General Family Health

Medical grade oxygen tanks (cylinders) are usually made of aluminum and come in a variety of sizes. The cylinders store oxygen as compressed gas or liquid and dispense oxygen for human medical use...

As every other organ in the body, the lungs are important to maintain to live a healthy lifestyle. Keeping them healthy is critical for everyone, no matter what age, race, gender or ethnicity.

Your blood is made of two parts: blood cells and plasma. While blood cells and plasma work together, they are different.

Home oxygen is a type of therapy that is offered to patients who need more oxygen supplied to them than is available in the air. Home oxygen may be needed for long-term medical conditions such as...

Blood circulates through the body by way of a complex system of blood vessels. These blood vessels are called arteries and veins. An artery is not a vein and the two types of vessels have distinct...

Capillaries, along with veins and arteries, are tiny blood vessels that form an essential part of the human body's circulatory system. They are responsible for bringing blood, oxygen and nutrients...

The human brain is an amazing organ far, more complex than any computer. It can process and sift through thousands of pieces of information that it's constantly receiving from your senses. Are...

Pollution can detract from the physical appeal of a city and can contribute to indoor air pollution, which poses health hazards to those with breathing problems. Air purifiers sometimes exacerbate...

Yawning can signal lack of oxygen in the bloodstream. Tiredness, whereby one doesn't breathe deeply or properly, can cause yawning. But, it can also signal deeper physiological causes such as lack...

When most people think of respiration, they think of breathing. This is a very basic understanding of the term. Actually, respiration refers to a living creature's exchange of gases with its...

A pulse rate is often referred to as a heart rate and is measured by the number of times your heart beats in one minute. This number will typically increase with exertion and decrease when...

A nasal cannula is a plastic tube that is attached to a portable or stationary oxygen tank. The cannula delivers pure oxygen to the person's nose through two prongs that fit inside each nostril....

Body pH (potential of hydrogen) level is a key component of good health. A higher pH level is more desirable than a low pH level (a pH that is at least 70 percent alkaline is best), and many...

A nasal cannula is plastic tube that attaches to an oxygen tank and is inserted into the user's nose. A nasal cannula should be used by anyone who needs additional oxygen, such as those suffering...

A normal adult heart is made of muscle tissue and is about the size of a fist. The heart beats while it operates as a pump to circulate blood throughout the body. Individuals are more aware of...

Red blood cells carry oxygen through your body via the arteries, supplying your internal organs with oxygen, to keep them functioning normally.

The heart pumps blood through the heart to the lungs and body. Activity levels have a large effect on heart rate since the heart needs to work faster to keep up with the oxygen demand of a body...

Healthy lungs are the most important factor in the continued function of the body's respiratory system. With many prominent diseases, such as asthma and lung cancer, connected to the overall...

Blood circulation is essential for a healthy body. Blood that is rich in oxygen is sent to the body organs, tissues and cells to nourish them, and the waste products that result are disposed of...

Your heart rate is the speed at which your heart beats. Each time your heart beats, it propels blood carrying nutrients, oxygen and toxins through the body to their necessary locations. Too low a...

The lungs perform a vital function of life. They are part of the respiratory system which also includes the nose, the epiglottis, the trachea, the bronchi and the diaphragm. The respiratory system...

Causes of low oxygen levels in the blood, hypoxemia, vary greatly from carbon monoxide, chemical and/or irritant exposures filling the lungs and blocking their ability to absorb the oxygen needed...

Coronary blood vessels play a vital role in the body. They are responsible for coronary, or cardiac, circulation. Cardiac circulation nourishes the myocardium, or muscular layer of the heart. ...

More than 30 million people wear contact lenses in the United States alone. But few understand the subtle differences between older versions of lenses and newer models that promote greater oxygen...

Cardiac circulation brings blood from the heart to the muscular layer of the heart wall. This gives the muscles the oxygen necessary to be able to pump blood. It also carries away carbon dioxide...

