Erectile Dysfunction, or impotence as it is otherwise known, is the inability in males to achieve or sustain an erection so that sexual intercourse (or other sexual activity) can take place. It is said to affect one in every ten men and the causes can be either physical or psychological.

Erectile dysfunction is a very common sexual problem and nearly half of all males over forty years of age will experience the condition at some stage of their lives. It usually becomes more common in both occurrences and severity as a person gets older. There are many causes for impotence and it is estimated that in three quarters of the cases it is a physical problem affecting the blood supply.

Some physical conditions that may cause erectile dysfunction include diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, hormone imbalances, or surgery in the pelvic area. Psychological issues that could have an effect include feelings of anxiety, guilt or depression, stress or issues with a partner.

In almost 95% of impotence cases, a suitable treatment is found to cure the problem. These can include therapy as well as medicinal. There are also many “self-help” treatments that can help with the issue. Quitting smoking, taking moderate exercise regularly, eating a balanced diet, drinking alcohol in moderation and reducing stress are all methods of combating the issue.

Understanding Erectile Dysfunction

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder otherwise known as trisomy and it is where an individual has inherited an additional or extra copy of a particular chromosome. In the case of Down’s syndrome, the affected individuals have three copies rather than two of chromosome 21. The consequence of this additional copy is that it changes the balance of the body resulting in characteristic intellectual and physical features.

Down Syndrome

There are three kinds of Down’s syndrome: regular trisomy 21 which is where all the cells in the body have an extra chromosome 21 and is the most common type of the condition with nearly 94% affected with Down’s having it; translocation, which is where extra chromosome 21 material attaches to another chromosome, and four percent have this type; and mosaic, which is where only some of the cells have additional chromosome 21. This usually has milder features than the other two types and only two percent of affected individuals have mosaic.

Down syndrome sufferers look different to normal people and usually have a flat type of facial profile with eyes slanting upwards. Smaller ears, protruding tongue and a flat back of the head are other features. Individuals affected tend to be shorter than normal, have poor muscle tone and have broad, short hands. Half the affected individuals have a heart defect, which can be treated in some, but not others. Some have problems with their gut, making it difficult to eat while increasing the risk of constipation and thyroid problems.

There is no cure for Down syndrome but there are treatments available for the accompanying symptoms as well as support for the learning difficulties.

When the heart is unable to pump blood around the body efficiently, it is known as heart failure. Heart failure can affect either the left or right side of the heart, or in some cases, both sides. The condition can be brought on by a number of diseases including high blood pressure, heart valve disease, blood clot in the coronary arteries and heart muscle disease.

Symptoms include shortness of breath, breathing problems, coughing, fatigue, leg swelling, eczema type rash and accumulation of fluid in the organs or abdominal cavity. Heart failure is usually diagnosed by a combination of medical history along with an examination that will check out such issues as heart sounds, heart rate, heart murmurs, fluid on the lungs, swollen legs, swollen neck veins or an enlarged liver. It can also be diagnosed by means of a chest x-ray, an ECG and blood samples. Doctors can also find out what caused the heart failure by performing additional blood tests so certain viral infections can be spotted, an ultrasound of the heart, a coronary artery examinations (done by injecting a dye into the left and right coronary arteries), exercise testing carried out on a treadmill and by taking a biopsy of a small bit of heart muscle.

Heart Failure

Ways to avoid heart failure include stopping smoking, a change of diet as well as avoiding overeating, exercising more often and getting problems such as high blood pressure or high cholesterol treated in a timely manner.