Poisoning Due To Black Widow ... : Symptoms

This first symptom is usually pain similar to a pinprick. This sensation is felt when the bite is actually made. Some people may not feel it. There may be minor swelling and redness. Fifteen minutes to an hour later, a dull muscle pain spreads fro...

Stress can come from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. What is stressful to one person is not necessarily stressful to another. Anxiety is a feeling of apprehension or fear. The source of this uneasiness is not always known or recognized, which can add to the distress you feel.

Systematic desensitization is a technique used to treat phobias and other extreme or erroneous fears based on principles of behavior modification .

Anxiety is a bodily response to a perceived threat or danger. It is triggered by a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient's personal history and memory, and the social situation. It is important to distinguish between anxiety as a feeling or experience and an anxiety disorder as a psychiatric diagnosis. A person may feel anxious without having an anxiety disorder. Also, a person facing a clear and present danger or a realistic fear is not usually considered to be in a state of anxiety. In addition, anxiety frequently occurs as a symptom in other categories of psychiatric disturbance.

Anxiety is familiar to everyone due to the many stresses and complexities of modern life.

This report features up-to-date information on the signs, causes, and treatments of many common phobias and anxiety disorders.

Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient's personal history and memory, and the social situation. As far as we know, anxiety is a uniquely human experience. Other animals clearly know fear, but human anxiety involves an ability, to use memory and imagination to move backward and forward in time, that animals do not appear to have. The anxiety that occurs in post-traumatic syndromes indicates that human memory is a much more complicated mental function than animal memory. Moreover, a large portion of human anxiety is produced by anticipation of future events. Without a sense of personal continuity over time, people would not have the "raw materials" of anxiety. It is important to distinguish between anxiety as a feeling or experience, and an anxiety disorder as a psychiatric diagnosis. A person may feel anxious without having an anxiety disorder. Also a person facing a clear and present danger or a realistic fear is not usually considered to be in a state of anxiety. In addition, anxiety frequently occurs as a symptom in other categories of psychiatric disturbance.

Unlike the relatively mild, brief anxiety caused by a stressful event such as a business presentation or a first date, anxiety disorders are chronic, relentless, and can grow progressively worse if not treated.

Fears, Phobias, and AnxietyEverybody experiences fear at some time or another. Fear is a powerful emotion that arises in situations that are interpreted as dangerous.

Anxiety is a multisystem response to a perceived threat or danger. It reflects a combination of biochemical changes in the body, the patient's personal history and memory , and the social situation at hand. Human anxiety involves an ability to use memory and imagination and to move backward and forward in time; a large portion of human anxiety is produced by anticipation of future events. Without a sense of personal continuity over time, people would not have the "raw materials" of anxiety. It is important to distinguish between anxiety as a feeling or experience, and an anxiety disorder as a psychiatric diagnosis. A person may feel anxious without having an anxiety disorder. Short-term anxiety can be considered within the range of normal human experience. It is only when anxiety presents with great intensity or long duration that it is classified as a pathological state. Particular manifestations of anxiety, such as a flashback experience, the development of a phobia, or the sudden onset of a panic attack, are suggestive of a serious anxiety problem.

Anxiety disorders are a group of disorders that can affect adults, adolescents and children. They overwhelm people with chronic feelings of anxiety and fear.

This guide is designed to help you learn about anxiety disorders. Knowing more, you may feel more comfortable talking with a health professional about your experience and your symptoms.

Anxiety is a condition of persistent and uncontrollable nervousness, stress, and worry that is triggered by anticipation of future events, memories of past events, or ruminations over day-to-day events, both trivial and major, with disproportionate fears of catastrophic consequences.

A condition of persistent nervousness, stress, and worry that is triggered by anticipation of future events, memories of past events, or ruminations about the self Stimulated by real or imagined dangers, anxiety affects people of all ages and social backgrounds. When it occurs in unrealistic situations or with unusual intensity, it can disrupt everyday life. Some researchers believe anxiety is synonymous with fear, occurring in varying degrees and in situations in which people feel threatened by some danger. Others describe anxiety as an unpleasant emotion caused by unidentifiable dangers or dangers that, in reality, pose no threat. Unlike fear, which is caused by realistic, known dangers, anxiety can be more difficult to identify and alleviate. A small amount of anxiety is normal in the developing child, especially in adolescents and teens. Anxiety is often a realistic response to new roles and responsibilities, as well as to sexual and identity development. When symptoms become extreme, disabling, and/or when a child or adolescent experiences several symptoms over a period of a month or more, they may be a sign of an anxiety disorder and professional intervention may be necessary. The two forms of childhood anxiety are overanxious disorder and separation anxiety, although many physicians and psychologists also include panic disorder and obsessive-compulsive disorder, which tend to occur more frequently in adults. Anxiety that is the result of experiencing a violent event, disaster, or physical abuse is identified as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Most adult anxiety disorders begin in adolescence or young adulthood, and are more common among women than men.

