Serious health complications

For more than two years now, the efficacy of the birth control patch, Ortho-Evra, has been in question after research indicated 23 deaths related to it. About 18 of those deaths appeared to be blood clot related. Dozens more women in their teens and twenties suffered strokes and other blood clot related events.

Due to the many adverse side effects associated with Ortho-Evra, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered that changes be made to the patch’s label. In November 2005, a new warning stated that women who use the patch are exposed to approximately 60% more total estrogen in their blood than if they were taking a birth control pill containing about 35 micrograms of estrogen. Because the patch had been marketed with claims stating that it was just as safe as the pill, the FDA required the manufacturer, Ortho McNeil Pharmaceuticals, to add another warning about the increased risk of injury due to high levels of estrogen released from the patch.

Smoking cigarettes while wearing the patch increases the risk of serious adverse effects on the heart and blood vessels. This risk increases with age. Simply put, women who take hormonal birth control medication should not smoke.

Ortho-Evra should not be taken by women with a history of:

High blood pressure

Heart attack or stroke

Blood clots in the legs, lungs, or eyes

Diabetes with complications

Chest pain

Blood clots

Cancer

Vaginal bleeding

Drug manufacturer Ortho-McNeil has been challenged with over 40 Ortho Evra lawsuits in response to serious health complications caused by the birth control patch. Despite the numerous pending lawsuits, the drug maker maintains that the Ortho Evra patch has not yet been medically linked with the deaths of those 23 women. The company alleges the statistics regarding the Ortho Evra-related deaths have been skewed by studies inaccurately portraying the number of Ortho Evra users in relation to the deaths.

Without proper sleep, anyone can experience serious sleep deprivation effects. Deprived of sleep, we can suffer serious mental and physical impairments. You will not be able to deal with situations that require alertness and thinking. Sleep is vital to our health. Without proper rest, our bodies are unable to fight off disease as well. Our immune systems are weakened.

You have probably noticed that when you are over tired, it requires more concentration to think, thus your brain is working harder. Your brain does not function as well with a lack of sleep. This is a serious sleep deprivation effect.

Solving problems and dealing with stress is much harder when deprived of sleep. In fact, an individual can suffer from hallucinations in severe cases of sleep deprivation. Sleep is vital to our health, as you can see; sleep deprivation effects can cause health issues that are not to be ignored.

Sleep deprivation effects can cause other serious health related problems such as depression, hypertension, heart disease, tremors and slurred speech. People who are experiencing drastic weight changes may be experiencing the sleep deprivation effects. The quality of sleep we get affects our hormone levels that affect our appetite. If we are not getting proper sleep, this could trigger a hormone deficiency, which may cause an individual to eat more and thus gain weight.

As we get older, the likelihood that we will experience some form of sleep disorder is quite high. Over half of all people over sixty-four actually do suffer some type of sleeping problem. Sleep deprivation effects suffered by the elderly include daytime fatigue and drowsiness.

Many people suffer from sleep disorders due to the high-paced lifestyle they lead. Some people work so long and hard that their sleep patterns suffer. This will eventually lead to sleep deprivation effects for many of these individuals.

What is the solution for sleep deprivation effects? Obviously, it involves getting more sleep. This includes getting sleep at any time you possibly can. If it is possible to take a nap after work or during the day on the weekend, then do it. Some people will even take a nap on their lunch break. Another tip that is quite important, is to reduce the amount of caffeine you intake. Caffeine is a major culprit in preventing people from getting the proper rest. Keep in mind that caffeine is not just in coffee these days.

One of the most serious and often overlooked diseases in modern times is chlamydia. Chlamydia is sexually-transmitted as can cause serious health complications contrary to popular belief. The disease has been on the rise for the last 10 years and has been afflicting teenagers at alarming rates. What makes the disease especially potent is the fact that it advances silently and sufferers may not even know that they have it. This has causes many to spread it to their unsuspecting partners. It is reported that almost 1 million teenagers have the disease and 75% do not even know it. So how can one tell they have chlamydia?

Discharge

While it has been said that chlamydia advances rather silently, there are a few symptoms which may signal the presence of the disease. Sometimes it is not possible to tell exactly just by the presence of one symptom but coupled with others, this might give a more accurate confirmation. One’s lifestyle is also something to be considered. For example, if one starts experiencing painful urination after being very sexually active,this may signal the presence of chlamydia. This acute burning feeling when passing urine is also sometimes accompanied by some discharge which is experienced by both male and females.

Rectal irritation

Another symptom of chlamydia is having rectal irritation. This can be mild and ongoing or serious. If one constantly feels irritation in the rectum they need to consult a doctor. Doctors can conduct more extensive tests and they can determine whether the symptoms being experienced are really chlamydia.

More serious complications

Many teens and adults who suffer from chlamydia wave it away as a non-serious ailment but medical experts disagree. While the disease is very treatable using a wide range of medication including antibiotics, it can cause serious damage if untreated. The reason the disease is able to do this is because it is able to exist in one’s system for lengthy periods without triggering any illness. This is exactly what makes the disease serious and in many times sufferers do not even know they have it until it has become serious.

One of the most serious complications that can be attributed to chlamydia is infertility. Because the disease parasites can also attack the cervix, they can interfere with the conception process. Another serious malady that can be caused by chlamydia is what is called relative arthritis. Research has also shown that people with chlamydia also have a higher chance of contracting gonorrhea and even HIV.

Obesity is the major contributing factor for rising complications in pregnancy and is a major nutritional disorder. For a scale, if the BMI of the pregnant mother, in the initial stages of pregnancy, is above 25 units, she is considered to be obese.

Obesity is one of the most common but a major nutritional disorder. Unfortunately, the scores of complications, leading to irrevocable damages to the body systems, which are brought upon by obesity are not realised until it is too late to correct.

It is difficult for obese women to conceive because fat tissues surround the uterus and ovaries , rendering fertilization difficult. The fat content creates harmonal imbalance causing difficult cycle and difficult conception.

There are various factors leading to weight gain / obesity during pregnancy.

a. Weight at the initial stages of pregnancy.

b. Less physical activity / exercise

c. Intake of excess calories.

d. Genetic factor.

e. Size of placenta

f. quantity of amniotic liquid.

g. Liquid retention.

Complications:

a. High risk of misconception

b. Baby can be born with complications

c. May result in caesarian delivery.

d. Mother can develop diabetes

e. Leads to conditions including pre-eclampsia which is life-threatening symptom, affecting both the mother and child.

f. Urinary infections are very frequent.

g. High risk of complications rises.

h. Obese women could contract serious diseases of Arterial hypertension, altered cardiac function.

i. Long term complications viz. worsening of maternal obesity and development of obesity in the infant. ( which has a greater involvement in geneteic factors leading to child obesity )

j. Hypertension, due to obesity, is responsible for increased morbidity during pregnancy.

k. Mean diastolic pressure is higher in children of women who were obese during pregnancy.

l. Obesity during pregnancy is a strong predictor of sustained weight retention, after pregnancy also.

m. When diabetes complicates the course of pregnancy, childhood obesity and overweight are the resultant factors to face.

It is of paramount importance that strict Nutritional, caloric and vitaminic care should be taken during pregnancy. Non adherence will surely lead to serious health complications to both mother and the child.