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Breast Cancer
WHAT IS BREAST CANCER?
The breasts are composed of fat, connective and glandular. In this tissue are the milk producing glands which are born 15 or 20 mammary ducts, to carry milk to the nipple, surrounded by the areola. These lobules and ducts are located in the stroma, adipose tissue, which are also blood vessels and lymphatics. The breast tissues are connected also with a group of lymph nodes, located in the armpit. These nodes are key to the diagnosis of breast cancer, since cancer cells spread to other parts of the body through the lymphatic system. When speaking of sentinel node refers precisely to the node nearest to the place where cancer is located.
Breast cancer is abnormal and disordered growth of cells in this tissue. The breast consists of a series of mammary glands that produce milk after birth, and which are called lobes and lobules. The lobes are connected by pipes, ducts, which are the leading milk to the nipple during lactation, to feed the baby. The glands (or lobes) and the ducts are embedded in adipose tissue and connective tissue, which, together with the lymphoid tissue, forming the breast. As a retaining wall, pectoral muscle acts which lies between the ribs and breast. The skin covers and protects the entire breast structure.
The lymphatic system consists of containers and vessels or tubes that contain and carry the lymph, a colorless liquid consisting of white blood cells, mostly lymphocytes. These cells recognize any substance foreign to the body and release substances that destroy the offending agent.
Hypertensive Disorders

Hypertension in Children
In recent years there has been an increase in childhood obesity and an alarming increase in the number of hypertensive children. Hence, extreme care is for children to prevent their occurrence. Balanced diet, exercise and blood pressure controls are vital.
To make a correct measurement of blood pressure in childhood is necessary to use sleeves of a size suitable to the child’s arm. For that reason there are appropriate models to measure at any age.
Hypertension in Women
Women typically have systolic blood pressure values lower than those of men. However, systolic blood pressure increased with age in a more pronounced in women: above 60 years women have higher blood pressure numbers, increasing the frequency of hypertension in this age group.
Oral contraceptives also cause a slight elevation of blood pressure in most women and can cause hypertension in a small proportion. The same applies to the hormone replacement therapy.
Hypertension and pregnancy
Hypertensive disorders of pregnancy remain a major cause of problems during pregnancy that cause disease in the fetus and the neonatal period. Normally, blood pressure decreases in the second quarter and third quarter, the figures usually return to pre-pregnancy values. These changes may increase in some cases and cause complications, so it is extremely important to control blood pressure numbers during this time.
Hypertension in elderly
As systolic blood pressure rises with age, has long considered it normal that at older ages is get high blood pressure. Today we know the figures for blood pressure should remain within normal ranges for all ages to reduce the risk of cardiovascular complications.
Hypertention Affects

How blood pressure affects the brain?
When arteries become stiff and narrow, blood flow is insufficient and causes the onset of stroke (stroke or ischemic stroke). Elevated blood pressure can also cause rupture of an artery and cause a brain hemorrhage (stroke or hemorrhagic stroke).
How blood pressure affects the kidneys?
Hypertension causes stiffness in the arteries that supply blood to the kidneys. But also damages the kidney itself, which can lead to kidney failure requiring dialysis even. Furthermore, if the kidney is damaged it can cause increased blood pressure.
How blood pressure affects other organs?
* If it affects the arteries of the legs causes pain when walking.
* If you damage the arteries of the retina causes alterations in vision.
* In men may cause impotence.
What are normal levels of blood pressure?
* Normal blood pressure. The maximum levels of systolic blood pressure (maximum) are between 120-129 mmHg, and diastolic (minimum) between 80 and 84 mmHg. Also lower numbers are considered normal, provided they do not cause any symptoms.
* High-normal blood pressure. The figures for systolic blood pressure (maximum) are between 130-139 mmHg, and diastolic (minimum) between 80-89 mmHg. In people with diabetes, affecting the heart (ventricular hypertrophy) or kidney damage, the levels above 130/80 mmHg are considered too high.
Is there blood pressure compensated?
You can talk about high blood pressure, normal or low, but never compensated or decompensated. On a practical level, these three possibilities are negative:
* Have high peak pressure (systolic) or the minimum (diastolic).
* Have at least as high as the maximum.
* Have a high and one low is also bad.
Treatment and Prevention Hypertension