You may suffer from generalized anxiety disorder if you go through the day worried, tense or anxious about your family, health or work, even when you know there are no signs of trouble.

Treating AnxietyAnxiety—feeling frightened, tense, uneasy—is a normal response to a threat. Anxiety can disrupt your life, but it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Discussion of the effect of anxiety disorders on children and how they can be treated.

Despite their age, benzodiazepines still provide unique benefits and are unlikely to be entirely superseded by newer medications. Includes a comparison chart of newer and older drugs for insomnia, anxiety, and depression.

Anxiety:  Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Guided ImagerySymptom and DescriptionIt is common to feel stress or anxiety when you have cancer. Anxiety can be a vague or uneasy feeling of distress.

Separation anxiety is common in children, but most grow out of it. However, in a small percentage of children (and more rarely, in adults) it becomes a disorder. Typical treatment methods include cognitive and behavioral therapy.

Research suggests that for patients who are starting treatment for depression, their type of attachment anxiety should be taken into consideration as a factor in determining the best course of treatment.

There is evidence that certain herbs and supplements may be effective in treating certain types of anxiety disorders.

When I get nervous, I get a tic that affects the left side of my face, including my eye. What can I do about this? Is there anything I can take for it?

Understanding Social Phobia (Social Anxiety Disorder)You have to give a presentation next week. Just thinking about it makes your heart race.

Pain is a universal human experience. The International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) defines pain as "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage." Pain may be a symptom of an underlying disease or disorder, or a disorder in its own right. At the same time that pain is a universal experience, however, it is also a complex one. While the physical sensations involved in pain may be constant throughout history, the ways in which humans express and treat pain are shaped by their respective cultures and societies. Since the 1980s, research in the neurobiology of pain has been accompanied by studies of the psychological and sociocultural factors that influence people's experience of pain, their use of health care systems, and their compliance with various treatments for pain. As of 2003, the World Health Organization (WHO) emphasizes the importance of an interdisciplinary approach to pain treatment that takes this complexity into account.

Expert-reviewed information summary about pain as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of cancer-associated pain are discussed.

Pain, medically termed "nociception," is a response to noxious stimuli that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons . The discomfort signals actual or impending injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain's location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensation and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain.

Communicating About PainResourcesAmerican Pain Foundation888-615-7246www.painfoundation.orgAmerican Chronic Pain Associationwww.theacpa.orgThe National Pain Foundation www.painconnection.orgYou have a right to have pain treated. Untreated pain can...

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain's location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensation and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain.

Measuring Your PainA pain scale helps you rate pain intensity. In the scale, 0 means no pain, and 10 is the worst pain possible.

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by sensory neurons. The discomfort signals actual or potential injury to the body. However, pain is more than a sensation, or the physical awareness of pain; it also includes perception, the subjective interpretation of the discomfort. Perception gives information on the pain's location, intensity, and something about its nature. The various conscious and unconscious responses to both sensations and perception, including the emotional response, add further definition to the overall concept of pain.

Pain is an unpleasant feeling that is conveyed to the brain by nerves in the body.

This comprehensive report describes the many causes of pain, the latest treatments, and the best preventive strategies.

I have recurring sores in my mouth, most generally on the sides of my tongue, and the tip of my tongue gets very tender and sore. Do I have a vitamin deficiency? What else could be the cause of this?

Children who experience verbal abuse are at as much risk for developing anxiety or depression as those who are abused physically or sexually. This may be due to the fact that verbal abuse is likely to persist over a lengthy period of time.

Examines the role of forgiveness in personal health and happiness, ranging from reduced stress to improved relationships.

Vomiting is the forceful discharge of stomach contents through the mouth.

Vomiting can deplete you of fluids and electrolytes, so repeated vomiting requires medical treatment if it results in a lasting lightheaded feeling or weakness.

