Hepatitis A is an infection of the liver caused by the hepatitis A virus. The well-respected World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that almost 1.5 million new cases of hepatitis A related illnesses occur each year worldwide, with a much higher number of people than this affected without showing any symptoms. The condition is more prevalent in the developing world where poverty and sanitation issues are rampant.

Hepatitis A is regarded as an acute infection as opposed to a chronic one, but in rare occurrences it can cause liver damage that is life threatening. The severity of symptoms in patients with the virus varies from individual to individual and whereas some may have no symptoms at all, others may develop symptoms to those similar of catching flu. As a rule, the older a person is, the more severe the infection, and therefore the symptoms, will be.

Some of the symptoms associated with hepatitis A include tiredness, weakness, fever, headache, nausea, loss of appetite, vomiting, dehydration and diarrhea. After a week or so of these symptoms, jaundice will appear. This occurs because in hepatitis infections, the liver is unable to remove a substance known as bilirubin from the blood. The skin and whites of the eyes become a yellow color because of the buildup of this pigment.

Hepatitis can be avoided be taking the following precautions: high levels of personal hygiene, drinking safe tap water and getting vaccinated against the disease if a visit to a high risk country is to be taken.

Hepatitis B is a virus that affects the liver. It is more prevalent in Asia and Africa and can be either acute (more common), resolving itself relatively quickly with no long term liver damage, or chronic (in about 20% of cases) lasting six months or more, and sometimes even for life with symptoms coming and going randomly.

Hepatitis B is normally transmitted via contact with infected bodily fluids or blood and only a very small amount of blood is required to transmit the disease because it is that infectious. In the developed world the virus is normally spread via sharing of contaminated needles, unprotected sex and the sharing such things as razor blades. In less developed countries where blood products are not screened properly or medical equipment is not sterilized adequately, this can also lead to the spread of the virus.

Hepatitis B viruses have an incubation period of between six weeks and six months, but approximately one third of all cases show no symptoms of the disease at all. In another third of cases, symptoms appear flu-like in nature and can include aches, pains and weakness; fever; headaches; loss of appetite; jaundice; diarrhea; and, vomiting and nausea. In the last third of cases, the virus can cause severe illness that can last for a long time (many months in some cases).

Vaccines are available nowadays against hepatitis B, but treatment for those infected normally includes nothing more than rest and recuperation. Drug treatments may be required for chronic types of the disease, to prevent damage to the liver and other parts of the body.

Blood pressure is described as the pressure the force of blood applies to the artery walls as it flows through them. It is the pumping action of the heart that causes the blood to be under pressure. Normal blood pressure is an essential function in the workings of the body. Blood pressure is denoted by two numbers, 120/80 being an example (which happens to be considered an average blood pressure reading, by the way), with the first number being the systolic blood pressure, or the pressure when the heart is contracted while pumping the blood, and the second number is the diastolic blood pressure reading which is when the heart is at rest while filling with blood.

Naturally low pressure (usually thought of as lower than 90/60) doesn’t indicate any problems health wise. It could be normal for some people and indeed beneficial as it can lower incidences of stoke and coronary heart disease. It only becomes a problem if it is accompanied by symptoms such as fainting. This is normally caused by an underlying problem which would indicate that the blood pressure is not being regulated properly.

What to do in the case of Low Blood Pressure

If someone has constantly low blood pressure, then this could be classed as normal, however, if they have postural hypotension (blood pressure drops when standing up from a sitting position) or postprandial hypotension (blood pressure drops after eating), could mean there are underlying health problems. These could be taking drugs that are used to treat high blood pressure, illnesses that cause blood loss, diabetes, Addison’s disease (an adrenal gland disease), and early stages of pregnancy.

Treatment of low blood pressure normally depends on the underlying cause of the problem.