ObettaHealthblog

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU RECEIVE BLOOD FROM AN INCOMPATIBLE DONOR? If you receive blood that is not compatible with your blood, your body produces antibodies to destroy the donor's blood cells. This process causes the "transfusion reaction" [AKA ABO incompatibility reaction]. Blood that you receive in a transfusion must be compatible with your own blood. WHAT IS AN ABO INCOMPATIBILITY REACTION? An ABO incompatibility reaction can occur if you receive the wrong type of blood during a blood transfusion. It is a rare but serious and potentially fatal response to incompatible blood by your immune system. The four main blood types are A,B, AB,and O. If you are type A, your red blood cells have proteins attached to them known as A antigens.Type B blood cells carry B antigens.Type AB blood has both A and B antigens,and type O blood has neither A nor B antigens. Your immune system will produce antibodies against any blood antigens you don't have in your own blood. That means peo...

FIVE THINGS TO CONSIDER BEFORE CONSUMING MEDICINES 1.THE RIGHT MEDICATION: It is said that every problem has a solution and the key to every problem is decoding the appropriate solution, in the same way, almost every medical condition or illness has a medication that can atleast help manage it. It Should be ensured by the caregiver (and patient as well) that the right medications are dispensed and used effectively for successful therapy. 3.THE RIGHT DOSE:As you might have known already,drugs can be life-saving as well as poisonous depending on the right dose. If a drug of say,5mg is meant to be taken twice a day for optimal performance, but due to errors or intentional abuse the dosage is increased or reduced as the patient deems it fit, the end result could be over-dosage(organ damage or death if fatal) and/or under effectiveness and persistence of symptoms after 3.THE RIGHT PATIENT: It's not unheard of,especially in places like Africa, that people share drugs as far as the sympto...

ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE The use of antibiotics has changed our lives forever. Diseases that in the past could cause death (such as pneumonia, malaria, typhoid fever etc) nowadays can be cured through an antibiotic therapy prescribed by the doctor. However, the increasingly widespread antibiotic resistance represents, as the WHO has stated, slow tsunami that threatens to wipe out a century of medical progress. Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) causes an estimated 700,000 deaths annually worldwide, and every country is potentially affected. If not properly addressed, the number could grow to 10 million per year by 2050. Causes of antimicrobial resistance; AMR occurs when bacteria and other microbes adapt and become less susceptible to medical treatment. \[i.e same medicines that once completely eradicated an infection caused by a certain strain of bacteria/virus become ineffective because such strain is now resistant to that medicine\]. This AMR can be passed on from generation to generati...

 Autoimmune diseases are those in which the body , for unknown reasons begin to fight itself and lead to major health consequences such as muscular and CNS degeneration, internal bleeding, severe damage to body tissue, abnormal growth that affects organs, and changes in the way body organs function e.t.c. Coined from the words "Auto" and "immune" it stresses that the condition generates internally–for unknown reasons–abd harms it's own system. Think about a snake swallowing its own self from the tail end! Some common autoimmune diseases include; Hashimoto's autoimmune thyroiditis,Celiac disease,Type 1 diabetes mellitus,Graves' disease,Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOUS  Systemic lupus erythematous is one of such auto immune diseases. It is a group of autoimmune disease with an unknown cause. It affects many organs, especially skin, joints and kidneys. Lupus results in the immune system attacking the body's cells and tissues...

 PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE (PUD) Peptic ulcer is a sore that develops on the lining of the oesophagus, stomach or small intestine. To better grasp the concept of ulcer, imagine having a sore or wound,but on the inside of your body where it is continuously eroded by acidic elements—yes,that's how bad it is! Now,there are three types of peptic ulcers; GASTRIC ULCERS: ulcers that develop inside the stomach. ESOPHAGEAL ULCERS: ulcers that develop inside the esophagus. DUODENAL ULCERS: ulcers that develop in the upper section of the small intestines, called the duodenum. Ulcers occur when stomach acid damages the lining of the digestive tract. This damage on the digestive tract could be as a result of prolonged use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs(NSAIDs) such as ibuprofen, naproxen e.t.c as these drugs are acidic in nature. However, the major cause of PUD, is a gram negative bacteria known as helicobacter pylori. This bacteria causes almost all peptic ulcers, accounting for 80 percen...

