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What Is Opsumit? Opsumit (macitentan) is an oral prescription medication used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs. It belongs to a class of drugs called endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs). Opsumit blocks endothelin-1 (ET-1) activity in the vascular endothelium (a layer of the inner cellular lining of blood vessels) and the smooth muscle in your lungs. Endothelin is a type of protein in your body that usually tightens your blood vessels and raises blood pressure....

Syphilis is a common sexually transmitted infection (STI) that is characterized by painless sores. It is typically contracted through genital, anal, or oral sexual activity. It is known to be a highly contagious bacterial infection. This article discusses the symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment for oral syphilis. Syphilis Symptoms Oral syphilis occurs when someone contracts the infection orally. When this happens, the initial symptom is one or multiple sores, known as chancres....

If your loved one has been diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), you might not always know how PsA can affect them physically and emotionally. PsA can impact mental health, and mental health can also affect PsA. People with the condition need to seek help from a mental health professional to treat depression or anxiety if they occur. Not doing anything can worsen PsA symptoms and pain, and PsA can exacerbate depression and anxiety....

Pulmonary embolism is a common medical disorder that can have serious consequences. Appropriate treatment, delivered expeditiously, is important for optimizing the chances of a full recovery. Giving the appropriate treatment requires making the correct diagnosis as quickly as possible. Over time, experts have developed a three-step approach designed to rapidly rule out or diagnose a pulmonary embolus without exposure to unnecessary testing. These steps include: Step one: A clinical assessment of symptoms and risk factorsStep two: A blood test to check for evidence of a pulmonary embolusStep three; Imaging tests to look at blood flow to the lung tissue This article will discuss those diagnostic steps in detail, as well as what healthcare providers do in emergencies, when there isn’t time for a full workup....

Partial knee replacement is a treatment for severe arthritis of the knee joint. It can be an alternative to total knee replacement in certain situations. A partial knee replacement is a more limited procedure than a total knee replacement, and it involves a faster recovery. You might be a candidate for a partial knee replacement if your knee arthritis isn’t extensive. Also, there’s some evidence that a partial knee replacement does not last as long as a total knee replacement....

Scurvy—a potentially fatal medical condition caused by vitamin C deficiency—is not common. However, this nutritional deficit does occur, even in developed countries like the United States. The symptoms of scurvy can be subtle—including fatigue and easy bruising. Because it is uncommon, scurvy is not typically among the first diagnoses considered when you or your child complain of these effects. And it is not customary to screen for vitamin C levels on a routine blood test....

In the United States, colon cancer is the third most common type of cancer diagnosed in men each year. Colon cancer occurs in both men and women, but it is more common in men, particularly Black men. Overall, for every 100,000 men, 43.2 are expected to be diagnosed with colon cancer per year (compared to 33.3 women). Unfortunately, colon cancer is the second most deadly cancer, with 16.3 men of every 100,000 dying from it each year (compared to 11....

Slippery elm (Ulmus rubra) is a member of the elm tree family that is native to North America. It has been used for centuries in traditional medicine due to its perceived benefits, including the ability to soothe a sore throat, treat wounds, and ease digestive disorder symptoms. However, scientific evidence is lacking. For health benefits, only the inner bark of slippery elm is used. This is due to substances in the inner bark that increase mucus production in the human body....

Spina bifida, which literally means “cleft spine,” is a birth defect in which vertebrae do not form correctly around a developing baby’s spinal cord. A type of neural tube defect, spina bifida can be so mild as to be asymptomatic or so extensive a portion of the spinal cord protrudes from an opening in the spine, leading to complications such as paralysis and incontinence. Treatment may involve surgery to close up the opening in the spine as well as managing complications....

What Is Suboxone? Suboxone (buprenorphine and naloxone) is an orally administered prescription drug used to treat the symptoms of opioid dependence or addiction in adults 18 and older. Suboxone is classified as a Schedule III narcotic under the Controlled Substances Act. Suboxone contains two active drugs: Buprenorphine, a mixed opioid agonist-antagonist, and naloxone, an opioid antagonist. Buprenorphine is an effective treatment for opioid dependence that blocks opioid receptors in the brain to prevent withdrawal symptoms....

