Prostate Gland or Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH) Nucleus Medical Media 2023-08-08 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia, or BPH, your prostate gland is enlarged. The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men. Just beneath your bladder, your prostate gland surrounds your urethra, the tube through which urine and semen exit your body. Your seminal vesicles and prostate make fluid that combines with sperm cells to create semen. During normal urination, urine flows from your bladder through the part of your urethra inside your prostate, then through the rest of your urethra to leave your body. For unknown reasons, your prostate gland may enlarge as you get older. If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia, your prostate may grow large enough to compress the part of your urethra that runs through it. As a result, your enlarged prostate may slow the flow of urine out of your body when you urinate. Left untreated, your prostate can get larger and reduce urine flow even more. This may keep you from fully emptying your bladder. See your doctor right away if you are unable to urinate. Your risk for benign prostatic hyperplasia is higher if you are age forty or older, have a family history of BPH, have other health problems, such as obesity, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, or type two diabetes, don’t exercise, or have erectile dysfunction. The symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia include frequent urination or urge to urinate, especially at night, a weak, or interrupted urine stream, and straining to urinate. Over time, untreated benign prostatic hyperplasia may cause the following complications: inability to urinate, damage to your bladder and kidneys, urinary tract infections, bladder stones, and blood in your urine. If you have benign prostatic hyperplasia with mild or no symptoms, your doctor may recommend watchful waiting, which includes getting your prostate checked every year to make sure your symptoms or health are not getting worse. If you have moderate symptoms that bother you, your doctor may recommend medications, such as alpha-blockers, or those that treat erectile dysfunction, called PDE5 inhibitors. Both of these medications relax muscle tissue in your bladder, urethra, and prostate. This can help improve your urine flow. Five alpha reductase inhibitors may also be prescribed. This medication helps to improve urine flow over several months by reducing the size of your prostate. You may receive a combination of these drugs. If medication isn’t relieving your symptoms, your doctor may recommend a surgical procedure called transurethral resection of the prostate, or TURP. During this procedure, your surgeon will insert an instrument, called a resectoscope, through your urethra to reach your prostate. Then, a wire loop at the end of the resectoscope will be used to shave off tissue, which will widen your urethra. Other minimally invasive variations on this type of procedure use lasers, microwaves, radio waves, or electrical energy* from tools inserted through the cystoscope to remove some or all of your prostate gland. If your prostate is very large, your doctor may recommend an open prostatectomy procedure. In open prostatectomy, your surgeon will make an incision in your lower abdomen. After exposing your prostate*, your surgeon will make an incision in its outer capsule. Next, the tissue inside your prostate will be removed, and the capsule incision will be closed with sutures. Finally, your skin incision will be closed with sutures or staples. You can’t prevent benign prostatic hyperplasia, but the following lifestyle changes can make your symptoms less severe: Avoid medication that can make it harder for you to urinate, such as antihistamines and decongestants; stop drinking fluids for a few hours before bedtime; avoid drinking alcohol or fluids that contain caffeine; try to empty your bladder by double voiding. To double void, urinate, wait a moment, and then try to urinate again. To find out more about benign prostatic hyperplasia, talk to your healthcare provider. #bph #EnlargedProstate #ProstateGlandANH13114
How Burns are Classified and Treated Nucleus Medical Media 2023-08-01 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The skin contains three main layers: the epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis, or subcutaneous. Burns are tissue injuries caused by heat, chemicals, electricity, radiation, extreme cold, or friction that disrupt the skin's framework and function. Superficial burns affect the epidermis only, causing erythema, or redness, and pain. Partial thickness burns are either superficial or deep. Superficial partial-thickness burns involve the epidermis and the upper, or papillary, dermis, causing immediate blistering and intense pain and sensitivity. Deep partial-thickness burns destroy the papillary dermis, epidermis, and most of the lower, or reticular, dermis, sparing some cutaneous nerve endings, capillaries, and dermal appendages. Full-thickness burns destroy the entire epidermis, dermis, and portions of the hypodermis. The burned area is white, brown, dry, and charred, has no sensation, and cannot heal without surgical intervention. Burns can also be evaluated by determining the percentage of body surface area they cover. This percentage can be estimated quickly using the rule of nines, a formula in which each body part is assigned a value of 9% or a multiple of nine. Severe burns involving a large surface area increase capillary permeability and lead to two stages of shock. In hypovolemic shock, water, electrolytes, and plasma proteins leak from the bloodstream into interstitial spaces creating widespread edema. In burn shock, the lowered intravascular volume increases blood viscosity and vascular resistance. To compensate, the heart rate speeds up. As a result, organs and tissues do not receive adequate blood supply, resulting in tissue and organ death from a lack of oxygen. Burn treatment aims to restore fluid balance through administration of intravenous fluids, electrolytes, and proteins, which increases intravascular volume. Wound care reduces complications by preventing infection and promoting healing of damaged tissues. Analgesics control the pain and inflammation of superficial burns. Superficial partial-thickness burns are cleansed, covered with a sterile dressing, and monitored regularly for infection. In deep partial-thickness burns, dead skin, or eschar is routinely detached or debrided to a healthy level. The wound bed is kept clean and moist to allow epithelial regeneration and to accept transplanted tissue called a skin graft. Full-thickness burns are excised and regularly debrided to prevent ischemia and infection, and to create a viable base for grafting. ♪ [music] ♪#burns #TreatingBurns #ClassifyingBurnsANM11009
