Pharmacology is the auxiliary science of medicine that has helped us fight disease, pain and all kind of problems, but it has always encountered a problem: every person is quite unique from a genetic point of view, and that usually don’t represent a problem at all, most of the truly important differences are well known by physicians and are extremely rare from a statistical point of view; but in the last years we have got to know something we were previously ignoring complete

The blood pressure monitors at your GP surgery. The insulin pen used at home. The app tracking your heart rhythm. We trust these medical devices without a second thought, but few of us know what it actually takes for one to be approved for use. Step 1: The Idea and Early Design Medical devices play a fundamental role in modern healthcare, supporting the diagnosis, prevention, monitoring, and treatment of disease, as recognised by the European Commission [1]. Development typic

What is ADHD? Before jumping into how ADHD medications actually work within the body, it is important to define what it is. ADHD is the acronym for Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder. It is a very common neurodevelopment disorder found in both children and adults where individuals may have trouble controlling impulsive behaviors, may be unable to pay attention, and may poorly follow instructions (Cleveland Clinic, 2022). For many, the effects of ADHD can be effectively

Deep Vein Thrombosis, or DVT, occurs when a blood clot forms in a vein located deep within the body, typically in the thigh or calf. The circulatory system can be thought of as a network of internal pipes, where a DVT is essentially a blockage in one of the primary lines. While the initial symptoms may feel like a minor leg cramp or increased swelling, these clots are serious because they can break loose, travel to the lungs, and cause a life-threatening emergency. Why Do The

Introduction If you’ve ever talked with friends or family about surgery, you may have noticed something interesting. No two people seem to have the exact same experience with anesthesia. Some wake up easily with minimal side effects, while others feel groggy, nauseated, or require higher doses of medication to stay comfortable. What explains these differences? Research has shown that anesthesia response can vary widely from person to person, and genetics play a major role in

Crohn's disease (CD) represents a complex, chronic, and progressive inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. It is a subtype of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that causes chronic inflammation throughout the digestive tract. Unlike ulcerative colitis, CD can affect any segment from the mouth to the anus and often penetrates the deeper layers of the bowel wall. Because inflammation can penetrate deep into the bowel wall, it can lead to complications like strictur

Let's say you're a breastfeeding mother, and you notice a hard, tender lump on one of your breasts. Maybe it's red. Maybe you're having pain during letdown (the initial flow of milk every time your baby starts nursing). Unfortunately, it sounds like you have clogged milk duct . Breasts are made up of several milk ducts. Milk ducts are essentially small tubes in the breast that transport milk from the milk-producing glands to your nipple. When one of these ducts becomes blocke

The normal pH of blood lies between 7.35 to 7.45 which is right around the neutral mark of 7. Generally anything over 7 is termed basic, while anything under is acidic. With respect to blood pH, anything under 7.35 is termed acidosis and anything over 7.45 is termed alkalosis. pH in the blood can change for a wide variety of different reasons, including breathing changes, exercise, and health complications. For example, during strenuous exercise, lactic acid accumulates in th

A series of articles exploring the botanical origins of the medicines we use every day by B. Kristine Burneko, MSN, APRN, PMHNP-BC, APHN-BC

The Surprising Plant Origins of Common Medicines: Roots, Branches, and Pain Relief

Core Premise Recent immunology and dermatology research is redefining the skin not just as a physical barrier, but as a biologically active organ that “remembers” prior inflammatory events through epigenetic and cellular reprogramming. This memory influences how skin responds to future insults and helps explain key clinical patterns in chronic inflammatory dermatoses. What Does “Memory” Mean in the Skin? In this context, “memory” refers to persistent changes in gene regulatio

Introduction Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) harboring mutations in the Human Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor 2 (ERBB2 or HER2) represents a distinct and historically challenging clinical subset, accounting for approximately 2–4% of all NSCLC cases. While the therapeutic landscape has recently evolved with the approval of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) like trastuzumab deruxtecan (T-DXd), an effective, brain-penetrant, and tolerable oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) h

Woman sleeping, retrieved from: https://friendtex.com/best-cooling-pajamas/ Sleep Apnea Graphic Illustration, Retrieved from: https://www.salemhealth.org/you-matter/post/the-two-main-types-of-sleep-apnea-and-how-to-treat-them Among the United States population, it is estimated that 50-70 million U.S. adults have some sort of chronic sleep disorder (most notably Insomnia, Sleep Apnea, Restless Legs Syndrome, and Narcolepsy), with around 84 million not getting uninterrupted sle

We trust our ears to tell us the truth. Sometimes, it’s our eyes that decide what we think we’ve heard. Photo by Ümit Yıldırım  on Unsplash Imagine you’re standing across the road from a friend. Cars are passing, engines are loud, and the noise swallows most of what she’s saying. You see her mouth open wide, her face tense, her body leaning forward. Even before you fully hear her voice, your brain already assumes she’s shouting. In fact, you almost hear  it, just from the way

What do Joe Burrow, Brock Purdy, and Treylon Burks have in common? Beyond being high-profile NFL players, all three have been sidelined by a condition known as turf toe. Turf toe is an injury to the soft tissues surrounding the big toe joint. This joint is formed by two bones connected by ligaments, tendons, and other supporting structures. When excessive or abnormal force is placed on the joint, these soft tissues can become overstretched or torn, resulting in a turf toe inj

Sarah Bersey BSc (Hons) Pg Dip When I was a young child, you were either a reader or you weren’t.  Most of us did read off and on, as TV only had a few channels and there wasn’t any social media or an online world to lose ourselves in. A few weeks into a long school holiday had us reaching for books out of sheer boredom. These days I still know a lot of people that read for pleasure and reap the benefits.  However, modern life can rob us of the time to read if we let it, and

Overview Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare neurological condition in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the peripheral nerves, the network that carries messages between the brain and the rest of the body. This can cause weakness, numbness, and in severe cases, paralysis and difficulty breathing. Most people recover, but because symptoms can escalate quickly, early recognition and medical care are crucial. (1,2) What exactly is GBS? In GBS, the body’s defence sys

Natural Killer cells are part of the body’s innate immune system. Think of them as fast-acting armed guards—they’re the body’s first responders to threat. Scientists are working on turning these cells into something more akin to trained assassins. Numerous and diverse studies are being conducted around the world to use them against cancer. (1, 11) NK cells got their name in 1975 when Swedish researchers discovered them in mice. What made them unique was their ability to quick

Demodex (skin mites) https://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/what-are-demodex-mites Photo Credit: NANOCLUSTERING / SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Getty Image By Sarah Bersey BSc Hons Pg Dip We all get itchy sometimes, due to weather, seasonal factors like pollen and dust or reactions to clothing, cosmetics or jewelry. However, if you suffer from skin reddening and prolonged itching, burning or tingling on your face or scalp, or a "gritty" feeling in the eyes, it could be

I have worked at a local nursing home as a dietary aide since last summer, and have recently started working as a certified nursing assistant (CNA) as well. These two jobs have taught me numerous things, specifically how to care for people experiencing cognitive decline. It can be difficult to see loved ones face the challenges of memory loss, and you might feel like there is nothing that you can do to help. But there are many strategies for caring for these loved ones. In th