Although nausea and vomiting can make you feel miserable, it's important to remember that these are not diseases, but rather symptoms of many illnesses.

Nausea with or without vomiting is common in children. Most of the time, the cause is not serious. The symptoms usually go away in a day or two and can be managed at home. However, there are times when you should alert your child's doctor immediately.

Vomiting is very common in babies. Sometimes it can be entirely normal, like when babies spit up mouthfuls of breastmilk or formula after eating. Sometimes it can be a sign of illness or a blockage somewhere in the intestines. Less commonly, it can even be a sign of accidental poisoning or be caused by a bad bump to the head.

When should parents be concerned about their child vomiting? If the child, age 5 and a bit overweight, has what the parents think is a stomach bug that causes vomiting, and this happens for a couple days at least every two months or sometimes shorter periods in between, should they have tests done or should they just assume its a virus?

Agitation is an unpleasant state of extreme arousal, increased tension, and irritability.

Breathing difficulties involve a sensation of difficult or uncomfortable breathing or a feeling of not getting enough air. See also difficulty breathing - first aid.

Shortness of breath, or dyspnea, is a feeling of difficult or labored breathing that is out of proportion to the patient's level of physical activity. It is a symptom of a variety of different diseases or disorders and may be either acute or chronic.

Struggling to Breathe: A Nurse’s Tips for Managing DyspneaDyspnea is the technical word for difficulty breathing. It's a common symptom in people who have lung cancer or have cancer that has spread to the lungs.

Detailed information on the most common breathing problems in a newborn

Severe shortness of breath and shortness of breath accompanied by certain symptoms requires immediate medical attention.

If your child cannot seem to get enough breath in his lungs (shortness of breath) or is having a hard time breathing, he probably has a medical condition that needs treatment. If your child is old enough to talk, he can tell you that he is having difficulty breathing. If your child is younger, you may notice that he is breathing harder or faster than usual, isn't feeding well, or is cranky.

Shortness of breath may be a warning sign of heart disease. Chest pain is a near-universal signal of heart disease. Shortness of breath may be an equally valuable tip-off.

I had a quadruple bypass seven years ago. A few months back I found myself taking frequent short breaths when I climbed the stairs. Once I stopped exerting myself, my breathing soon returned to normal. Is this due to a problem with my heart or lungs?

For the past two months I have experienced increased shortness of breath. I have chronic asthma, but there's concern the shortness of breath could be caused by a blockage in heart. I have experienced difficulties in the past when anesthetized. Is there an effective alternative to heart catheterization? I've read about a new CT scan ? is it recommended?

Itching is a tingling or irritation of the skin that makes you want to scratch the affected area.

Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is pruritus.

Expert-reviewed information summary about pruritus (itching of the skin) as a complication of cancer or its treatment. Approaches to the management and treatment of pruritus are discussed.

Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is pruritus.

Itching, also called pruritus, is an unpleasant sensation of the skin that causes a person to scratch or rub the area to find relief. Itching can be confined to one spot (localized) or over the whole body (generalized). Severe scratching can injure the skin causing redness, bumps, and scratches. Injured skin is prone to infection. Itching can profoundly affect quality of life. It can torment the patient and cause discomfort, stress, loss of sleep, concentration difficulty, and constant concern.

Itching is an intense, distracting irritation or tickling sensation that may be felt all over the skin's surface, or confined to just one area. The medical term for itching is "pruritus."

Detailed information on pain management and itching and burn care

Muscle cramps are involuntary and often painful contractions (movements) of the muscles.

Muscle cramps -- involuntary muscle contractions -- are common. But even though they can be quite painful, they don't cause damage.

Cramps do not mean there is a problem with the muscle itself; rather, experts believe they happen when the fluid and electrolyte imbalance catches up to you or when a nerve overstimulates a muscle.

Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions.

Muscle spasms and cramps are spontaneous, often painful muscle contractions.

Drooling is saliva flowing outside the mouth.

What could cause excessive salivation? Diana Post, M.D., is an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and a member of the Department of Medicine at Brigham and Women's Hospital.

Detailed information on spider bites, including symptoms and treatment

Two types of spiders found in the United States can cause illness in people. One type is the widow spider, of which the "black widow" is the best known. The other type is the fiddleback or fiddler spider, of which the brown recluse is the best known.

Skin redness is skin that is abnormally red in color..