PEPTIC ULCER DISEASE(PUD): MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT Read till end❗ It is important we understand that ulcer is indeed curable and symptoms can be managed effectively for better outcomes.   Signs and symptoms of PUD For quick recovery, these few steps should be adhered to by all suffering from peptic ulcer disease; 1.Consume food at regular intervals, in general, take small meals every 3 hours. Since presence of food in the GIT stimulates acid production which could errode existing ulcers, it is best to take small portions at intervals to reduce acid corrosion at wound sites. 2.Take meal 2 to 3 hours before bed time. This is because lying down immediately after a meal could result in acid reflux, causing heartburns and exacerbate oesophageal ulcers. 3.Eat food slowly and chew it properly. Take fresh fruits, salads and vegetables in adequate quantities. 4.Avoid intake of spicy and sour food like pepper soups, pepper sauces and chillis 5.Cut down intake of coffee, tea and other caffei...

 MALARIA PREVALENCE IN WEST AFRICA Malaria is a life threatening disease caused by the Plasmodium parasites with plasmodium falciparum being the most common human causative agent. A malaria-causing mosquito vector. Over 200 million people fall victim to Malaria each year and over half a million people die from this disease. Malaria has been the leading cause of death for many centuries. In the African continent, Malaria is still the most common, fatal and expensive disease. Outbreaks of malaria are common in West Africa. See the chart to see prevalence in West Africa. Malaria is a disease spread by mosquitoes. It can be dangerous or even fatal if not treated. Fortunately, symptoms can be easily managed with medications. It is estimated that over 40 percent of people living in rural areas of West Africa have malaria. More and more people have died from Malaria in West Africa. Malaria is a preventable disease caused by mosquitos carrying Malaria. To help prevent Malaria in West Afric...

TREATMENT OPTIONS AVAILABLE FOR HYPERTENSION Medications The type of medication your doctor prescribes for high blood pressure depends on your blood pressure measurements and overall health. Two or more blood pressure drugs often work better than one. Sometimes finding the most effective medication or combination of drugs is a matter of trial and error. You should aim for a blood pressure treatment goal of less than 130/80 mm Hg if: 1.You are a healthy adult age 65 or older 2.You are a healthy adult younger than age 65 with a 10% or higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years 3.You have chronic kidney disease, diabetes or coronary artery disease e.t.c Ask your doctor what your blood pressure treatment goal should be. Also, the ideal blood pressure treatment goal can vary with age and health conditions, particularly if you're older than age 65, see our recent article on the myths surrounding high blood pressure. Medications used to treat high blood pressure...

MYTHS ABOUT HYPERTENSION THAT ARE TOTALLY UNTRUE 😯😲 When your blood pressure stays high for too long, you have hypertension. It can be the result of excess salt, smoking, drinking, obesity, or a combination of factors. Or, as unfair as it is, you might have just inherited high blood pressure. Hypertension is surrounded by myths and misunderstandings. You may hear all kinds of advice from well-meaning friends and family. Let’s sort through some common myths, so you can make health decisions based on the facts. MYTH 1: IF YOU FEEL FINE, THEN YOU DON'T HAVE HYPERTENSION. This is far from true. More than 85 million U.S. adults have hypertension, but 1 in 6 have no idea. You can feel fine with hypertension. This is why it’s often called “the silent killer” - because someone with no symptoms can suddenly have a heart attack or stroke. MYTH 2: THERE'S A CURE FOR HYPERTENSION. Unfortunately, there is no cure for hypertension. But there are many ways to manage it and reduce its impact...

 The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another”. —Williams James. STRESS AND THE NIGERIAN WORKFORCE. Stress, according to the medical encyclopedia, is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. Stress is yet another slow killer that is creeping in on the working population between the age range of 18—60 and is fast becoming a major health concern. Stress could seem instrumental especially when it is employed in quickly solving a task or assignment, meeting a deadline or delivering on your end of an agreement. But if made habitual and with continued indulgence especially in contemporary setting, chronic stress could set in along with it’s numerous health consequences. There are two main types of stress: 1.Acute stress. This is short-term stress that goes away quickly. You feel it when you slam on the...