Granuloma Annulare
I have been diagnosed with granuloma annulare. Can you tell me information about this skin disease?
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Varicocele and Azoospermia Treatments
I have been diagnosed with varicocele and azoospermia. Can I be successfully treated for these conditions? What are the best options available?
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Is My Medication Safe?
An article in The Lancet Oncology says that angiotensin receptor blockers, a family of drugs used to treat high blood pressure, increases the risk of cancer. I take 16 mg. of candesartan each day. Should I quit using it?
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Anal Fistula
I have had some discomfort in the area between my anus and scrotum. Also I have noticed some soiling in my underwear. My doctor thinks I might have an anal fistula. What causes this? How can it be treated?
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Lymphocytic Colitis
What is lymphocytic colitis? A friend has been diagnosed with it. She has been told to stay away from all dairy products.
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Chelation Therapy
I get mail promoting the great benefits of chelation therapy. The claim is that it removes calcium and other metals from the walls of arteries. The key element appears to be EDTA, a type of acetic acid. Since vinegar is also primarily acetic acid, could it have the same effect?
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Herpes Simplex Virus
I have a circular area of small blisters on my right buttock. I had this about four months ago, but now it’s painful, not only where the blisters are, but also all around the area. Any ideas?
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Update From the Medical Journals: February 2012
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Drugs Alone OK for Many Heart Patients
People with stable heart disease do just as well with medicines as with stenting to open clogged arteries, a new evidence review finds. The study focused on stable angina. This is chest pain that occurs during exercise or stress, but not at other times. It is caused by deposits in coronary arteries that limit blood flow. Many Americans are treated with angioplasty. A tiny balloon is blown up inside the artery to crush the blockage. Usually a tube called a stent is put in to keep the artery open. The new review put together results from 8 prior studies. They included 7,229 people with stable angina. They were randomly assigned to receive stenting plus standard heart medicines or medicines alone. Researchers kept track of them for an average of 4 years. About 9% of each group died. About 8.9% of the stent group and 8.1% of the medicine group had nonfatal heart attacks.
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Ask the doctor: What tests monitor the metabolic risks of antipsychotics?
My daughter has schizophrenia. The psychiatrist at her mental health center prescribed an antipsychotic. I know some of these drugs increase risk of diabetes and heart disease. What sort of clinical monitoring do you advise?
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