A headache is pain or discomfort in the head, scalp, or neck. Serious causes of headaches are extremely rare. Most people with headaches can feel much better by making lifestyle changes, learning ways to relax, and occasionally by taking medications. See also: Cluster headache; Migraine; Tension headache.

A headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom HEADACHE THERAPIES Description Type Acupressure Press pointer fingers beneath cheekbones and parallel to pupils (Stomach 3) for one minute. Squeeze fleshy area between thumb and pointer finger (Large Intestine 4) for one minute. Sinus Aromatherapy Massage mixture of lavender oil and sunflower oil in temples, sides of eyes, behind ears, and on the neck. Do same using eucalyptus. Migraine, tension, and sinus Chiropractic Spinal or cervical manipulation to realign posture. Tension Diet and exercise Avoid chocolate, cheeses, citrus, red wine, and foods containing sodium nitrates or MSG. Exercise regularly. Migraine Herbal remedies Feverfew, hawthorn, skullcap, ginger, goldenseal, valerian, passionflower, and cayenne. Migraine and tension Homeopathy Belladonna, bryonia, kali bichromicum, and nux vomica. Sinus and tension Home remedies Simultaneous ice pack/warm foot soak; drink three cold glasses of water; inhale pure oxygen. Migraine and cluster Massage Scalp massage All Mind/body Meditation and relaxation and biofeedback. Migraine Osteopathy Neuromuscular manipulation and massage of head, neck, and shoulders. All of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia.

This report helps you identify the cause of your headache and learn what to do about it. Includes the latest treatments, such as new medications and mind/body techniques.

Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches

A headache involves pain in the head which can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.

About 90 percent of all headaches are harmless episodes that can be treated with over-the-counter painkillers, either alone or together with rest, ice packs or relaxation techniques.

A headache involves pain in the head that can arise from many disorders or may be a disorder in and of itself.

Most headaches in kids are caused by tension, not disease. Your pediatrician can determine what kind of headache your child has.

Headache is a pain in the head and neck region that may be either a disorder in its own right or a symptom of an underlying medical condition or disease. The medical term for headache is cephalalgia. Headaches are one of the most common and universal human ailments, described in the Bible as well as in medical writings from ancient Egypt, Babylonia, Greece, Rome, India, and China. Severe chronic headaches were once treated by the oldest known surgical procedure, known as trepanning or trephining, in which the surgeon drilled a hole as large as 1–2 in diameter in the patient's skull without benefit of anesthesia. Evidence of trepanning has been found in skulls from Cro-Magnon people that are about 40,000 years old.

Youngsters' most common head pain is a tension headache—a dull ache that feels like pressure around the head.

When seeking treatment for headaches, start with your primary care provider. Most people who suffer from headaches tell their doctors about their pain only as an afterthought. And 31 percent have never seen a health care provider for their condition, according to the National Headache Foundation (NHF). The result is a lot of needless suffering.

Detailed information on headaches, including types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

Can dehydration cause headaches? Howard LeWine, M.D., is chief editor of Internet Publishing at Harvard Health Publications. He is recognized as an outstanding clinician and teacher and is a recipient of the Internal Medicine Teacher of the Year award at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. LeWine continues to practice Internal Medicine; most recently he became a hospitalist after practicing primary care for over 20 years.

Detailed information on headaches, including the different types of headaches and statistics relating to headaches

Nausea is the sensation of having an urge to vomit. Vomiting is forcing the contents of the stomach up through the esophagus and out of the mouth.

 A Recipe to Ease Nausea: Gingerbread With Brown Sugar Meringue"Gingerbread. Ginger cookies.

Nausea is the sensation of having a queasy stomach or being about to vomit. Vomiting , or emesis, is the expelling of undigested food through the mouth.

