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What is preeclampsia?

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 1 in 25 pregnancies are affected by a pregnancy complication known as preeclampsia . If left undetected and untreated, preeclampsia can lead to serious and even fatal problems for a mother and her unborn child. Keep reading to learn more. What is preeclampsia? Preeclampsia (pre-e-CLAMP-si-a) is defined as persistent high blood pressure that develops during pregnancy, usually after the 20th week of gestation. In rare instances, it can also develop after pregnancy during the postpartum period. If left untreated
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5 common diabetes myths busted

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the way the body makes energy from food. Normally, the human body produces a hormone called insulin that helps turn sugar from food into energy that the body can use or store. In people with diabetes, their bodies either don't produce enough insulin or don't use insulin properly. This can cause sugar levels in the blood to rise too high, which if left untreated can cause serious health problems over time—including heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. November is National Diabetes Month , an opportunity to learn more about this
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5 common diabetes myths busted

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the way the body makes energy from food. Normally, the human body produces a hormone called insulin that helps turn sugar from food into energy that the body can use or store. In people with diabetes, their bodies either don't produce enough insulin or don't use insulin properly. This can cause sugar levels in the blood to rise too high, which if left untreated can cause serious health problems over time—including heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. November is National Diabetes Month , an opportunity to learn more about this
News

5 common diabetes myths busted

Diabetes is a chronic health condition that affects the way the body makes energy from food. Normally, the human body produces a hormone called insulin that helps turn sugar from food into energy that the body can use or store. In people with diabetes, their bodies either don't produce enough insulin or don't use insulin properly. This can cause sugar levels in the blood to rise too high, which if left untreated can cause serious health problems over time—including heart disease, kidney disease and blindness. November is National Diabetes Month , an opportunity to learn more about this
News

Providing hope, quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s

Art Express is one of many programs at the Smith Alzheimer’s Center at SIU Medicine designed to help those with dementia and their caregivers improve their quality of life.
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Providing hope, quality of life for those with Alzheimer’s

Art Express is one of many programs at the Smith Alzheimer’s Center at SIU Medicine designed to help those with dementia and their caregivers improve their quality of life.
News

Is [this] a sign of dementia?

It’s a question we often hear at the Smith Alzheimer’s Center. No matter how you fill in the blank, it’s a fair question to ask. There are numerous types of dementia , symptoms vary depending on the type and everyone is affected differently. And dementia is already hard enough to recognize as aging changes how we react, remember, recover, and more. So how do we know what is normal aging and what isn’t? Here are some common signs for those living with dementia. 1. Short-term memory loss One of the most recognizable signs of dementia is memory loss, particularly short-term memory. There are
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Updated mammogram guidelines for women aged 40 and up: what you need to know

A mammogram is an X-ray image that is taken of each breast. Mammograms are important and potentially life-saving tools that can detect early signs of breast cancer and reduce the risk of dying from this disease. An estimated 1 in 8 American women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in their lives. A panel of primary care and prevention experts known as the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force (USPSTF) recently updated recommendations regarding the age at which routine breast cancer screening should begin for women in the United States. Read more to learn about these new
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3 ways to raise breast cancer awareness

During National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, we should take some time to educate ourselves and others about breast cancer. Here are three ways you can get involved and become more well-informed about this common health condition. 1. Show your support In the United States, women are diagnosed with breast cancer more than any other type of cancer. A woman has a 1 in 8 chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer in her lifetime (though a person's individual risk may vary). This means that you or someone you know will probably be impacted by breast cancer at some point in time. Showing your
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SIU medical students trivia night raises $10K for area children

Students at SIU School of Medicine hosted their second annual Trivia Night on October 21 at Ace Sign Company Museum in Springfield. Amid the fun and games, the group raised more than $10,000 to benefit St. John's Children's Hospital.
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