What is Head and Neck Cancer? Nucleus Medical Media 2023-07-25 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: You or someone you care about may have been diagnosed with head and neck cancer. This video will help you understand more about this type of cancer and how it affects the body. Cancer of the head and neck may develop in certain areas such as your sinuses, which are hollow spaces in the bones of your head around your nose, your nasal cavity, your mouth, also known as your oral cavity, your throat, also known as your pharynx, your voice box, also known as your larynx, and your salivary glands, which are organs that help you digest food. The cells lining most of these structures are called squamous cells. The most common type of head and neck cancer, called squamous cell carcinoma, begins in these cells. Here, normal cells change into abnormal cells called cancer cells. Over time, these cells can grow out of control and form a cluster called a tumor. These tumors can grow and spread, destroying healthy tissue. Symptoms for head and neck cancer vary depending on the location of the cancer. In general, symptoms may include a sore that doesn't heal, a lump that doesn't go away, a sore throat that doesn't go away, pain or trouble swallowing, ear pain, hoarseness or a change in your voice, and trouble breathing. Other health problems may cause these symptoms. It's important to see your doctor to be sure. If you have head and neck cancer, your doctor will try to find out the extent of the disease, and if it has spread. This is called staging. The stages of cancer range from zero to four. A lower stage means less cancer growth. A higher stage means more cancer growth. The two main risk factors for head and neck cancer are alcohol and tobacco use, including smokeless tobacco. Other risk factors include infection with certain viruses such as human papillomavirus or Epstein-Barr virus, exposure to certain workplace substances and past radiation therapy of the head and neck. If you are dealing with a diagnosis of head and neck cancer, continue to talk to your doctor and your cancer care team.#NeckCancer #Oncology #CancerANH18213
How Alzheimer’s Disease Affects Your Brain Cells Nucleus Medical Media 2023-07-18 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The brain's cognitive functions include memory, which is the process of information retention and retrieval. Memories form in the hippocampus, which consists of information-processing cells called neurons. Each neuron receives chemical messages from other neurons via dendrites, then converts the message to an electrical charge called an action potential. In the space between them, neurons release stimulatory chemicals called neurotransmitters, which bind with receptors on the receiving cell and transfer information. Alzheimer's disease is a gradual, degenerative brain condition in which neurons in the memory and other cognitive areas of the brain lose function and die, resulting in progressive memory loss first, then difficulties learning and communicating, and, eventually, failing basic functions like breathing. In healthy neurons, enzymes help process a protein called amyloid precursor protein into fragments which help with normal cell function. In Alzheimer's, abnormal enzymatic processing produces fragments that include a sticky peptide called beta amyloid. Beta amyloid accumulates in the extracellular space, forming clumps called amyloid plaques. These clumps block the electrical and chemical connections between neurons. Inside healthy neurons, microtubules and tau proteins form an orderly structure that carries ions and nutrients within the cell. In Alzheimer's, chemical changes inside the neurons damage tau, twisting microtubules abnormally into neurofibrillary tangles, which disrupts ion and nutrient delivery within the cell. As the plaques and tangles multiply throughout brain tissue, neural connections diminish, and the malnourished cells lose function, resulting in widespread neural death, reduced brain mass, and severe cognitive and functional impairment. There is no cure for Alzheimer's, but current treatments include cholinesterase inhibitors, which delay the breakdown of acetylcholine, a neurotransmitter important for memory and learning, and antiglutamatergic medications, which regulate the activity of glutamate, another neurotransmitter essential for memory and learning, by blocking excessive glutamate binding to neurons, thus preventing neuronal dysfunction and death. ♪ [music] ♪#AlzheimersDisease #MemoryLoss #BrainCellsANM11034
How to Check Blood Flow in Your Leg After Surgery Nucleus Medical Media 2023-07-13 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Please watch the entire video before checking the blood flow in your leg. This video will teach you how to check the blood flow in your leg. Good blood flow is important for recovery after the surgical procedure on your leg. Step 1: Look at your foot and toes on the leg recovering from surgical procedure. Compare your feet. Do you see any differences? Your foot and toes on the surgical side should feel warm, be normal in color, and have little to no swelling. These signs mean you have good blood flow in your leg. If your foot looks red or blue, feels cool, or has a lot of swelling, your leg may have poor blood flow. Step 2: Does your foot feel numb or tingly? A feeling of numbness and tingling may also be a sign of poor blood flow. Or you may feel numbness from a type of anesthesia called a nerve block until it wears off. If you are not sure if you had a nerve block, ask your surgeon. Step 3: Wiggle your toes. Wiggling your toes may improve blood flow to your foot. Repeat steps one through three every four hours, or as directed by your surgeon. Another way to check for good blood flow is by doing a capillary refill test. Capillaries are small blood vessels that carry oxygen-rich blood to your toes. The capillary refill test allows you to see how well blood is flowing through these blood vessels to your toes on the surgical side. Step 1: Gently pinch the tip of your toe directly over the toenail with your hand. Step 2: Squeeze until your toenail turns white, then let go. Your toenail should turn pink again within two to three seconds. This sign means that you have good blood flow in your leg and foot. Repeat steps one and two every four hours, or as directed by your surgeon. Contact your surgeon if you notice: your foot looks red or blue, your foot looks very swollen your foot feels cold, numb or tingly, unless you had a nerve block during surgery making your foot feel numb until it wears off, or your toenail takes more than two to three seconds to return to a pink color when doing the capillary refill test.#CirculationChecks #BloodFlow #surgeryAND12002