Will excess fluid in the ear cause dizziness and nausea? David Vernick, M.D. is assistant clinical professor of otology and laryngology at Harvard Medical School and interim chief of the Division of Otology and Laryngology at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Hypertension is the term used to describe high blood pressure. Blood pressure readings are measured in millimeters of mercury (mmHg) and usually given as two numbers. For example, 120 over 80 (written as 120/80 mmHg. The top number is your systolic pressure, the pressure created when your heart beats. It is considered high if it is consistently over 140; The bottom number is your diastolic pressure, the pressure inside blood vessels when the heart is at rest. It is considered high if it is consistently over 90. Either or both of these numbers may be too high. Pre-hypertension is when your systolic blood pressure is between 120 and 139 or your diastolic blood pressure is between 80 and 89 on multiple readings. If you have pre-hypertension, you are more likely to develop high blood pressure. See also: Blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force with which blood pushes against the artery walls as it travels through the body. Like air in a balloon, blood fills arteries to a certain capacity—and just as too much air pressure can cause damage to a balloon, too much blood pressure can harm healthy arteries. Blood pressure is measured by two numbers—systolic pressure and diastolic pressure. Systolic pressure measures cardiac output and refers to the pressure in the arterial system at its highest. Diastolic pressure measures peripheral resistance and refers to arterial pressure at its lowest. Blood pressure is normally measured at the brachial artery with a sphygmomanometer (pressure cuff) in millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and given as systolic over diastolic pressure. A blood pressure reading thus appears as two numbers. The upper number is the systolic pressure, which is the peak force of blood as the heart pumps it. The lower number is the diastolic pressure, which is the pressure when the heart is filling or relaxing before the next beat. Normal blood pressure for an adult is 120/70 (on average), but normal for an individual varies with the height, weight, fitness level, age, and health of a person.

Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information

Also known as high blood pressure, a condition in which too much force is exerted by the blood as it travels through the body's arteries. There are two types of hypertension: primary and secondary. Primary, or essential, hypertension is caused by external factors; secondary hypertension is related to an underlying disorder, such as a congenital heart defect or kidney disease. Factors that increase the risk of high blood pressure include age (the likelihood of hypertension increases with age), race (hypertension is two to three times more common in blacks than in whites), heredity, and being overweight. About 60 million Americans have high blood pressure. Of this number roughly 2.7 million are children between the ages of six and 17. Secondary hypertension occurs in only about 10% of the diagnoses—in the majority of cases the condition has no known cause. However, serious hypertension in infants and young children is usually of the secondary variety. Secondary hypertension also occurs (although less frequently) in adolescents, in whom it can signal a hormonal imbalance, kidney disorder, or other condition. In contrast, primary hypertension is not unusual among adolescents and is also found, though infrequently, in children. Of the two types, secondary hypertension is easier to detect because the symptoms of the underlying condition alert the child and parents that something is wrong. Primary hypertension usually produces no symptoms, a fact that makes it important for children to have their blood pressure tested regularly starting at the age of three. Children and adolescents with high blood pressure have an increased risk of developing hypertension in adulthood. Blood pressure in children is measured the same way as in adults—with the familiar inflatable cuff and meter known as a sphygmomanometer (although a special smaller cuff is used for children). Two figures are used to describe blood pressure. The top figure—known as systolic blood pressure—refers to the level of pressure when the heart contracts to circulate the blood. The lower number—called the diastolic pressure—is based on the reading when the heart is resting. The total pressure is the systolic over the diastolic pressure, expressed in millimeters of mercury (a typical blood pressure reading might be 120 over 80). High blood pressure in adults is defined as a reading higher than 140 over 90. The blood pressure of children is lower than of adults and steadily increases as the child grows older. For example, a normal reading for a three-year-old would be 98 over 64. High blood pressure is diagnosed in children if the average of three readings is higher than that for 90% of children in the same age group. Aside from age, size itself is a factor—larger children have higher blood pressure than smaller ones, whatever their age (a fact taken in account when their blood pressure is assessed). Children should not have their blood pressure taken when they are nervous or agitated. Adolescents should be careful not to ingest any stimulants, such as caffeine, nicotine, or alcohol, in the hours preceding a blood pressure reading. When a child is found to have elevated blood pressure, blood and urine tests and kidney χ rays are commonly taken to rule out any underlying disorder. If the diagnosis is primary hypertension, common treatment measures include a program of increased exercise and dietary modifications to cut down on sodium, especially salt, which is abundant in many foods favored by young people, such as french fries, pizza, potato chips, hot dogs, and hamburgers. Some substitution of healthy snacks such as fruit can help reduce the amount of salt in the diet. If the child is overweight, dietary changes may focus on weight loss. Even a modest reduction in weight can help reduce blood pressure. If other measures do not sufficiently alleviate the hypertension, a medication may be prescribed, usually a diuretic which cuts down

High blood pressure is a sneaky ailment. The condition has no symptoms that you can see or feel. Having your blood pressure checked is the only way to know if it is high.