The best treatment of hypertension is a good prevention to avoid their occurrence.This is essential to follow a heart-healthy lifestyle:
* Do not smoke. The snuff raises blood pressure and heart rate. In addition, hypertensive smokers multiply the detrimental effect of snuff. Quitting smoking has positive effects outweigh any medication for hypertension.
* Be careful with alcohol. Moderate consumption of alcohol (a glass of wine daily with meals) may be beneficial, but if it causes excessive increase in blood pressure and other harmful changes the heart and other organs.
* Control your weight. Overweight is a cause of hypertension. Reducing it lowers blood pressure and reduces cardiovascular risk and diabetes.
* Exercise. Conducting regular exercise lowers blood pressure numbers. It increases muscle mass and exercise capacity, helps control weight and reduce cardiovascular risk achieved.
* Practice a heart-healthy diet. Hypertensive patients should reduce salt intake and foods that contain it. It is also necessary to consume fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, bread and other cereals. Finally, using olive oil as main fat and increasing intake of poultry and fish at the expense of red meat.
* Drug treatment. If you are hypertensive you can not settle for the above recommendations, as you may need to continue drug treatment. The results do not always reflect an immediate reduction in blood pressure, so it is necessary to wait a bit before the doctor put to a medication change.
Antihypertensive drugs are grouped into several types:
1. Diuretics.
2. Renin angiotensin system inhibitors (ACEI).
3. Antagonists of angiotensin receptor (ARB)
4. Calcium antagonists.
5. Beta-blockers.
6. Association of drugs.
Patients who continue antihypertensive treatment should consider these tips:
* Although blood pressure has returned to normal should not stop taking the medication before.
* Strictly adhere to the treatment and try to always keep the time of intake of the pills.
* Consultation with the doctor if treatment is not successful here, because sometimes it is necessary to involve several drugs to control blood pressure. Check also whether a specific food diet (eg, salt) is blocking the antihypertensive effect of the medication.
* The treatment should always be reconciled with the heart-healthy lifestyle.
* Watch other risk factors, because if not, your good blood pressure numbers will not help much.
Hypertension Diagnosis

How to diagnosis?
Diagnosis is based on a simple measurement procedure, although in some cases the need for further tests such as blood pressure holter. It is imperative to complete the study with laboratory tests (blood and urine) and an electrocardiogram. To facilitate a diagnosis is very important to consider these recommendations:
* High blood pressure causes no symptoms and may go unnoticed.
* It is more common after age 40 but can appear at any age.
* There is familial predisposition, but also occurs in people with no history.
How to measure?
Blood pressure is measured by devices called a sphygmomanometer, popularly known as sphygmomanometers, which are subject to regulatory approvals and validations. To correct the measurement obtained must follow a number of indications:
* As the blood pressure changes throughout the day and night, make the measurement always at the same time.
* Find a quiet room without noise or interruption, with a temperature of 20-25 º C.
* You must be relaxed. No drinking, eating, smoking or physical exercise half an hour earlier.
* Rest 5 minutes before the seizure.
* Sit comfortably with your back against the back of the chair, uncross your legs and take off clothing that may oppress his arm.
* If the tensiometer is arm cuff placed two or three inches above the elbow. Let the palms face up and the elbow slightly flexed at heart level.
* If the tensiometer is wrist, put the wrist strap to the heart.
* Do not talk during measurement.
* Make two separate measures at least two minutes and keep the result of the average of both.
* Point values obtained to inform your doctor.
High Cholesterol or Hypercholesterolemia

Cholesterol is a type of fat (lipid) that is synthesized in the body. It is essential for good health and is in all body cells. However, a high level of blood cholesterol (hypercholesterolaemia) is associated with an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Seven out of ten people over 45 have high cholesterol.
Why is high cholesterol a problem?
The most serious consequence associated with high cholesterol is cardiovascular disease (CVD). This includes diseases of the heart and blood vessels. High cholesterol causes a narrowing of blood vessels with fatty deposits called atherosclerotic plaques. This can lead to heart attacks, strokes and blood vessel disease throughout the body.
What increases cholesterol levels?
Several factors may contribute to increased blood cholesterol:
* A diet rich in saturated fats and to a lesser degree, rich in cholesterol (see below how diet affects cholesterol)
* Lack of exercise can increase LDL or “bad” cholesterol and decrease HDL or “good cholesterol”
* Family history – people are at increased risk of high cholesterol show if a direct male relative younger than 55 years, or a direct female relative under age 65 suffer heart disease.
* Being overweight, which can increase LDL or “bad” cholesterol and decrease HDL or “good cholesterol”
* The age and sex – cholesterol generally rises slightly with age, and men are likely to be affected to a greater extent than women.
* Drinking more alcohol than the recommended (ie, in the case of man who takes more than three or four units a day and in the case of women who drink two to three units per day)
In rare cases, cholesterol levels may rise due to a condition known as familial lipid disorder (familial hypercholesterolemia). Approximately 1 in 500 people suffer from this condition.
Other conditions such as poorly controlled diabetes, certain kidney and liver diseases and an underactive thyroid gland (hypothyroidism) may also cause a rise in cholesterol levels. Some medications such as beta blockers, steroids or thiazides (a type of diuretic) may also affect blood lipid levels.
Cholesterol Control