What Makes a Drug Work Well? Nucleus Medical Media 2023-07-04 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Many factors influence the therapeutic efficacy of a drug, including pharmacokinetics, a quantifiable measure of how the body affects the drug. And pharmacodynamics, how the drug affects the body. Pharmacokinetics is a multi-step process that includes absorption or the movement of the drug into the bloodstream. Distribution, or the movement of the drug through the blood and various tissues of the body such as brain tissue, fat, and muscle. Metabolism, or the chemical alteration of the drug by the body. And excretion, or the elimination of the drug by the body. This four-step process is referred to by the acronym ADME. During distribution of certain drugs, proteins present in the bloodstream such as serum albumin bind the drug and render it inaccessible to its target. Effective dose concentration is a measure of unbound drug present in the bloodstream. Thus, pharmacokinetics determines factors within the body that dictate when and how much unbound drug reaches its target site after administration. Pharmacodynamics determines how unbound drug affects the biochemical and molecular interactions of its target macromolecules. This includes activation or inactivation of its target macromolecule, and the specific physiological effects this produces within the body. The first step leading to this response is the interaction of the drug with its target. The target is either specific such as particular receptors or enzymes, or non specific such as neutralizing stomach acids with antiacids. Increasing the dosage of most drugs intensifies the response. Maximal efficacy is the largest possible effect a drug produces. The interaction between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics governs the relationship between the dose of the medication and the desired response. Therefore, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are pivotal in establishing the therapeutic efficacy of a drug regimen, and producing the desired effect of a drug. Both pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics are affected by characteristics unique to each patient, such as genetics and physiological variables such as age.#pharmacodynamics #pharmacokinetics #medicationsANM11012
Reverse Shoulder Replacement Surgery Nucleus Medical Media 2023-06-29 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The shoulder joint is a highly mobile ball-and-socket joint made up of three bones: the humerus, or upper arm, the clavicle, or collar bone, and the scapula, or shoulder blade. The humeral head is the ball-like structure at the top of the humerus. The clavicle runs between the breastbone and the top of the scapula. The scapula is a flat, triangle-shaped bone that forms the back and top of the shoulder. The glenoid cavity, or socket, is a shallow depression in the part of the scapula closest to the arm. The ball of the humeral head fits into this socket. Articular cartilage is a tissue that covers the humeral head and lines the glenoid cavity. It allows the joint to glide smoothly. Four muscles start at the scapula and run toward the shoulder joint. These muscles are attached to the humerus with tendons, which are strong cords of tissue that connect muscles to bone. These tendons form the rotator cuff, which is a capsule that supports the bones of the shoulder joint and holds the humeral head within the glenoid cavity. The rotator cuff gives the shoulder joint stability, keeping the ball and socket in proper position. The rotator cuff also gives the shoulder joint its wide range of motion. Sometimes, the shoulder joint can become severely damaged from disease or injury. For example, arthritis can erode the articular cartilage in the joint, causing pain and less mobility. Injuries to the rotator cuff, such as a tear, can also cause pain and decrease shoulder joint mobility. Over time, a shoulder with a damaged rotator cuff may develop cuff tear arthropathy, a condition where the shoulder joint develops arthritis due to abnormal motion and instability from the tear. Severe disease or injury of the shoulder joint may need to be treated with a joint replacement. A standard shoulder replacement uses manufactured materials to create a new ball for the head of the humerus and a new socket for the scapula. However, when disease or injury of the shoulder joint is complicated by a severely weakened or injured rotator cuff, a reverse shoulder replacement may be necessary. A reverse shoulder replacement allows the deltoid muscle in the arm to take over movement of the shoulder joint from the weak and injured rotator cuff. In this repair, the position of the ball and the socket are reversed. The socket implant is attached to the top of the humerus, where the ball or head used to be. And, the ball implant is attached to the scapula, where the socket used to be. In a reverse total shoulder replacement, the procedure will begin with an incision over the shoulder joint. The surgeon will separate the head of the humerus from the shoulder joint …and remove it. The humerus will be hollowed out in preparation for placement of the socket implant. Next, the inside of the glenoid cavity will be reshaped to prepare it for placement of the ball implant. A metal base will be attached to the scapula with screws. The ball will be screwed onto the metal base. The socket implant is on a metal stem. It will be inserted into the humerus. Finally, the surgeon will put the new joint together by inserting the ball implant into the socket implant. At the end of the procedure, the incision will be closed with stitches.#ReverseShoulderReplacement #ShoulderSurgery #OrthopedicSurgeryANH16184
