Sunzek Urinary tract infection (UTI) is the presence of micro-organisms in the urine or tissues of the normally sterile genitourinary tract. Infection may be localized to the bladder alone or the kidneys or, in men the prostate. Acute uncomplicated UTI occurs in women with a normal genitourinary tract and usually manifests as acute cystitis (bladder infection … Read more
Anaemia develops early in the course of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and is nearly universal in patients with CKD stage 5 (End-stage kidney disease). The prevalence of anaemia at higher levels of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (i.e. CKD stage 1-2) is relatively low in individuals from the general population. Anaemia of CKD is primarily caused … Read more
Acute glomerulonephritis is a disease characterised by damage to the glomerular filtration apparatus, which causes protein and blood to leak into the urine. Mechanisms for the glomerular damage may be immune-mediated. This condition may be associated with hypertension and fluid retention. Causes of Acute Glomerulonephritis The following are some of the known causes of acute … Read more
Introduction to Cervical Cancer Cervical Cancer or carcinoma of the cervix is the commonest form of female genital cancer in developing countries. While the disease is preventable, absence of an effective screening system results in most cases presenting late with advanced disease. In developed countries, the incidence of cervical cancer has fallen considerably due to … Read more
Introduction to Menopause Menopause refers to the point in time when permanent cessation of menstruation occurs due to loss of ovarian function. The cessation of menses is preceded by a peri-menopausal phase during which there may be menstrual irregularity. The age at onset is usually between 45 and 55 years. A woman is considered to … Read more
Introduction to infertility Primary infertility is said to occur when a couple has never achieved a pregnancy despite at least one year of uninterrupted and adequate unprotected sexual intercourse. Secondary infertility implies that there has been a previous pregnancy. It is often necessary to evaluate both partners simultaneously and to elicit sexual, menstrual and obstetric … Read more
Introduction acute lower abdominal pain Acute lower abdominal pain in a woman may have several causes. These include Pelvic Inflammatory Disease (PID), ruptured ectopic pregnancy and septic abortion. The latter two are surgical emergencies, which require extreme urgency in their management (See ‘Ectopic Pregnancy‘ and ‘Abortions’). PID is caused by organisms which may be Sexually … Read more
Introduction to abnormal vaginal discharge While a vaginal discharge is a notable clinical feature of a Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI), not all forms of vaginal discharge are abnormal or indicative of an STI. Vaginal discharge may be associated with normal physiological changes such as the menstrual cycle or pregnancy. Increased discharge may also occur with … Read more
What is abnormal vaginal bleeding? Abnormal vaginal bleeding (AVB) refers to bleeding which deviates from the normal menstrual pattern (in terms of the amount, duration or interval). Abnormal menstrual patterns and bleeding are common in young adolescents and women within the ages of 45-50 years. No cause may be found on investigation in these age … Read more
Introduction Induced abortion otherwise known as safe abortion refers to the deliberate termination of pregnancy. Termination of pregnancy is requested for and done for reasons permissible by law either through a surgical procedure or by pharmacological means. In most countries, an induced abortion may be carried out legally only under the following conditions: in case … Read more