Friday, September 18, 2009

What is the Gallbladder?


The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped organ that stores and concentrates bile. The gallbladder is connected to the liver by the hepatic duct. It is approximately 3 to 4 inches (7.6 to 10.2 cm) long and about 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide.
The gallbladder is also called a 'gall bladder'.


What is its Function?


The function of the gallbladder is to store bile and concentrate. Bile is a digestive liquid continually secreted by the liver. The bile emulsifies fats and neutralizes acids in partly digested food. A muscular valve in the common bile duct opens, and the bile flows from the gallbladder into the cystic duct, along the common bile duct, and into the duodenum (part of the small intestine).


Conditions and Diseases of the gallbladder


Sometimes the substances contained in bile crystallize in the gallbladder, forming gallstones. These small, hard concretions are more common in persons over 40, especially in women and the obese. They can cause inflammation of the gallbladder, a disorder that produces symptoms similar to those of indigestion, especially after a fatty meal is consumed. If a stone becomes lodged in the bile duct, it produces severe pain. Gallstones may pass out of the body spontaneously; however, serious blockage is treated by removing the gallbladder surgically.

Liver




What is the Liver?

The liver is the largest glandular organ of the body. It weighs about 3 lb (1.36 kg). It is reddish brown in color and is divided into four lobes of unequal size and shape. The liver lies on the right side of the abdominal cavity beneath the diaphragm.
Blood is carried to the liver via two large vessels called the hepatic artery and the portal vein. The heptic artery carries oxygen-rich blood from the aorta (a major vessel in the heart). The portal vein carries blood containing digested food from the small intestine.
These blood vessels subdivide in the liver repeatedly, terminating in very small capillaries. Each capillary leads to a lobule. Liver tissue is composed of thousands of lobules, and each lobule is made up of hepatic cells, the basic metabolic cells of the liver.
What is its major function?

The liver has many functions. Some of the functions are:
  • to produce substances that break down fats,
  • convert glucose to glycogen,
  • produce urea (the main substance of urine),
  • make certain amino acids (the building blocks of proteins),
  • filter harmful substances from the blood (such as alcohol),
  • storage of vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, D, K and B12) and
  • maintain a proper level or glucose in the blood.

The liver is also responsible for producing cholesterol. It produces about 80% of the cholesterol in your body.

Diseases of the Liver

Several diseases states can affect the liver. Some of the diseases are:

Alcohol alters the metabolism of the liver, which can have overall detrimental effects if alcohol is taken over long periods of time.
Hemochromatosis can cause liver problems.

Medications that negatively effect the liver

Medications have side effects that may harm your liver. Some of the medications that can damage your liver are:

  • serzone,
  • anti-cancer drugs (tagfur, MTX, and cytoxan), and
  • medications used to treat diabetes.

Serzone is a prescription drug manufactured by Bristol-Myers Squibb for the treatment of depression. The possible side effects of Serzone® are:

  • agitation,
  • clumsiness or unsteadiness,
  • difficulty concentrating,
  • memory problems,
  • confusion,
  • severe nausea,
  • abdominal pain,
  • unusually dark urine,
  • difficult or frequent urination,
  • fainting,
  • skin rash or
  • hives yellowing of the skin or
  • whites of the eyes (jaundice) or
  • a prolonged loss of weight or loss of appetite.

If you or a family member have suffered serious side effects or a fatal injury after taking Serzone®, you or the family member may be eligible to file a claim against the manufacturer. You should contact an attorney that specializes in class action lawsuits immediately.

To help prevent liver damage, let your doctor know about your liver condition when being treated for other conditions. Medications come in many forms and it is best to find out what is in them and what it can do to your liver.