How Medications Get Absorbed By Your Body Nucleus Medical Media 2023-06-22 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Medication absorption is the movement of a drug from its site of administration into the blood. Oral drugs enter the stomach where they either dissolve and pass through the cell membranes of epithelial cells lining the stomach or travel undissolved through the stomach to the small intestine, which is the most common site of absorption. Here, drugs dissolve and pass through the intestinal wall. Oral drugs then travel through the portal venous system to the liver, where they undergo the first pass effect. During this process, the liver metabolizes some of the drug, either inactivating it or excreting it into bile for elimination from the body. The remaining amount of active drug leaves the liver and reaches general circulation and target organs. If a drug is administered via intravenous injection, it passes directly into the bloodstream, thus bypassing absorption in the GI tract. If administered through intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, the drug enters either muscle or subcutaneous tissue, where it passes through gaps between cells into capillary walls and then into general circulation or target organs, also bypassing absorption in the GI tract. Bioavailability is the net amount of a dose of a drug that is actually absorbed into the bloodstream. The bioavailability of oral drugs is less than 100% because of the first pass effect of the liver. In contrast, the bioavailability of IV drugs is 100% because they are not exposed to the first pass effect of the liver. Different drug formulations alter bioavailability, because they are not absorbed at the same rate or to the same extent. For example, tablets dissolve at varying rates. Enteric coated drugs dissolve in the small intestine, not the stomach. Because gastric emptying time differs between individuals, absorption times also vary. Sustained release formulas contain tiny spheres that dissolve at different rates, resulting in a steady drug release throughout the day, but also resulting in variable absorption. Some factors affecting drug absorption are the rate of dissolution. Drugs that dissolve faster are absorbed faster. Surface area, since the lining of the small intestine has more surface area than the lining of the stomach, most drugs are absorbed faster in the small intestine. Blood flow, the greater the concentration gradient between the drug-filled stomach and the rapidly flowing drug-free blood, the faster the absorption. Lipid solubility, highly lipid soluble drugs pass through the phospholipids in the cell membrane more easily than drugs of low lipid solubility. And PH partitioning, absorption is faster when the difference between the PH at the site of administration and the PH of the plasma attracts more drug molecules to ionize in the plasma. ♪ [music] ♪#MedicationAbsorption #DrugAbsorption #DrugMetabolismANM11011
Screening for Colorectal Cancer Nucleus Medical Media 2023-06-13 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Screening for colorectal cancer means looking for signs of cancer in your large intestine before you have symptoms. Screening can help find cancer at an early stage. This can make treating it easier because the cancer might not have spread. Screening for colorectal cancer is recommended for everyone, beginning at age 45. You may need screening earlier and more often if you or your family has a history of colorectal cancer or diseases that inflame your bowel. Some tests screen for colorectal cancer by looking inside your large intestine. These tests include sigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy, and colonography. A sigmoidoscopy views the lower third of your large intestine using a camera on the end of a flexible tube. The tube is inserted through your anus into your large intestine to look for polyps and other signs of cancer. A colonoscopy also views your large intestine using a similar camera, but it looks along the entire length of your large intestine for polyps or other signs of cancer. A colonography, also known as virtual colonoscopy, uses CT scans of your large intestine. A computer uses the scans to make a three-dimensional view inside your large intestine to look for signs of cancer. Other tests screen for colorectal cancer by looking at your stools or feces. Fecal blood tests look for traces of blood in stool samples. These tests are often done in combination with the sigmoidoscopy. Blood in your stool may be a sign of polyps in your colon or cancer. However, stool blood may have other causes that aren't cancer. Talk to your healthcare provider about what your test results mean. In a stool DNA test, a stool sample is checked for abnormal DNA from polyps or cancer. If you have questions about these tests or your test results, talk to your doctor.#ColorectalCancer #ColonCancer #CancerScreeningANH17198
Osteoarthritis of the Thumb: Surgical Treatment (LRTI) Nucleus Medical Media 2023-06-06 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Osteoarthritis of the thumb, also known as basal joint arthritis, is a problem with the joint at the base of your thumb. Smooth cartilage covering the bones in your joint has worn away, causing pain and other symptoms. If non-surgical treatments don’t work, your healthcare provider may advice you to have a surgical procedure. One of the most common procedures for this condition is called trapeziectomy with ligament reconstruction and tendon interposition. During this procedure your surgeon will remove your arthritic trapezium bone. Next, your surgeon replace this bone with part of a nearby tendon. The tendon may be cut at one end and passed through a hole drilled in your thumb metacarpal bone. Then it will be rolled up and put into the space where the trapezium used to be. This tissue cushions your joint and keeps and keeps the remaining bones separated. To find out more about this procedure or other treatment options for osteoarthritis of the thumb, talk to your healthcare provider.#osteoarthritis #ThumbArthritis #LRTIANH21244
