Dog bite definition and facts In the U.S., there are about 4.5 million dog bites a year. Dog bites account for up to 90% of all animal bites. 4.5 million dog bites occur each year in the U.S., and more than 27,000 victims require reconstructive surgery. Injuries may involve structures deep beneath the skin including muscles, bones, nerves, and blood...
What Is the Difference Between Electrocardiogram vs. Electrocardiograph?
What is an electrocardiogram? An electrocardiogram or electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG) is the same thing. An electrocardiogram or electrocardiograph (ECG or EKG) is the same thing. An EKG is a test that examines the heart function by measuring the electrical activity of the heart. With each heartbeat, an electrical impulse (or wave) travels through the heart. This wave causes the...
What Are NNRTIs In Antiretroviral Therapy for HIV Infection?
What are NNRTIs in antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection? Non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) are one of the classes of drugs that form part of the antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The first NNRTI drug was introduced in 1996, and since then this drug class has been an integral part of HIV treatment. What is antiretroviral...
What ART Drugs Prevent HIV Entry into the Human Immune Cell?
What is antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection? Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is a complete treatment regimen for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, with a combination of three or more classes of drugs. Each drug class targets the virus at a different stage in its replication cycle, which improves the chances of controlling the infection. HIV infection has...
What Are the Single-Tablet ART Regimens for HIV Infection?
What is HIV infection? Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is caused by a virus that attacks the T-cells of the human immune system. This results in progressive weakening of the immune system leading to acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), when the body is no longer able to fight infection effectively. HIV has no cure and can only be controlled by...
How do protease inhibitors work in antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection?
What are protease inhibitors in antiretroviral therapy for HIV infection? Protease inhibitors are one of the classes of drugs in the combination of drugs used for antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Protease inhibitors were first introduced in 1995 and are effective for both HIV-1 and HIV-2 infections. Nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) form the backbone of...
How Do Integrase Strand-Transfer Inhibitors Work in ART for HIV?
What are integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) in antiretroviral therapy (ART) for HIV infection? Integrase strand-transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are one of the latest additions to the classes of drugs used in antiretroviral therapy (ART) for human immunodeficiency (HIV) infection. The first integrase strand-transfer inhibitor came into use in 2007, as part of the ART regimen with nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs)....
Why Is My Head Itching So Bad? 10 Causes
Ten common reasons for head itching include infectious or autoimmune disease and allergic reactions. When your head itches continuously, there may be many contributory factors. Head itching can be irritating and troublesome. Finding the cause and treating it should be a priority. Ten common reasons for head itching include infectious or autoimmune disease and allergic reactions. Which infectious diseases cause...
What Is an Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump Used For?
What is an intra-aortic balloon pump? IABP is performed when the heart isn’t getting enough blood or isn’t pumping out to the rest of the body. Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation or intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is a type of therapeutic device which helps the heart to pump more blood. The IABP consists of a thin, flexible tube called a catheter. Attached to the...
What Is Laparoscopic Left Colectomy/Hemicolectomy?
What is the colon? The colon is part of the digestive system. It is also called the large intestine or large bowel. The colon is situated inside the abdominal cavity and travels down the left side of the abdomen and ends at the anus. Laparoscopic colectomy treats and prevents diseases and conditions of the colon. One of the main functions...