Doctors Lounge - Medical Reference
Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: April 05, 2017. Updated: April 05, 2017
Category: Oncology | Research
Homologous recombination is an important error-free process that is widely used to repair double strand breaks in DNA. The process involves a genetic recombination prodedure that utilizes nucleotide sequences from a similar or identical molecule of…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: November 02, 2017. Updated: November 02, 2017
Category: Hematology | Pathology
Anemia is defined as a decrease in red cell mass. Direct measurement of red cell mass is complicated and expensive often involving the infusion of radiolabeled erythrocytes. As a result, anemia is defined on the basis of more practical measurements…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: March 31, 2017. Updated: April 01, 2017
Category: Family Medicine | Gastroenterology | Internal Medicine
Diarrhea is defined as either the passage of stools that are loose in consistency, the passage of 3 or more stools per day or the passage of at least 200mg (150ml) per day.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: March 24, 2017. Updated: January 15, 2020
Category: Cardiology | Family Medicine | Internal Medicine | Allergy | Critical Care | Emergency Medicine | Pulmonology | Asthma
Dyspnea (shortness of breath) is a term used to characterize a subjective experience of breathing discomfort that is comprised of qualitatively distinct sensations that vary in intensity.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: January 13, 2016. Updated: October 24, 2016
Category: Family Medicine | Gastroenterology
Dysphagia is the nonpainful difficulty in swallowing. It is most probably experienced at the same level as the lesion or above it.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: July 10, 2009. Updated: August 08, 2009
Category: Endocrinology | Diabetes
Hypoglycemia is a pathologic state that is caused by neuronal glucose deprivation. Brain metabolism depends primarily on glucose as energetic material. When blood glucose levels decrease a group of homeostatic mechanisms come into play as a reaction to…
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Diseases
Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: October 30, 2017. Updated: November 04, 2017
Category: Cardiology | Family Medicine | Internal Medicine | Critical Care | Organ Transplants | Pulmonology
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare but very dangerous condition characterized by a pulmonary arterial pressure >25 mm Hg.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: October 29, 2017. Updated: October 30, 2017
Category: Ophthalmology
Ocular hypertension is the presence of elevated intraocular pressure above 21 mmHg regardless of whether glaucomatous nerve damage is present or not.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: January 13, 2016. Updated: January 13, 2016
Category: Gastroenterology
Diverticulosis is a common digestive disease which involves the formation of pouches (diverticula) within the bowel wall. These pouches are thought to be due to faulty intestinal contractions but cause is not known. Diverticulitis…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: January 13, 2016. Updated: January 13, 2016
Category: Gastroenterology
Zenker diverticulum is a pouch in the back of pharynx (posterior pharyngeal constrictor muscles), which accumulates undigested food that has usually been eaten several days before.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: January 13, 2016. Updated: January 13, 2016
Category: Gastroenterology
Diffuse esophageal spasm (DES), also known as nutcracker esophagus, is an abnormality of the neural processes in the esophagus leading to intense contractions (spasms).
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: November 02, 2017. Updated: November 02, 2017
Category: Cardiology | Family Medicine | Internal Medicine | Critical Care | Emergency Medicine | Medical Students | Nursing | Pulmonology | Asthma | Radiology
Evaluation of the lung fields in a chest x-ray requires a systematic approach. In general, the opacity of the normal lung fields increases from top to bottom, especially in women where the breast tissue is superimposed on the lower lung fields. Moreover,…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: November 01, 2017. Updated: November 01, 2017
Category: Cardiology | Radiology
Involves the introduction of a thin tube (catheter) inside the heart chambers. It may carry specialized devices on it that help it perform both diagnostic and therapeutic functions (see below).
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: November 01, 2017. Updated: November 01, 2017
Category: Cardiology | Radiology
Myocardial perfusion imaging is a noninvasive method for assessing the regional myocardial blood flow.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: November 01, 2017. Updated: November 01, 2017
Category: Cardiology | Radiology
The echocardiogram is an ultrasound of the heart. Using standard ultrasound techniques, two-dimensional slices of the heart can be imaged. Ultrasonographic imaging of the heart is a noninvasive technique that depends on the differing ability of the…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: April 08, 2017. Updated: April 10, 2017
Category: Infections | Internal Medicine | Pathology | Rheumatology
Arthrocentesis, with subsequent synovial fluid analysis, is used to determine the cause of arthritis in all cases presenting with joint effusion or inflammatory signs. This most commonly occurs in the evaluation of septic arthritis (gram stain, culture…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: April 01, 2017. Updated: April 09, 2017
Category: Family Medicine | Gynecology | Oncology
The BRCA gene test is used to identify mutations in either one of the two breast cancer susceptibility genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2. Women who have inherited mutations in these genes are at an increased risk of developing breast cancer and ovarian cancer…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: January 12, 2016. Updated: January 12, 2016
Category: Family Medicine | Gynecology | Obstetrics
A pregnancy test is done to determine whether or not a woman is pregnant. All tests currently available to depend on testing for the presence of beta HCG or human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood or urine.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: August 17, 2009
Category: Cardiology | Pathology
Troponin is a protein that confers calcium sensitivity to muscle cells.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: August 17, 2009
Category: Cardiology | Pathology | Rheumatology
Creatine kinase is one of the most sensitive indicators of myocardial injury. Creatine kinase is found primarily in the heart, skeletal muscle, and brain. Acute liver damage has no effect on CK. CK may be elevated in acute muscular damage (such as seen…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: July 29, 2009
Category: Cardiology
A pacemaker (or "artificial pacemaker", so as not to be confused with the heart's natural pacemaker) is a medical device designed to regulate the beating of the heart. The purpose of an artificial pacemaker is to stimulate the heart when either the heart's…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: July 04, 2009
Category: Cardiology
CPR or cardiopulmonary resuscitation is an emergency first aid procedure used to help a person who has lost their pulse and their ability to breathe normally, a condition known as cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest is a condition nearly everyone experiences…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: July 04, 2009
Category: Cardiology
Defibrillation is the definitive treatment for the life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias, ventricular fibrillation and pulseless ventricular tachycardia.
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: July 27, 2009
Category: Cardiology
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is a technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery, maintaining the circulation of blood and the oxygen content of the body. The CPB pump itself is often referred to as a Heart-Lung…
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Edited by: Tamer M. Fouad, M.D.
Published: June 21, 2009. Updated: July 04, 2009
Category: Cardiology
Angioplasty, or Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angioplasty (PTCA) is a method used to unblock a coronary artery. A wire is passed through the diseased coronary artery, to an area of the coronary artery that is not being worked upon. Over this wire,…
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