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation (TAVI) Nucleus Medical Media 2023-06-01 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: If you have a severe problem with the aortic valve in your heart, your doctor may recommend a transcatheter aortic valve implantation, or TAVI. It's also known as transcatheter aortic valve replacement, or TAVR. Your aortic valve is one of the four valves in your heart. It lies between your left ventricle, or lower left chamber, and the large blood vessel supplying oxygen rich blood to your body, called the aorta. When your left ventricle contracts during each heartbeat, it pushes blood through three flexible cup-like leaflets that make up your aortic valve. When your left ventricle relaxes, your aortic valve closes to prevent blood from flowing back into your left ventricle. As you get older, your aortic valve may develop deposits of calcium that cause your leaflets to get thicker and less flexible. In this condition, your leaflets may not open fully. This condition, called calcific aortic valve stenosis, creates a narrowed opening that reduces the amount of blood flowing into your aorta and out to your body. As a result, the wall of your left ventricle thickens because it has to work harder to pump blood through the narrowed valve opening. At the beginning of your procedure, your doctor will make a small incision in your groin. After creating an opening in a blood vessel called the femoral artery your doctor will insert a flexible tube, called an introducer sheath. Through the sheath, your doctor will insert a flexible guidewire into your femoral artery. The guidewire will be passed through your femoral artery all the way up to your aorta. Then, the guidewire will be pushed through the opening in your aortic valve and into your left ventricle. Your doctor will use the guidewire to pass a flexible tube called a catheter through your aortic valve. A balloon on the tip of the catheter will be inflated to widen the opening in your aortic valve, to push the valve leaflets to the sides. After deflating the balloon, your doctor will remove the catheter. The replacement valve consists of a tissue valve surrounded by a wire mesh called a stent. The replacement valve will be compressed and placed on the tip of another catheter. This catheter will be inserted through your aortic valve. When the catheter reaches the opening in your aortic valve, your surgeon will inflate a balloon underneath the replacement valve to expand it and the stent. After placement of the new aortic valve, your doctor will deflate the balloon. The stent will support and secure the replacement valve in place. The catheter and guidewire will be removed. At the end of the procedure, the introducer sheath in your groin will be removed and your skin incision will be closed. You will have another incision on the other side of your groin through which instruments were inserted to monitor your heart during the procedure. This skin incision will also be closed. To find out more about transcatheter aortic valve implantation, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#TAVI #TAVR #AorticValveReplacementANH23268
Osteoarthritis of the Thumb: Nonsurgical Treatments Nucleus Medical Media 2023-05-23 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Osteoarthritis of the thumb, also known as basal joint arthritis, is a problem with the joint at the base of your thumb. Smooth cartilage covering the bones in your joint has worn away, causing pain and other symptoms. There is no cure for osteoarthritis. And, it usually gets worse over time. But, treatments that dont require surgery can help relieve symptoms in the early stages. For example, you can put ice on the joint several times a day. Pinching with your thumb may increase the stress on the joint and result in more pain. To help reduce your pain, your healthcare provider may give you tips on how to change the way you pinch or grasp objects. You may also be advised to wear a splint to limit movement. This allows the joint some time to rest and heal. Medicines, such as non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, acetaminophen, or aspirin can help reduce pain and swelling. In addition to pain medicine, you may also receive a steroid injection directly into your joint to reduce the swelling and provide pain relief. If you have questions about osteoarthritis of the thumb, or which treatment option may be best for you, talk to your healthcare provider.#osteoarthritis #arthritis #ThumbArthritisANH20243
Fibromyalgia Nucleus Medical Media 2023-05-16 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Fibromyalgia is a chronic or long-lasting condition. It causes muscle and joint pain all over your body. The exact cause of fibromyalgia is unknown, but it may be a problem with how your nerves and brain sense pain signals. People with fibromyalgia are much more sensitive to sensory experiences, such as pressure, heat or cold, bright lights, and noise, compared to people without fibromyalgia. Things that may increase your risk for it are a family history of fibromyalgia, physical or emotional trauma and stress, having certain diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, having anxiety and depression, being female, and being middle-aged or older. Common symptoms of fibromyalgia include body pain and tenderness, feeling very tired, problems sleeping, thinking and memory problems known as "fibro fog", and headaches. Other symptoms may include tingling or numbness in the hands and feet, mental health problems such as anxiety or depression, and digestive problems such as irritable bowel syndrome or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Since there is no cure for fibromyalgia, treatment for it focuses on relieving your symptoms. Treatments may include medications, lifestyle changes, and psychotherapy or talk therapy. Medications your healthcare provider may prescribe to help reduce pain and improve sleep include antidepressants and anti-seizure medicines. You may also be advised to take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory pain relievers. But fibromyalgia doesn't cause inflammation, so they often aren't helpful for fibromyalgia pain. Certain lifestyle changes can help you manage fibromyalgia symptoms. These include getting enough sleep, regular exercise and staying active, and eating a healthy diet. The goal of "talk" therapy is to help you change the way you think or act. It can help you learn ways to cope with your symptoms and provide you with support. To find out more about fibromyalgia, talk to your healthcare provider.#fibromyalgia #MusclePain #MuscleTendernessANW10006