To get control their high cholesterol, think about the things that affect cholesterol levels. Then Make a practical plan to make the changes you need to lower your cholesterol.
Regular exercise increases the level of “good” cholesterol, known as HDL. HDL helps remove LDL from the blood. Remember, it is the LDL cholesterol that can form plaques in the artery walls. It is also important to remember that the heart is a muscle like any other, must be active. That’s another reason why exercise is so important to stay healthy.
Ask your doctor about the exercise program for you. The most common objective of heart-healthy exercise is to practice 20 minutes of moderate exercise three times a week.
Many people find that at first do very good exercise, but eventually find reasons to quit. It will be easier to continue your exercise program if:
* Practice various types of exercise, not one.
* Do not start too abruptly.
* Above all, enjoy!
Take another step toward its goal of LDL cholesterol through exercise program
Everyone should exercise, but it is especially important if you intend to reduce its colesterol.El exercise can make a huge difference in reducing your risk of heart disease and also help reduce weight. Once you have started, was surprised at how well and is improving its appearance.
Be more active in their daily routine.
Try to walk whenever possible, instead of driving or using public transport. Walking is an excellent form of exercise you can practice without risk virtually everyone.
Take the stairs instead of elevators. Climbing stairs exercises the lower body (hips, thighs and legs) and stronger.
Vacuuming, mowing the lawn, take care of the garden and other household chores also increased their activity level. If you’re an average adult consumes daily the equivalent of a fat stick margarine. This type of diet increases cholesterol and the risk of heart disease and stroke.
If there is anything I should remember about the healthy diet would prevent the fat, especially saturated fats. Better that than “low-cholesterol diet, which means eliminating as much fat as possible.
Cholesterol and Cardiovascular Risk
What is cholesterol?
Other names: High density lipoproteins (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), Triglycerides
Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to protect nerves, make cell tissues and produce certain hormones. Most of the cholesterol in your body is produced by the liver. The body needs a certain amount of cholesterol to function properly. But too much cholesterol in the blood can stick to artery walls. This is called plaque. The plaques can narrow the arteries or even block them. Some cholesterol comes from foods such as eggs, meat and dairy products.
Why a high cholesterol level unhealthy?
Although for good health requires some cholesterol, too much cholesterol in your blood can increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.
The excess cholesterol is in your blood can be stored within the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the rest of the body and are known as arteries. The accumulation of cholesterol called plaque inside their arteries will cause them to narrow. This is called atherosclerosis. Large deposits of cholesterol can completely block the artery so that blood can not flow through it.
If coronary artery is the vessel that supplies blood to the muscles in your heart becomes blocked, it may be a heart attack. If an artery that supplies blood to your brain becomes blocked, a stroke can occur.
Cholesterol levels tend to increase with age. Increased cholesterol usually has no signs or symptoms but can be detected by a blood test. You have the chance to have a high cholesterol level if you have a family history, overweight, or eat a lot of greasy foods.
Hypertension and cardiovascular risk

The disease may go unnoticed and is most common after age 40 but can appear at any age. Learn.
Hypertension: what is it?
In the elevation of blood pressure levels on a continuous and sustained. To better understand the importance of defining the pressure. The heart puts pressure on the arteries so that they lead the blood to different organs of the body. This action is what is known as blood pressure. The maximum pressure obtained in each heart contraction and the lowest, with each relaxation.
Hypertension: why is a risk factor?
* Hypertension is a greater resistance to the heart, which responds by increasing muscle mass (left ventricular hypertrophy) to deal with that overexertion. This increase in muscle mass turns out to be harmful because it is not accompanied by an equivalent increase in blood flow and can lead to heart failure and angina. In addition, the heart muscle becomes irritable and occur more arrhythmias.
* In patients who have already had a heart problem, hypertension can increase the damage.
* It promotes atherosclerosis (accumulation of cholesterol in the arteries) and thrombosis phenomena (can cause heart attack or stroke). In the worst cases, hypertension may soften the walls of the aorta and cause its dilatation (aneurysm) or break (which would inevitably cause death).