Disease Listing .Erectile dysfunction , Depression

Depression

Major depressive disorder often referred to as depression is a common illness that can affect anyone. About 1 in 20 Americans (over 11 million people) get depressed every year. Depression affects twice as many women as men.

Mood changes and depressive illnesses are more common in people suffering from physical illnesses than in people who are well. Although a person can develop depression in association with almost any physical illness, some diseases are more likely to lead to depression than others. Depression in these conditions can be expected to respond to the same treatments (medication and psychosocial treatments) as any other depressive illness, and so help should be sought and treatment given for the depression, irrespective of its cause

Depression may be caused by many things, including:

• Family history and genetics.
• Other general medical illnesses.
• Certain medicines.
• Drugs or alcohol.
• Other psychiatric conditions.

Certain life conditions (such as extreme stress or grief), may bring on a depression or prevent a full recovery. In some people, depression occurs even when life is going well. Depression is not your fault. It is not a weakness. It is a medical illness. Depression is treatable.

Physical illnesses in which depression is common

Below are some of the more common conditions in which depression is likely to occur.

Diseases of the nervous system


• Parkinson's disease. About 40 per cent of those with Parkinson's disease will suffer from an episode of depression. It is often missed because some of the symptoms of Parkinson's disease are similar to those of depression. For example, slow movements and reduced speech occur in both depression and Parkinson's disease. It seems likely that the increased occurrence of depression in Parkinson's disease results from both the direct effects of the disease on the brain and the impact of the condition on the sufferer's everyday life.
  
  
• Dementia. People with dementia suffer from more depressive symptoms and more depressive illnesses than other people. The difficulty these people have in communicating their distress means the depression can be missed and not treated. The development of features such as a loss of interaction and interest in others and a sense of gloominess may mean that a depressive illness is developing and help should be sought.
  
  
• Multiple sclerosis. Depression is more common in this condition, too. It is not clear how much of the depression arises from the effects of the disease on the brain and how much results through the consequences of the disability.
  
  Infections
• Certain viral infections, for example glandular fever (infectious mononucleosis) and influenza (flu), are prone to trigger depression in vulnerable individuals

People who have major depressive disorder have a number of symptoms nearly every day, all day, for at least 2 weeks. These always include at least one of the following:

• Loss of interest in things you used to enjoy.
• Feeling sad, blue, or down in the dumps.

You may also have at least three of the following symptoms:

• Feeling slowed down or restless and unable to sit still.
• Feeling worthless or guilty.
• Increase or decrease in appetite or weight.
• Thoughts of death or suicide.
• Problems concentrating, thinking, remembering, or making decisions.
• Trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.
• Loss of energy or feeling tired all of the time.

How do you recognise depression in such physical illnesses?

It is important to be aware of the possibility of depression, especially when a person is suffering from one of illnesses mentioned. The difficulty is that some of the key symptoms in depression are very common in these conditions, eg disturbed sleep, poor appetite and tiredness.

This makes these symptoms less helpful for doctors when making the diagnosis of depression. Furthermore, sadness is common following diagnosis of an illness as the sufferer comes to terms with their condition, but a prolonged 'low' mood with frequent weeping is likely to indicate depression has developed.

A physically ill person displaying the following symptoms may in fact be depressed.

• Persistent sadness that does not lift with happy experiences.
  
  
• Lack of interest in activities and pastimes that are normally enjoyed.
  
  
• Loss of interest in sex.
  
  
• A loss of interest in friends and socialising.
  
  
• Feelings of guilt and self-blame.
  
  
• Marked pessimism about the future.
  
  
• Suicidal thoughts and talk of wishing one were dead.
  

With depression, there are often other physical or psychological symptoms, including:

• Headaches.
• Other aches and pains.
• Digestive problems.
• Sexual problems.
• Feeling pessimistic or hopeless.
• Being anxious or worried.

Too often people do not get help for their depression because they don't recognize the symptoms, have trouble asking for help, blame themselves, or don't know that treatments are available.

Family practitioners, clinics, or health maintenance organizations are often the firstplaces that people go for help. These health care providers will:

• Find out if there is a physical cause for your depression.
• Treat the depression.
• Refer you to a mental health specialist for further evaluation and treatment.