Blue Baby Heart Defect: Tetralogy of Fallot Treatments Nucleus Medical Media 2023-05-09 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: The treatments for Tetralogy of Fallot are surgical procedures to help fix the following four heart problems. A ventricular septal defect or VSD is a hole in the wall between the two ventricles. An overriding aorta happens when the aorta is located directly over the ventricular septal defect. This means the aorta is connected to both the left and right ventricles instead of its normal attachment to only the left ventricle. In pulmonary stenosis, the main pulmonary artery is narrowed and the pulmonary valve doesn't open all the way. And right ventricular hypertrophy means the wall of the right ventricle is thicker than normal. Tetralogy of Fallot is repaired with open-heart surgery, either soon after birth or in infancy. Surgical procedures may include temporary and complete repairs. Your child may not be ready for a complete repair right away. In this case, a temporary repair such as a shunt or a stent can be placed until a complete repair can be done. Both repairs increase blood flow to the lungs and improve oxygen levels in the blood delivered to the body. During a shunt procedure, the surgeon will open the chest wall to place a tube called a shunt between a branch of the aorta and the right pulmonary artery. The shunt will provide another path for blood to get to the lungs to pick up oxygen. During a stent procedure, a tube called a catheter will be inserted through a small incision into a blood vessel in the leg. The cardiologist will use the catheter to place a device called a stent inside the narrowed area of the pulmonary artery. This allows more blood to flow to the lungs. A complete repair is done when your child is strong enough for the procedure. During the procedure, the pulmonary stenosis defect may be repaired in the following ways. If the main pulmonary artery is too small, it will be widened with a patch. If the pulmonary valve is too small, it may be widened with a patch or replaced. If extra heart muscle is blocking blood flow below the pulmonary valve, the surgeon will remove the muscle tissue. These repairs will improve the flow of oxygen-poor blood from the right ventricle to the lungs. As a result, the blood will get enough oxygen for the body's needs. To fix the ventricular septal defect, the surgeon will cover the hole with a patch. The patch will prevent the mixing of oxygen-poor blood with oxygen-rich blood. As a result, only oxygen-rich blood will flow out of the aorta to the body from the left ventricle. Over time, fixing the pulmonary stenosis and closing the ventricular septal defect will also fix the right ventricular hypertrophy. Since the right ventricle won't have to work as hard to pump blood, its wall will return to normal thickness. If your child still has a shunt from the temporary repair, it will either be removed or clipped shut at the end of this procedure. Similarly, if your child had a stent placed, it will also be removed. To find out more about treatment for Tetralogy of Fallot, talk to your healthcare provider.#TetralogyOfFallot #BirthDefect #heartANH19226
STDs: Syphilis Treatment Nucleus Medical Media 2023-05-02 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Syphilis is a type of sexually transmitted disease or infection. It’s caused by tiny spiral or coiled bacteria called Treponema pallidum. The first symptom you may notice is one or more sores, called chancres*, that are usually painless and appear on the site where the bacteria entered your body. Without treatment, the disease can continue to progress through three more stages over a period of weeks, months, or years. It can result in serious health problems, such as brain damage, blindness, or even death. The good news is that syphilis can be treated and cured with different forms of an antibiotic called penicillin. Usually, one dose injected into your hip or buttock is enough to clear the infection. However, if it has spread to other parts of your body, such as your eyes, brain, or spinal cord, you may need more than one dose injected directly into your veins. People with serious infections, such as neurosyphilis, may need to be treated in the hospital. If penicillin can’t be used, other antibiotics such as doxycycline can be taken. Antibiotics work by killing the bacteria that cause syphilis. But it’s important to know that this treatment won’t fix any damage the disease has already done to your body. The most reliable way to avoid getting syphilis is to not have vaginal, anal, or oral sex. Or you can reduce your risk if you only have sex with one long-term partner who doesn’t have sex with other people and who has been tested for syphilis and doesn’t have it. And you can practice safer sex, which means taking steps before and during sex to prevent you from getting or spreading syphilis. For example, using condoms correctly every time you have sex can reduce your risk. But, if you come in contact with a sore on an area of your partner’s body not covered by the condom, you can still get syphilis. To find out more about the treatment and prevention of syphilis, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#syphilis #STD #STIANH23265
STDs: What is Syphilis? Nucleus Medical Media 2023-04-25 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Syphilis is a type of sexually transmitted disease or infection. It’s more common in men than women. The infection commonly affects your genitals, which are the reproductive organs inside and outside of your body. It can also affect your anal area, and the last part of your large intestine, called the rectum. Your lips, tongue, or other parts of your body may also be affected. The germs that cause the infection are tiny spiral or coiled bacteria called Treponema pallidum. You can catch the bacteria through sexual contact with a person who currently has syphilis, especially someone who has syphilitic sores in or around their genitals or mouth. And pregnant women who have syphilis can pass the disease to their unborn child. The bacteria can enter your body through tiny cuts or scrapes in your skin or the tissue that lines many of your body cavities, including the tissue lining your mouth, genitals, or anus. Within a few hours, the bacteria can spread throughout your body to cause infection. From there, syphilis has four disease stages with varying symptoms that can occur over a period of ten or more years: the primary stage, the secondary stage, the latent stage, and the tertiary stage. In the primary stage, you may have one or more very infectious, but often painless, sores called chancres that appear within a few days or weeks. They occur at the site where the bacteria entered your body, such as in, on, or around the penis, vagina, anus, rectum, or mouth. These sores may last for several weeks. If not treated, the disease will progress to the secondary stage. During this stage, in addition to sores, a rash may appear on one or more areas of your body. Other symptoms during this stage may include: fever, headaches, sore throat, swollen lymph nodes, patches of hair loss, weight loss, muscle aches, and fatigue. Since other diseases also have these symptoms, syphilis is sometimes referred to as “the great imitator.” The latent, or “hidden,” stage usually begins about one to two years after the infection