In simple terms Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels as the heart pumps it around the body. A reading has two numbers, such as 120/80. They are measured in millimeters of mercury, written mmHg, and show the pressure at its highest and lowest points in each […]
Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of the blood vessels, recorded as two numbers such as 120/80 mmHg.
In simple terms Comorbidity describes a second condition present alongside the one being treated. Someone treated for heart failure who also has diabetes has a comorbidity. The related word multimorbidity drops the idea of a main condition. NICE defines it as the presence of two or more long term health conditions, with none ranked first.
Comorbidity means having one or more additional health conditions alongside a main one, at the same time in the same person.
In simple terms A GLP-1 receptor agonist is a medicine that copies the action of GLP-1, short for glucagon-like peptide-1. GLP-1 is a hormone the gut releases after a meal. These medicines were first used for type 2 diabetes. Some are now also approved for long-term weight management in people with obesity. Well-known examples include
A GLP-1 receptor agonist is a medicine that mimics a gut hormone to lower blood sugar and appetite, used for type 2 diabetes and obesity.
In simple terms Blood pressure is the force of blood pushing against the walls of your blood vessels. Hypertension means that force stays too high over time. Most people with hypertension feel nothing at all. That is why a measurement is the only reliable way to find out. How it works A reading has two
Hypertension is blood pressure that stays too high over time, straining the heart, blood vessels, brain and kidneys.
In simple terms Hypotension is the medical term for low blood pressure. It means blood is moving through the vessels at a lower pressure than usual. The US National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute puts the line at a reading below 90/60 mmHg, against a normal adult figure usually below 120/80 mmHg. How it works
Hypotension is the medical term for low blood pressure, generally a reading below 90/60 mmHg, which may or may not cause symptoms.
In simple terms Cholesterol is a waxy fat the body needs but cannot dissolve in blood. It travels wrapped inside particles called lipoproteins. LDL stands for low-density lipoprotein. LDL cholesterol is the portion those particles carry, and it is often called bad cholesterol because it is the main source of cholesterol buildup and blockage in
LDL cholesterol is the share of blood cholesterol carried by low-density lipoproteins, the main source of the buildup that narrows arteries.
In simple terms Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in blood pressure that happens when someone stands up. For a few seconds, less blood reaches the brain. The usual result is lightheadedness or dizziness on rising. About one third of people who meet the clinical definition feel nothing at all. How it works The definition is
Orthostatic hypotension is a drop in blood pressure on standing, of at least 20 mm Hg systolic or 10 mm Hg diastolic within three minutes.
In simple terms Primary aldosteronism is a hormone disorder in which the adrenal glands, which sit on top of the kidneys, release too much aldosterone. The extra hormone pushes blood pressure up. It is also called Conn syndrome. The word primary means the problem starts in the adrenal glands themselves. How it works Aldosterone tells
Primary aldosteronism is a disorder in which the adrenal glands make too much aldosterone, which raises blood pressure.
In simple terms A prognosis is a forecast, not a verdict. It is a medically informed prediction about the likely outcome of a condition. It answers a different question from a diagnosis. Diagnosis names what the problem is. Prognosis estimates where it is heading. How it works Clinicians weigh several things: the type of condition,
A prognosis is a medically informed estimate of how a condition is likely to develop, and how likely recovery is.
In simple terms A randomized controlled trial, usually shortened to RCT, is an experiment on people. Some receive the treatment being tested and others do not, and who gets what is decided by chance. Chance is the whole point. It is the most reliable way to make the groups comparable before the treatment starts. How
A randomized controlled trial tests a treatment by assigning participants to groups purely by chance, then comparing what happens to each group.