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Main Category: Respiratory / Asthma Also Included In: Vascular Article Date: 27 Dec 2012 - 0:00 PST People with asthma have an increased risk of pulmonary embolism, according to new research. A new study, published online ahead of print today (20 December 2012) in the European Respiratory Journal, looked at whether people with moderate or severe asthma had an increased risk of developing deep vein thrombosis, or pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary embolism is when the main artery of the lung or the bronchi becomes blocked. It usually results from deep vein thrombosis; a blood clot in the veins, which can break off and move around the body to the lung. Previous research has found links between chronic lung diseases and blood clots, such as deep vein thrombosis, but this is the first study to look at any potential links with asthma. The study examined 648 people with asthma in the Netherlands. All participants were aged between 18 and 88 years. Researchers examined participants' history of asthma and the medication they used to control their symptoms, along with any previous diagnoses of pulmonary embolism or deep vein thrombosis. They compared these results to people without asthma. The results demonstrated that people with severe asthma were almost 9 times more at risk of pulmonary embolism, compared to the general population. In addition, people with mild-moderate asthma tended to have a 3.5-times increased risk of pulmonary embolism. The study also identified oral corticosteroids as a potential risk factor for pulmonary embolism. Lead author, Dr Christof Majoor, from the Academic Medical Centre in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, said: "This is the first time a link has been found between asthma and pulmonary embolism and we believe these results have important clinical implications. Our findings suggest that people with severe asthma have an increased risk of pulmonary embolism and doctors should increase their awareness of the possibility of this occurrence in order to help prevent this serious event."

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Abdominal Pain News and Research Abdominal pain is traditionally described by its chronicity (acute or chronic), its progression over time, its nature (sharp, dull, colicky), its distribution (by various methods, such as abdominal quadrant (left upper quadrant, left lower quadrant, right upper quadrant, right lower quadrant) or other methods that divide the abdomen into nine sections), and by characterization of the factors that make it worse, or alleviate it.

Pain in Lower Right Abdomen Pain in lower right side of the abdomen can be an underlying symptom of several diseases and disorders. Knowing about the possible causes will help in finding proper treatment methods. Ads by Google Herbal Medicine Herbal Medicine, Chinese Medicine Natural Medicine Supplements www.herbalmedicine.us.com In most of the cases, abdominal pain is caused due to indigestion or constipation. However, if other symptoms are observed along with it, you cannot rule out the possibility of a severe underlying disorder. As several important organs are located in the right side of the stomach, there can be many possible causes for pain on the lower right side of the stomach. Causes Constipation Constipation is one of the most common causes of lower right abdominal pain. Constipation can occur due to a variety of reasons, like not drinking sufficient amounts of water, following a diet lacking in fiber, as a result of certain medication, etc. Constipation can affect people of all age groups.

Appendicitis After constipation, this is another common cause of pain, specifically in the lower right side of the abdomen. Appendicitis is the inflammation of the appendix which occurs due to no known reason. This condition is commonly found in people of age groups in between 11-40 years. Apart from abdominal pain, several other symptoms like fever, vomiting, loss of appetite, etc., are observed. Hernia Hernia is a condition that occurs when a part of the soft tissue protrudes through the abdominal wall. Along with pain in the abdomen, other symptoms like pain and swelling in the groin, upper thigh, vomiting and nausea, etc., are also observed. Kidney Stone Kidney stones are stones of calcium or uric acid that are formed due to their excess deposition in the body. Sharp pain in the lower abdomen that travels to the groin and also the back is the characteristic symptom of kidney stones. Ectopic Pregnancy Ectopic pregnancy is a disorder of pregnancy which occurs when the fertilized egg gets implanted somewhere else besides the uterus. In most of the cases, the egg gets implanted in the fallopian tubes. Pain in the lower right abdomen during pregnancy is usually caused due to ectopic pregnancy. Cancer Although rare, abdominal pain can also be one of the symptoms of colon cancer, bowel cancer, stomach cancer, ovarian cancer, etc. Cancer, as we know, is a disease caused when there is an uncontrolled growth of cells inside a specific organ.

Testicular Torsion This condition occurs when the testicle coils around the spermatic cord, resulting in sudden and severe pain. Nausea, vomiting, pain in the testicles, scrotum, abdominal pain, etc., are the symptoms of this condition. Apart from the above mentioned ones, diseases like Crohn's disease, diverticulitis, intestinal obstruction, kidney infection, gallbladder inflammation, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, ovarian cysts, ovarian torsion, etc., can also lead to stomach pain on the right side. Treatment It is wise to consult the doctor if you experience pain that lasts for a longer period, or comes and goes. The doctor will diagnose the cause of your stomach pain depending on your history; depending on tests like urine tests, X-ray, etc. As mentioned above, the nature of the pain also helps in identifying the cause up to some extent. Constipation can be treated with the help of medications, laxative, changes in diet, etc. Most of the conditions mentioned above can be treated with the help of medication or surgery. One must remember not to ignore abdominal pain of any kind as it is one of the potential symptoms of serious disorders. In case one experiences this symptom, he should immediately seek medical help. Take care! Disclaimer: This article is intended only to provide information; consulting the doctor is the only way to treat any disorder. By Madhura Pandit Last Updated: 9/5/2011 Read more at Buzzle: http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pain-in-lower-right-abdomen.html

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