started. During this stage, the sores and rashes are no longer visible, and other symptoms have gone away. But, without treatment, the bacteria will stay in your body. This stage may last for years, and you may still be able to spread the disease to others. The tertiary stage of syphilis is rare but may appear ten to thirty years after the infection started. During this stage, the bacteria may spread to many other areas of your body, including your brain and nerves, eyes, heart and blood vessels, liver, and bones and joints. The symptoms will depend on where it has spread. Having tertiary syphilis is very serious because it can damage your internal organs and can be fatal. The main risk for getting syphilis is having contact with a sore during vaginal, anal, or oral sex with a person who has the infection. You may have a higher risk if you are sexually active and are a man who has sex with men, have the human immunodeficiency virus, or HIV, take medicine to prevent HIV, or have one or more partners that have syphilis. At any stage, untreated syphilis may spread to other areas of your body. For example, neurosyphilis happens when it spreads to your brain and nerves. Symptoms of neurosyphilis can include headaches, weak muscles and trouble moving, and mental problems, such as confusion or trouble with focus, memory, thinking, or making decisions. Ocular syphilis occurs when syphilis spreads to your eyes. Symptoms of ocular syphilis can include eye pain or redness, vision changes, or even blindness. And if syphilis spreads to your ears, it’s called otosyphilis. Symptoms of otosyphilis can include hearing loss, a ringing or buzzing sound in your ears, called tinnitus, dizziness, or a feeling that you or everything around you is moving or spinning, called vertigo. If you think you might have symptoms of syphilis, or want to find out more about it, talk to your healthcare practitioner.#syphilis #STD #STIANH23264
Screening for Lung Cancer Nucleus Medical Media 2023-04-20 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Screening for lung cancer means looking for signs of cancer in your lungs before you have symptoms. Screening can help find cancer at an early stage. This can make treating it easier because the cancer might not have spread. Screening for lung cancer is recommended once a year if you: have a “twenty pack-year” history of smoking cigarettes, meaning you have smoked about a pack a day for twenty years, or two packs a day for ten years; smoke now or have quit smoking within the past fifteen years; and are between fifty and eighty years old. You may stop yearly screening for lung cancer if you: are over eighty-one years old; haven’t smoked in fifteen or more years; or have a health problem that makes you unable or unwilling to have surgery if lung cancer is found. The only recommended screening test for lung cancer is low-dose computed tomography. This is also known as a low-dose CT scan, or LDCT. An LDCT machine emits a very low dose of x-rays that makes a series of detailed pictures of your lungs from different angles. A computer uses the pictures to make a 3D view of your lungs to look for signs of cancer. If abnormal tissue is found, you may need to have other tests or procedures. If you are at high risk for developing lung cancer, getting a low-dose CT scan could save your life. But getting the scan also has three potential risks. First, it may give a false-positive result. This means the test result says you have cancer when you don’t really have it. Second, it may lead to overdiagnosis. This means the test has found a type of cancer that isn’t likely to cause you any problems. Both a false-positive result and overdiagnosis can lead to other tests or procedures that you don’t need, and may have their own risks. And third, there is a very low risk that getting many CT scans may expose otherwise healthy people to enough x-rays that could cause cancer. This is why screening is only recommended for those at high risk for having lung cancer. If you have questions about this test or your test results, talk to your healthcare practitioner. #LungCancer #CancerScreening #LDCTANH23263
STDs: Gonorrhea Nucleus Medical Media 2023-04-11 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Gonorrhea is a common type of sexually transmitted disease or infection. It’s sometimes referred to by the slang term “the clap.” The germs that cause the infection are tiny bacteria called Neisseria gonorrhoeae. You can catch gonorrhea from an infected person during vaginal, anal, or oral sex. And if a pregnant woman has gonorrhea, she can pass it to her baby as the baby moves through the birth canal during childbirth. In your body, the infection begins when the bacteria attach to cells in the tissue that lines many of your body cavities, called mucosal epithelium. Once attached, the bacteria begin to invade this tissue. As the bacteria multiply over time and damage your cells, they cause immune cells to enter the tissue. This inflames and damages the tissue as your immune cells try to clear the infection. Unfortunately, the bacteria have ways to avoid being eliminated by your immune cells. This allows the bacteria to grow and spread within your body. The main risk for getting gonorrhea is having oral, anal, or vaginal sex with a person who is infected. You may have a higher risk if you are sexually active and have more than one sex partner, are a teenager or young adult, or are a man who has sex with men. Many people have no symptoms. But if a woman has symptoms, they may include an abnormal discharge from the vagina, vaginal bleeding between periods, and a burning feeling while urinating. A man may have similar symptoms, such as an abnormal discharge from the penis, a burning feeling at the tip of the penis or while urinating, and pain in one or both testicles. In both men and women, gonorrhea may also infect the rectum, which is the last part of the large intestine. Symptoms of infection in the rectum may include itching or abnormal discharge from the anus, and pain during bowel movements. Left untreated, the infection may cause pelvic inflammatory disease in women. This means the infection has spread throughout her reproductive organs. In men, it may lead to epididymitis. This refers to inflammation and swelling of the coiled tube attached to the testicles, called the epididymis. The good news is that gonorrhea can be treated successfully with antibiotics, such as ceftriaxone. You may also be prescribed a second antibiotic, such as doxycycline, to treat possible infection with another sexually transmitted disease, called chlamydia. People who have gonorrhea are often infected with chlamydia at the same time. It’s important to know that treatment may not fix any damage the disease has already done to your body. After treatment, it’s important to follow up with your doctor to confirm the infection has cleared because some bacteria have become resistant to antibiotics. You can reduce your risk of getting gonorrhea if you only have sex with one long-term partner who doesn’t have sex with other people and who has been tested for gonorrhea and doesn’t have it. And you can practice safer sex, which means taking steps before and during sex to prevent you from getting or spreading gonorrhea. For example, using condoms correctly every time you have sex can reduce your risk. The most reliable way to avoid getting gonorrhea is to practice abstinence, which means not having vaginal, anal, or oral sex. To find out more about gonorrhea, talk to your healthcare practitioner. #gonorrhea #STD #STI ANH23262