Thursday, September 17, 2009

An Introduction to Cholesterol

Introduction
Lipids are the building blocks of the fats and fatty substances found in animals and plants. They are microscopic layered spheres of oil, which, in animals, are composed mainly of cholesterol, triglycerides, proteins (called lipoproteins), and phospholipids (molecules made up of phosphoric acid, fatty acids, and nitrogen). Lipids do not dissolve in water and are stored in the body to serve as sources of energy.
Cholesterol
Cholesterol is a white, powdery substance that is found in all animal cells and in animal-based foods (not in plants). In spite of its bad press, cholesterol is an essential nutrient necessary for many functions, including:
  • Repairing cell membranes
  • Manufacturing vitamin D on the skin's surface
  • Producing hormones, such as estrogen and testosterone
  • Possibly helping cell connections in the brain that are important for learning and memory

Regardless of these benefits, when cholesterol levels rise in the blood, they can have dangerous consequences, depending on the type of cholesterol. Although the body acquires some cholesterol through diet, about two-thirds is manufactured in the liver, its production stimulated by saturated fat. Saturated fats are found in animal products, meat, and dairy products.


Saturated fats are found predominantly in animal products such as meat and dairy products, and are strongly associated with higher cholesterol levels. Tropical oils -- such as palm, coconut, and coconut butter -- are also high in saturated fats.


Triglycerides
Triglycerides are composed of fatty acid molecules. They are the basic chemicals contained in fats in both animals and plants.

Lipoproteins
Lipoproteins are protein spheres that transport cholesterol, triglyceride, or other lipid molecules through the bloodstream. Most of the information about the effects of cholesterol and triglyceride actually concerns lipoproteins.

Lipoproteins are categorized into five types according to size and density. They can be further defined by whether they carry cholesterol or triglycerides.
Cholesterol-Carrying Lipoproteins. These are the lipoproteins commonly referred to as cholesterol.
  • Low density lipoproteins (LDL). (Often called the "bad" cholesterol.)
  • High-density lipoproteins (HDL), the smallest and most dense. (Referred to as the "good" cholesterol.)


Triglyceride-Carrying Lipoproteins.

  • Intermediate density lipoproteins (IDL). They tend to carry triglycerides.
  • Very low density lipoproteins (VLDL). These tend to carry triglycerides.
  • Chylomicrons (largest in size and lowest in density).

Lipoprotein(a). Lipoprotein(a), or lp(a) has a size and density somewhere between LDL and HDL. The molecules carry a protein that may interfere with the body's ability to dissolve blood clots. Lipoprotein(a) is being investigated as a possible marker or cause of heart disease.

Remnant Lipoproteins.
Remnant lipoproteins are byproducts of chylomicrons, very low-density lipoproteins (VLDL), or both. Some research indicates that high levels may be an important risk factor for coronary artery disease, particularly in patients who have otherwise normal cholesterol levels.

Cholesterol Guidelines
Reducing LDL and total cholesterol levels, while at the same time boosting HDL levels, can prevent heart attacks and death in all people (with or without heart disease). Reducing LDL is the primary goal of most cholesterol therapy.

Blood tests can easily measure both HDL and overall cholesterol levels. It is very difficult to measure LDL levels by themselves, but LDL levels can be reliably calculated by subtracting HDL and triglyceride levels from total cholesterol. The exact formula is:

LDL = TOTAL CHOLESTEROL - HDL - TRIGLYCERIDES/5.

In 2004, the National Cholesterol Education Program updated its clinical practice guidelines. The new recommendations set lower treatment goals for LDL levels based on a patient's risk factors for heart disease.
The risk factors include:
  • Having a first-degree female relative diagnosed with heart disease before age 65 or a first-degree male relative diagnosed before age 55
  • Being male and over age 45 or female and over age 55
  • Cigarette smoking
  • Diabetes
  • High blood pressure
  • Metabolic syndrome (risk factors associated with obesity such as low HDL levels and high triglycerides)
Two or more of these risk factors increases by 20% the chance of having a heart attack within 10 years.

The LDL cholesterol level is one of the most important factors in determining whether a patient needs cholesterol therapy and whether the treatment is working properly. In particular, the new guidelines emphasize lower LDL levels and earlier treatment for people with coronary artery disease, or other forms of atherosclerosis, and diabetes.