Knowing the definitions of terms your doctor may use when talking with you about your blood pressure is important.

Each day that your blood pressure is too high, your chances of having a stroke are increased.

This report explains what your blood pressure numbers mean and how hypertension can be prevented and treated by making diet and lifestyle changes. Also includes information on medications.

Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information

Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information

Hypertension is the medical term for high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues.

High blood pressure has joined type 2 diabetes and high cholesterol on a list of ailments that once struck only adults but now afflict children.

High blood pressure is more common among African Americans than other ethnic groups. Nearly 40 percent of non-Hispanic blacks have hypertension.

Prehypertension is a new term that alerts people to the risk of developing chronic high blood pressure if they don’t take timely steps to improve their lifestyle habits.

When I get up in the morning, my systolic blood pressure is 30 to 50 points higher than it is later in the day (about 110). I am taking three different blood pressure medications. Is this unusual?

The National High Blood Pressure Education Program (NHBPEP) was established in 1972 by the National Institute of Health to translate research results on the health hazards of high blood pressure into clinical and public health practice. Before 1900, high blood pressure, or hypertension, was not generally recognized as a health problem. Only when a practical method of clinical blood pressure measurement emerged in the early 1900s were associations made between hypertension and subsequent morbidity and mortality. Those associations were confirmed by actuarial statistics, correlating blood pressure levels of life insurance policy holders with subsequent death rates. The associations were also confirmed by observation studies such as the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's Framingham Heart Study, which routinely collected information regarding the health status of an entire community. These data showed that as blood pressure rose, deaths from stroke, heart disease, and all causes began to increase. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the chance of dying from a heart attack or stroke. The first controlled clinical trial to test the efficacy of blood-pressure–lowering drugs was designed to occur during a five-year period. The results were so successful that the study was stopped at eighteen months. Those receiving blood-pressure–lowering drugs had fewer cardiovascular events than those taking a placebo. Lowering blood pressure saved lives. The goal of the NHBPEP is to reduce death and disability through programs of professional, patient, and public education. The aim is to raise public awareness about hypertension, to urge hypertensive patients to follow their doctor's advice, and to have clinicians use the available scientific information. The strategies include developing and disseminating educational materials and programs that are grounded in a strong science base and developing partnerships among the program participants. Throughout its history, the NHBPEP has worked to mobilize and coordinate the resources of organizations. The NHBPEP is a network of federal agencies, voluntary and professional organizations, all state health departments, and numerous community-based programs. At the hub of the program is the NHBPEP Coordinating committee, composed of representatives from thirty-eight national professional, public, and voluntary health organizations and seven federal agencies. The program follows a consensus-building process to identify major issues of concern among the participants and to develop program activities. Representatives from the member organizations work together to provide guidance to the program and each other, as well as to develop and promote activities to their own constituencies. This multidisciplinary committee also defines national priorities, examines critical issues, explores future opportunities, sponsors national activities, and promotes collaboration among the program partners. The Coordinating Committee agencies encompass a wide distribution network, supporting a mass media campaign and distribution of educational materials and documents. Among their publications are posters, public service announcements, patient education brochures, and clinical guidelines. Additional activities include designing public health interventions to address the excessive stroke mortality in the Southeast United States; publishing reports describing best treatment practices to control hypertension; conducting demonstration projects at the work site and in urban and rural settings; developing reports and intervention programs regarding hypertension among special populations or situations (e.g., African Americans, hypertensive patients with renal disease or diabetes, children and older Americans); and promoting population strategies for the primary prevention of hypertension. The effectiveness of the NHBPEP can be measured in several ways. In 1972, the year the program began, less than one-fourth o

Detailed information on high blood pressure, also called hypertension, including symptoms, diagnostic, and treatment information

While people with high blood pressure are typically told to abstain from alcohol, a study suggests that moderate alcohol consumption may help prevent them from having a heart attack.

A Harvard Medical School doctor discusses possible causes of low blood pressure.

Is it absolutely necessary for a diabetic who does not have high blood pressure to take a blood pressure pill anyway?

Did you know you can purchase your own blood pressure monitor and check the reading yourself at home?