Heart failure isn’t just a condition that can compromise the ability of your heart to pump blood. It can reduce the amount of oxygen and nutrients that blood delivers to every other organ system in the body. More than six million adults in America live with this condition. Management of heart failure requires careful consideration of lifestyle factors like diet, exercise, and strict medication adherence. Eating too much salt, skipping a medication, or even overexertion for a day can tip the scales and lead you to an exacerbation of your condition....

A teratogen is a substance that may lead to birth defects in an embryo or fetus. During pregnancy, exposure to certain chemicals, infections, and drugs may increase the risk that a person will miscarry or that the embryo or fetus could have a developmental abnormality. Alcohol and smoking are two common teratogens. Exposure to either of them can lead to developmental anomalies, miscarriage, stillbirth, preterm labor, and a variety of other pregnancy complications....

It’s estimated that about one-fourth of people with diabetes don’t know it. If you have symptoms or are at risk, getting tested is important for treatment and to avoid complications. Here’s what you need to know about screening for type 2 diabetes and the next steps after you’ve been tested. Who Should Be Screened? Knowing your risk for type 2 diabetes can help you determine if you should be screened. Risk factors include:...

Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome is a condition in which a female is born normal external genitalia, but an underdeveloped vagina and uterus—or neither of these organs at all. MRKH syndrome is a treatable but lifelong condition that may be associated with other complications. People with MRKH usually do not menstruate, for example, and may have urinary problems. This article explains MRKH syndrome, how type 1 and type 2 MRKH differ, and the possible underlying genetic causes of MRKH....

Early breast cancer detection is when cancer is found before it spreads (metastasizes) to areas other than the breast and lymph nodes in the armpit. Early detection is crucial as it is easier to treat and has a 99% survival rate when found and treated early. There are multiple ways to detect breast cancer early, including through routine screenings and tests, such as mammograms and physical breast exams. Learn about how to detect breast cancer early, the importance of routine screenings, and more....

African trypanosomiasis, or sleeping sickness, is a neglected tropical disease caused by a parasite and spread by the tsetse fly in sub-Saharan Africa. Infections begin with mild to moderate symptoms like fever and body aches before moving on to serious neurological issues that include sleep disturbances (which give the disease its name). How quickly the disease progresses depends on the specific subspecies responsible for the infection, though someone can be infected for months or even years before the first symptoms become apparent....

People with alcohol use disorder (AUD) have a brain disorder that makes it more challenging to avoid, misuse, and quit drinking altogether. This is why medical detox from alcohol and addiction treatment may be necessary. This article will explain what alcohol detox is, how to know if you need alcohol rehab, what withdrawal symptoms to expect, and which treatment program might be the right fit for you. What Is Alcohol Detox?...

Alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs) are oral diabetes medications that slow down the absorption of carbohydrates in your digestive system. Your healthcare provider may prescribe them if your blood sugar spikes after meals. These drugs can control blood sugar, but you may experience gastrointestinal side effects. Discuss with your healthcare provider whether they are right for you. This article discusses how AGIs work, their side effects, and warnings to be aware of....

In 2021, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cleared a new breast cancer vaccine to start clinical trials. You may wonder, what is a breast cancer vaccine, how does it work, and who gets one? Breast cancer vaccines aim to either prevent breast cancer from coming back or help treat it. They work by training the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells, just as a flu vaccine works by training the body to fight the flu virus....

Breast changes over the course of a woman’s life are common. Your genes and stage of life, from puberty to menopause, can all affect how your breasts develop, look, and feel. Sometimes breast lumps develop that are benign (noncancerous). Only 3% to 6% of breast lumps are due to breast cancer. Self-exams each month may be helpful in identifying the lumps, but an exam done by a healthcare provider is needed to find out for sure what’s going on in your breast....