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Vasotec (enalapril) is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor that is most commonly used to treat people with hypertension and/or heart failure. ACE inhibitors block a key enzyme in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS). This system is a cascade of enzymes that work together to regulate blood pressure and the concentration of sodium in the blood. Angiotensin II constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Vasotec inhibits ACE. Inhibition of ACE decreases levels of angiotensin II, leading to less vasoconstriction and decreased blood pressure....

Vitiligo is a condition that causes patches of the skin to lose their natural color. White or lightened patches form when melanocytes (pigment cells that give color to our skin, hair, and eyes) are mistakenly destroyed by the body’s immune system. This article is part of Health Divide: Skin Conditions and Darker Skin, a destination in our Health Divide series. While vitiligo affects people of all skin types, it tends to be more noticeable in people with darker skin tones, contributing to additional stigmatization and psychological stress in members of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities....

Although physical rehabilitation is similar to physical therapy, and the two terms are often used interchangeably, there are also some significant differences. Physical rehabilitation is a more inclusive term of various professions, while physical therapy falls under the scope of physical rehabilitation. Read more about the differences in this overview on physical rehabilitation. What Is Physical Rehabilitation? Physical rehabilitation is the process that an injured or deconditioned person goes through to restore their physical functioning....

When you’re facing treatment for cancer, you may start hearing about infusion treatments, therapies, and clinics. Infusions are a way to deliver drugs and medications directly into the bloodstream instead of taking them as pills or liquids. Infusion treatments are commonly used to deliver chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy to treat cancer. Infusion therapies are liquids usually given from a plastic bag filled with medicine that’s attached to a thin, soft tube called a catheter that delivers the fluid into your body through a vein....

Is there a link between diabetes and depression? Researchers have found that diabetes and depression occur about twice as often together as they do without. Depression is more than just the normal stressors of everyday demands. It is a medical illness that causes feelings of sadness and can interfere with your daily home and work life. It often leads to a loss of interest in things you once enjoyed and may also interrupt how well you manage your diabetes....

A lung cancer diagnosis doesn’t just affect a person physically and emotionally. Costly tests and treatments can also put a strain on your finances, even if you have health insurance coverage. These unanticipated costs can be a source of stress and may discourage patients from pursuing potentially lifesaving treatment options. Having health insurance can help reduce the amount you will pay for cancer care, which can include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery, and targeted drugs....

Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when nerves in the carpal tunnel (a passageway between the palm and wrist) become compressed. People with carpal tunnel syndrome experience pain that makes it difficult to use their hands. There are various treatment options available for carpal tunnel syndrome, including carpal tunnel injections and carpal tunnel surgery. This article discusses the two treatments and the benefits and side effects. What to Know About Carpal Tunnel Injections Carpal tunnel injections are considered a non-surgical treatment option for carpal tunnel syndrome....

Cytotoxic means that a substance or process can damage cells or cause them to die. “Cyto” means cell and “toxic” means poison. You might hear the word when talking about chemotherapy drugs that kill cancer cells. It can also describe other toxins like venom from snakes. The human immune system even has cells that are cytotoxic: T-cells kill bacteria, viruses, and cancer cells. This article will go over the different types of cytotoxic substances....

Stem cell therapy has the potential to treat a number of conditions. It is a procedure that injects stem cells into the blood, spinal canal, or tissue so that they can replace or repair cells that are causing disease. Stem cells have the potential to become almost any cell type in the body. The hope is that these stem cells will develop into the right type of cell, that they will take the place of any dysfunctional or diseased cells, and that they will last over time....

Knee pain can make it tough to exercise. However, it’s important to keep moving because exercise is key to restoring knee function, decreasing pain, and losing extra pounds. The best exercises for bad knees are low impact and help strengthen the muscles that support the knee. Read on to learn which exercises are safe for painful knees versus those you should avoid. Causes of Knee Pain There are numerous causes of knee pain....

Leukoplakia is a mouth condition involving thickened white patches on the mucous membranes (lining) of the mouth, gums, or tongue. It is most often caused by smoking or other types of tobacco use (such as using chewing tobacco). Some sources report that 80% of those with leukoplakia are smokers. In fact, several studies found that “the prevalence of smoking was as high as 82% to 100% in leukoplakia patients.” However, other types of irritants can cause leukoplakia as well....

One of the challenges of Lyme disease, a bacterial infection transmitted by tick bite, is ensuring proper diagnosis. The symptoms can mimic the flu, and not everyone develops the “bullseye rash” that is usually a sign. Alongside evaluation of symptoms, several tests may be needed. Blood tests include enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) and the Western blot blood test. Assessment of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) using spinal tap and other tests may be done if symptoms warrant....

Microdosing means taking a tiny fraction of a full dose of psychedelic substances, such as lysergic acid diethylamide (also known LSD or “acid”) or psilocybin mushrooms, (also known as magic mushrooms). Research on the benefits and effects are largely inconclusive, and many medical professionals are split on whether or not microdoses cause a placebo effect or recall bias (remembering events as they wanted them to be rather than what they were)....

While nabumetone has many benefits, some risks can occur if you mix the medication with other drugs. Available by prescription only, nabumetone is a long-acting nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that works by stopping the body’s production of a substance that causes fever, pain, and inflammation. If you live with chronic arthritis—osteoarthritis or rheumatoid arthritis—your healthcare provider may prescribe nabumetone to relieve the pain, tenderness, swelling, and stiffness that can accompany those conditions....

Coping with menopause can involve using lifestyle approaches that include natural remedies for managing symptoms, such as hot flashes. Everyone experiences menopause a little differently and you might feel better with some natural approaches, but not others. And some natural remedies can help with more than one symptom of menopause, so this may impact your experience as well. This article discusses common natural approaches for managing menopause symptoms—and also lets you know that some haven’t been shown to be helpful....

There are ways to avoid getting shingles, and vaccination is the most effective way. Your shingles prevention strategy will depend on your age and whether you’ve had chickenpox. If you’re an older adult who had chickenpox as a child, the best way to avoid getting shingles is to get a shingles vaccine, which is approved for people aged 50 and older. Stress can trigger shingles, so managing stress can help prevent this condition....

Preventing herpes can be challenging given that so many people have the disease and don’t even know it. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), no less than 87% of people with genital herpes in the United States are undiagnosed. Genital herpes is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) caused mainly by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) but also increasingly by herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), the type commonly associated with cold sores....

Primary insomnia is a condition characterized by difficulty sleeping. Unlike secondary insomnia, primary insomnia isn’t the result of medication side effects or medical or psychological problems. The sleeplessness caused by primary insomnia can be frustrating for you at bedtime, and you can end up feeling tired or irritable throughout the day. Primary insomnia is fairly common, and sometimes it can resolve without treatment. But if you are having persistent insomnia, you may need a diagnostic evaluation, including blood tests or an overnight sleep study to determine whether there is an underlying cause....

Psoriatic arthritis is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes symptoms like pain, joint stiffness, and skin lesions called plaques. There are many ways to treat psoriatic arthritis. Cost of treatment depends on several factors like severity of symptoms, what treatments are used, and insurance coverage. This article covers psoriatic arthritis treatment with private insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, and other methods. Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Options Psoriatic arthritis treatment options can include: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs): These are anti-inflammatory drugs for pain and swelling....

Percutaneous umbilical cord blood sampling, or PUBS, is a test used to diagnose fetal abnormalities before a baby is born. This test is different from an amniocentesis and can help identify multiple concerns for an unborn baby. It is less common than amniocentesis and chorionic villus sampling (CVS) but it is still used in some cases where these tests and procedures cannot provide the information or benefit that PUBS can....