What causes high blood pressure in a 4-year-old? Claire McCarthy, M.D., is a senior medical editor for Harvard Health Publications. She is an instructor in pediatrics at Harvard Medical School, an attending physician at Children's Hospital of Boston, and co-director of the pediatrics department at Martha Eliot Health Center, a neighborhood health service of Children's Hospital. The author of two books, "Learning How the Heart Beats" and "Everyone's Children", Dr. McCarthy was a regular columnist for "Sesame Street Parents Magazine" from 1995 to 1998 and is currently a contributing editor for "Parenting Magazine".

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is the most common chronic adult illness in the United States. There is no cure for high blood pressure, but it can be controlled.

High blood pressure (hypertension) is called the silent killer. This is because many people who have it don’t know it. You can take an easy test to see if your blood pressure is too high. If it is high, you can take steps to lower it. Doing so could save your life.

Risk factors are things that make you more likely to have a disease or condition. Do you know your risk factors for high blood pressure?

The FDA has approved a new blood pressure drug that works by inhibiting hte production of renin, a substance made by the kidneys that is the first step in the body's system of regulating blood pressure.

A healthy blood pressure level can reduce your risk for many serious diseases and increase your longevity.

For those living with high blood pressure, lifestyle changes such as eating a healthier diet, exercising regularly, and losing weight will likely have a positive effect not just on blood pressure, but on overall health.

Prehypertension is a new term that alerts people to the very real risk of developing chronic high blood pressure if they don't take timely steps to improve their lifestyle habits.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, isn't limited to those 18 and older.

In most cases, high blood pressure responds to treatment, but the success of the treatment is up to you.

Even if your blood pressure is normal or high-normal, you're still at increased risk for hypertension (high blood pressure), the condition in which your heart works too hard and the resulting forceful blood flow harms arteries.

If you have high blood pressure, you need to know, so you can control it. If you don't, you increase your risk for serious illness.

Is it possible for a blockage in the kidneys to cause high blood pressure? What type of blockage would there be in a kidney?

The number of Americans with high blood pressure has risen steadily since the 1960s, and now tops 65 million.

High blood pressure can contribute to sexual problems, as can some treatments for it.

Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues.

Isolated systolic hypertension, when the systolic blood pressure is above 140 while the diastolic pressure is below 90, is caused by stiffening of large arteries. Medication may be prescribed, but lifestyle changes will have more impact on overall health.

A study reports that if the vertebra that supports the skull is misaligned, careful manipulation of it may result in a significant drop in blood pressure.

Hypertension is high blood pressure. Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them. Arteries are the blood vessels that carry oxygenated blood from the heart to the body's tissues.

An old theory about the connection between headache and high blood pressure makes a comeback.

The category of prehypertension was established to serve as a warning. Those whose blood pressure reading falls in it should work to lower their pressure through diet, exercise, and weight control, though in some cases medication may be prescribed.

Hypertension is high blood pressure . Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of arteries as it flows through them.

If your blood pressure has been very good for most of your life and then suddenly rises to a dangerous level, could there be an infection or some other medical condition that caused the sudden jump?

Numbness and tingling are abnormal sensations that can occur anywhere in your body, but are often felt in your fingers, hands, feet, arms, or legs.

Numbness and tingling are decreased or abnormal sensations caused by altered sensory nerve function.

The most common reason for numbness or tingling is a problem with nerve function, either because the nerve itself is injured, something is pressing on the nerve, or an imbalance in the body's chemistry interferes with nerve function.

What would cause sudden ear numbness and partial facial numbness (but without drooping or muscle weakness)?

Anorexia is characterized by a loss of appetite or lack of desire to eat.

Detailed information on anorexia, including causes, characteristics, types, diagnosis, treatment, complications, and prevention

Appetite StimulationSymptom and Description Loss of appetite is a loss of the desire to eat. Not eating can lead to weight loss.

Your loss of appetite may be because of anxiety or depression, aging, medications or a health concern.

A harvard Medical school physician answers your question about the prevalence of anorexia in men, and discusses the biological and environmental factors that influence the disorder in both sexes.

Women suffering from anorexia nervosa may benefit more from general support than in-depth therapy, according to a recent study.

Detailed information on excessive sweating, including symptoms and treatment

A Harvard Medical School physician discusses excessive sweating while eating in diabetics, called diabetic gustatory diaphoresis.

My friend has a week-and-a-half old baby, who has been profusely sweating. The baby even became soaked with sweat while lying in his bassinet in only a diaper and socks. What could be the cause of this? Mom has had to give him sugar bottles because of constipation. She is worried the baby could be diabetic, because dad is diabetic.