Healthy blood circulation is essential for a healthy body. Every cell in the body needs to receive oxygen and nutrients. Blood rich in oxygen is sent to organs, tissues and cells to nourish...

Blood circulation is essential for a healthy body. Every cell in the body needs to received oxygen and nutrients. Blood rich in oxygen is sent to the body organs, tissues and cells to nourish...

The cardiovascular system is responsible for the distribution of blood in your body. There are 2 types of blood circulation pathways that works independently: pulmonary and systemic. The pulmonary...

Under normal conditions, the atmosphere contains 20 percent oxygen. Air, by and large, consists of another gas, nitrogen, at around 80 percent. As normal atmospheric pressure is nearly 15 lbs....

When discussing respiration, you have to be specific about what type you are referring to. Respiration in scientific research is often called cellular respiration. Human respiration describes the...

Stroke is the No. 3 cause of death in the United States. It is most often a sudden episode that can cause disability and death if treatment and care isn't sought out immediately. Though scary to...

Oxygen saturation refers to the level of oxygen carried by red blood cells through the arteries and delivered to internal organs. As red blood cells travel through the lungs, they are saturated...

Oxygen is essential for our energy and health. Unless the body gets enough oxygen, symptoms like fatigue, hyperventilation, fainting can arise and, in extreme cases, even death may occur.

Pulse oximetry uses a device called a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen levels in the blood. Most pulse oximeters produce a reading called a photoplethysomograph, which records the patient's...

Since every person breathes, it might be assumed that all people have the same level of oxygen within their bodies. However, oxygen levels can vary greatly and have a large impact on how a person...

Mold is a common substance that can be found throughout the world; however, mold can also be toxic, leading to allergic reactions and infection. Mold exposure, if not treated correctly, can result...

COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) is a disease of the airways that gets worse over time. The main cause of COPD is cigarette smoking. Most people with COPD have both emphysema and...

The human body contains three main kinds of blood vessels: arteries, capillaries and veins, which have very different structures. Arteries and veins may look like simple tubes, but they are...

Oxygen is essential for life. In order for humans to function properly, oxygen must be present in adequate amounts throughout the body. A person's oxygen saturation level measures the amount of...

The lungs are the largest portion of the respiratory system, responsible for the exchange of gasses, mainly oxygen and carbon dioxide. The average person breathes about 20,000 times a day, which...

Lungs are spongy respiratory organs in mammals, birds and reptiles. They are found in the chest cavity and run from the collarbone to the diaphragm. The ribcage surrounds and protects the lungs....

The alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs that resemble a bunch of tiny grapes. They inflate and deflate, playing a critical role in the respiration process.

Contact lenses offer those with eye sight problems the ability to see without having to wear glasses. Contact lenses also offer those individuals with active lifestyles (like athletes) the ability...

Contact lenses are a convenient product for people who need vision correction but do not want to wear glasses. Contact lenses are small lenses that fit over the surface of the cornea for anywhere...

All of the body's systems perform different but important functions. The brain controls and monitors all of these systems to make sure every body system is getting what it needs. Although the...

The act of breathing is an unconscious process carried out continually by the body. The oxygen supplied provided by this process is essential for healthy tissue and cell function. Incorporating...

A strong cardiovascular system continually circulates blood throughout the body, providing you with many health benefits. This can result in an increased level of endurance, decreased chances of...

VO2, or VO2 max, is the maximum amount of oxygen that the body can use in one minute. There are several factors that affect VO2 max, including muscle mass, blood oxygen levels, lung capacity and...

Oxygen therapy has become a fairly popular mode of treatment allowing people to lead more productive, active and healthier lives. Those suffering from chronic bronchitis, lung cancer, cystic...

The liver is one of the largest in the human body. It receives blood immediately from the heart through the aorta to the hepatic artery and from the digestive tract via the portal vein. The liver...