If you do not have a regular health care provider, contact your local health department, community mental health clinic, or hospital. University medical centers also provide treatment for depression.

How will treatment help me?

Treatment reduces the pain and suffering of depression. Successful treatment removes all of the symptoms of depression and returns you to your normal life. The earlier you get treatment for your depression, the sooner you will begin to feel better. As with other medical illnesses, the longer you have the depression before you seek treatment, the more difficult it can be to treat.

Most people who are treated for depression feel better and return to daily activities in several weeks. Because it takes several weeks for treatment to work fully, it is important to get treatment early before your depression gets worse.

As with any medical condition, you may have to try one or two treatments before finding the best one. It is important not to get discouraged if the first treatment does not work. In almost every case, there is a treatment for the depression that will work for you.

Erectile dysfunction

When a man can't get an erection to have sex or can't keep an erection long enough to finish having sex, it's called erectile dysfunction or impotence. Erectile dysfunction can occur at any age, but it is more common in men older .

Kinds of an impotence:

1 The organic impotence :

The Organic impotence is a progressive deterioration of the potentiality, described downturn of quality erection. At this form of an impotence night and morning erection does not occur. The factor of development of an organic impotence are vascular diseases. Researches show, that at the men, not suffering an impotence, 20 % from all time of a dream borrow spontaneous erection.

2 The psychological impotence

The Psychological impotence is always connected with an event in a life of the man and is the response to any events (stress, depression). Night and morning эрекции do not vanish, frequently erection it is caused due to erotic images or visual stimulation.

How is it treated?

The penis contains two chambers, called the corpora cavernosa, which run the length of the organ. A spongy tissue fills the chambers. The corpora cavernosa are surrounded by a membrane, called the tunica albuginea. The spongy tissue contains smooth muscles, fibrous tissues, spaces, veins, and arteries. The urethra, which is the channel for urine and ejaculate, runs along the underside of the corpora cavernosa

The first step in the treatment of erectile dysfunction is a physical examination. This is done to rule out disorders such as diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, kidney disease, alcoholism, or multiple sclerosis, which can cause erectile dysfunction. It is estimated that physical diseases or conditions are the cause of erectile dysfunction .

An important part of the evaluation should be a detailed patient history, which can give the doctor valuable clues about the patient's condition and the degree of severity of the condition. Usually, the doctor will ask about sexual activity and carefully discuss all of the patient's symptoms, which may help determine if the patient is having problems with erection, ejaculation, orgasm, or sexual desire. The treatment of erectile dysfunction is tailored to the individual, with the severity and cause of the erectile dysfunction taken into account.

Vacuum devices are non-drug options for treating erectile dysfunction. The device creates a vacuum around the penis, which draws blood into the penis and allows it to engorge, hence causing an erection. The devices are made up of three parts: a plastic cylinder that is placed over the penis; a pump which draws air out of the cylinder; and an elastic band which is placed around the base of the penis to maintain erection after the cylinder is removed and during intercourse to keep the penis engorged with blood.

Oral medications used to treat erectile dysfunction include selective enzyme inhibitors (e.g., sildenafil Viagra, vardenafil HCl Levitra, tadalafil Cialis) and yohimbine (Yohimbine®, Yocon®).

Selective enzyme inhibitors are available by prescription and may be taken up to once a day to treat ED. They improve partial erections by inhibiting the enzyme that facilitates their reduction and increase levels of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP, a chemical factor in metabolism), which causes the smooth muscles of the penis to relax, enabling blood to flow into the corpora cavernosa.

Patients taking nitrate drugs (used to treat chest pain) and those taking alpha-blockers (used to treat high blood pressure and benign prostatic hyperplasia) should not take selective enzyme inhibitors.

Men who have had a heart attack or stroke within the past 6 months and those with certain medical conditions (e.g., uncontrolled high blood pressure, severe low blood pressure or liver disease, unstable angina) that make sexual activity inadvisable should not take Cialis®. Dosages of the drug should be limited in patients with kidney or liver disorders.