Pressure Injuries Nucleus Medical Media 2023-03-23 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: A pressure injury or ulcer is a wound caused by constant pressure on your skin. It may also be called a pressure sore, pressure ulcer, bed sore, or decubitus ulcer. Pressure injuries occur most frequently in areas where your bones are close to the skin, including your heels, ankles, hips, tailbone, or elbows. In order to understand how pressure injuries happen, it's important to know about the layers of the skin. Your skin is made up of three main layers. The top layer, called the epidermis, is a thin layer that protects your body from the environment. The thicker middle layer is called the dermis. Its main functions are to supply the epidermis with nutrients, help regulate your body temperature, and provide strength and elasticity to your skin. The innermost layer is called the hypodermis or subcutaneous layer. This layer stores fat, which cushions the muscles and bones beneath it. In a pressure injury, constant pressure on the skin over a long period of time can compress the blood vessels that supply the layers with the oxygen and nutrients they need to survive. If there's not enough blood flow, your skin tissue begins to die, and a pressure injury forms. If you have a pressure injury, your healthcare provider will classify it based on what can be known about the depth of tissue damage. This is called staging. In a Stage I pressure injury, the skin is intact, red, and inflamed. The redness is non-blanchable. This means it doesn't become pale if you press on it. A Stage II pressure injury appears as a blister or an open sore. There's partial thickness loss of the epidermis and dermis. The area surrounding the sore may be red and irritated. A Stage III pressure injury is a crater-like full-thickness loss of skin. It extends down to the fat tissue of the hypodermis. Stage IV is the most severe. A Stage IV pressure injury is a full-thickness loss of tissue. It extends through all three layers of skin and into the underlying muscle or bone. An unstageable pressure injury is a full-thickness loss of tissue. It's called unstageable because the injury is covered by dead tissue, making it hard to tell how deep it is. And a suspected deep tissue injury appears as a maroon or purple area of the skin. It may contain a blister filled with blood. It looks like this because of damaged soft tissue underneath your skin. To prevent infection in your pressure injury, your doctor will clean your wound using water and a mild soap or saline solution. If your wound is severe, your doctor will debride or surgically remove the dead tissue from the pressure injury. To protect your wound and keep it from drying out while it heals, your doctor may cover it with a specialized bandage. To find out more about pressure injuries, talk to your healthcare provider.#PressureInjuries #PressureSores #BedSoresANH12069
Monkeypox (Mpox) Treatment and Prevention Nucleus Medical Media 2023-02-14 | MEDICAL ANIMATION TRANSCRIPT: Mpox, formerly known as monkeypox, is a rare disease caused by a very tiny germ, called the mpox virus. Like most viral infections, mpox may start with flu-like symptoms, including feeling exhausted, chills, fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, and a stuffy nose, sore throat, or cough. These symptoms are usually followed by a flat rash on certain areas of your body, such as the genitals, anal region, face, mouth, hands, feet, and chest. Then, the rash can turn into raised, pimple-like sores that are filled with fluid or pus. And the rash is often very painful. This rash generally lasts for about a week before beginning to crust, scabbing over, and finally falling off as new skin appears. While there is no specific treatment for mpox, most people have mild symptoms and get better without needing one. The illness lasts about two to four weeks. However, since the rash is often very painful, your healthcare provider may advise you to take pain relievers to help you feel better. If your immune system is weak, or if you are pregnant and at risk for becoming very ill, you may be prescribed a medication, called an antiviral. To prevent catching mpox, here are some things you can do: avoid close contact with people who have mpox until after their rash has completely healed; avoid close contact with animals, such as monkeys and rodents, that may be infected; avoid touching areas and items that a person with mpox has used; and wash your hands often with soap or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. People at high risk for getting mpox may be advised to get a vaccine that is effective against both smallpox and mpox. People at high risk are: those who have had close skin-to-skin contact in the last two weeks with someone who has, or may have, mpox, especially with men who have sex with men in a geographic area where mpox is spreading; and anyone whose job may expose them to Orthopoxviruses, such as lab workers and healthcare workers. The vaccines contain a weakened Orthopoxvirus, called vaccinia, which cannot multiply or cause disease. Since Orthopoxviruses are so similar, the vaccines can help protect against both the variola virus that causes smallpox and the mpox virus. If you were born before nineteen seventy-two and had the smallpox vaccine at that time or before, you may have some protection from severe disease. But you are not protected against getting infected or infecting someone else. For more information about the treatment and prevention of mpox, talk to your healthcare practitioner.ANH23261#mpox #monkeypox #virus
