Diseases & conditions A-Z List
Diseases & Conditions A-Z List - «C»:
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Chloride in diet
Chloride is a salt consisting of two elements, one of which is chlorine. Chloride makes up about 0.15% of the body weight and is found in the fluid outside cells.
Function
Chloride is needed to keep the proper balance of body fluids. It is an essential part of digestive (stomach) juices.
Food Sour...
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Chloride test - blood
Chloride is a type of electrolyte. It works with other electrolytes such as potassium, sodium, and carbon dioxide (CO2) to help keep the proper balance of body fluids and maintain the body's acid-base balance.
This article discusses the laboratory test to measures the amount of chloride in the fluid...
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Choanal atresia
Choanal atresia is a narrowing or blockage of the nasal airway by tissue. It is a congenital condition, meaning it is present at birth.
Causes
The cause of choanal atresia is unknown. It is thought to occur when the thin tissue separating the nose and mouth area during fetal development remains aft...
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Choking - adult or child over 1 year
Choking is when someone can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe).
Considerations
A choking person's airway may be completely or partially blocked, so that not enough oxygen reaches the lungs. A complete blockage is a medical emergency. A parti...
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Choking - infant under 1 year
Choking is when an infant can't breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the airway (throat or windpipe).
Considerations
A choking infant's airway may be completely or partially blocked. A complete blockage is a medical emergency. A partial obstruction can quickly become life threat...
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Choking - unconscious adult or child over 1 year
Choking is when someone cannot breathe because food, a toy, or other object is blocking the throat or windpipe (airway).
Considerations
A choking person's airway may be completely or partially blocked so that not enough oxygen reaches the lungs. A complete blockage is a medical emergency. A partial...
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Cholangiocarcinoma
Cholangiocarcinoma is a cancerous (malignant) growth in one of the ducts that carries bile from the liver to the small intestine.
Causes
Cancerous tumors of the bile ducts are usually slow-growing and do not spread (metastasize) quickly. However, many of these tumors are already advanced by the tim...
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Cholangitis
Cholangitis is an infection of the common bile duct, the tube that carries bile from the liver to the gallbladder and intestines. Bile is a liquid made by the liver that helps digest food.
Causes
Cholangitis is usually caused by a bacterial infection, which can occur when the duct is blocked by som...
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Choledocholithiasis
Choledocholithiasis is the presence of a gallstone in the common bile duct. The stone may consist of bile pigments or calcium and cholesterol salts.
Causes
About 15% of people with gallstones will develop stones in the common bile duct, the small tube that carries bile from the gallbladder to the i...
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Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that causes a large amount of watery diarrhea.
Causes
Cholera is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The bacteria releases a toxin that causes increased release of water in the intestines, which produces severe diarrhea.
Cholera occurs in places w...
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Cholestasis
Cholestasis is any condition in which the flow of bile from the liver is blocked.
Causes
There are many causes of cholestasis.
Extrahepatic cholestasis occurs outside the liver. It can be caused by:
Bile duct tumors
Cysts
Narrowing of the bile duct (strictures)
Stones in the common bile duct
Panc...
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Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst located in the middle ear.
Causes
Cholesteatoma can be a birth defect (congenital), but it more commonly occurs as a complication of chronic ear infection.
Poor function in the eustachian tube leads to negative pressure in the middle ear. This pulls a part of th...
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Cholesterol - drug treatment
Your body needs cholesterol to work properly. But cholesterol levels that are too high can be life threatening.
When you have extra cholesterol in your blood, it builds up inside the walls of your heart’s arteries (blood vessels). This buildup is called plaque. It narrows your arteries and re...
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Cholesterol - what to ask your doctor
Your body needs cholesterol to work properly. When you have extra cholesterol in your blood, it builds up inside the walls of your arteries (blood vessels), including the ones that go to your heart. This buildup is called plaque.
Plaque narrows your arteries and slows or stops the blood flow. This c...
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Cholesterol and lifestyle
Your body needs cholesterol to work well. But cholesterol levels that are too high can be dangerous.
Extra cholesterol in your blood builds up inside the walls of your heart’s arteries (blood vessels). This buildup is called plaque. It narrows your arteries and reduces, or even stops, the blo...
