Doctor-Reviewed Health Guides: Conditions, Procedures & Health News

Beta-blockers are prescription medicines that slow the heart rate and relax the heart and blood vessels, which can lower blood pressure and ease the heart's workload. They treat high blood pressure, chest pain, heart failure, irregular heartbeats and other conditions. Common side effects include dizziness and tiredness, and they should never be stopped without a doctor's advice.

Blepharoplasty is surgery that reshapes the eyelids by removing or repositioning extra skin, fat and muscle around the eyes. It is usually cosmetic but can be medically needed when droopy upper lids block side vision. It is a same-day procedure lasting 30 minutes to 2 hours, and most people resume normal routines within 1–2 weeks.

A baclofen pump is a small device placed under the skin of the belly that sends baclofen, a muscle-relaxant medicine, through a thin tube into the fluid around the spinal cord to treat severe spasticity when pills have not helped enough. It needs refills every 1 to 6 months, and missed refills can cause dangerous withdrawal.

Blood pressure medications (antihypertensives) are prescription medicines that lower high blood pressure by relaxing blood vessels, removing extra fluid, slowing the heart, or blocking a substance that tightens vessels. Common first choices are thiazide diuretics and calcium channel blockers. Lowering blood pressure helps protect against heart attack, stroke, heart failure, and kidney failure.

Bariatric surgery is an obesity treatment that changes the digestive system so the stomach holds less food, the body absorbs fewer calories and fewer hunger signals reach the brain. Current guidelines recommend it for a BMI of 35 or higher, and it can be considered from a BMI of 30 with conditions such as type 2 diabetes.

Biguanides are oral diabetes medicines that lower blood sugar, mainly in type 2 diabetes, and metformin is the only one available in most countries. Metformin makes the liver release less sugar and helps muscles respond to insulin, lowering A1C by about 1%. Stomach upset is common; rare lactic acidosis needs emergency care.

A biventricular pacemaker is a small implanted device for moderate to severe heart failure in which the two lower heart chambers no longer pump together. It uses three leads to send tiny electrical signals so both ventricles squeeze at the same time, a treatment called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT). Many feel better, but about 3 in 10 don't improve.

Blood donation is the process of giving about 1 pint (roughly 470 mL) of blood so it can be transfused into a patient who needs it. Most healthy people aged 17 or older who weigh at least 110 lb can donate. The draw takes about 10 minutes, and whole blood can be given every 56 days.

Barbiturates are sedative-hypnotic medicines that calm the brain by boosting GABA, its natural slow-down signal. Doctors use them to prevent and stop seizures, ease people into anesthesia, lower high pressure inside the skull and, less often, treat insomnia and headaches. Get emergency help for trouble breathing, confusion, fainting, or blue lips or fingernails.

Biceps tenodesis is surgery that repairs a damaged or torn long head of the biceps tendon by detaching it from the labrum of the shoulder socket and anchoring it to the upper arm bone. It treats tendon tears, tendonitis and SLAP tears that don't improve with rest or therapy. Full recovery takes about 4 to 6 months.

Biofeedback therapy is a mind-body treatment that teaches you to control body functions that usually run on autopilot, such as heart rate, breathing and muscle tension. Painless skin sensors show these signals in real time while a trained provider coaches relaxation skills. It may help anxiety, chronic pain, migraine, high blood pressure and incontinence, and has no known side effects.

Shoulder arthroscopy is a minimally invasive procedure in which a surgeon uses a small camera and specialized instruments to repair shoulder joint problems through tiny incisions. It is commonly used for rotator cuff tears, cartilage damage and chronic tendonitis when non-surgical treatments fail. It is usually done on an outpatient basis, and full recovery requires several months of physical therapy.

SGLT2 inhibitors (sodium-glucose transport protein 2 inhibitors) are oral medications that lower blood sugar levels by preventing the kidneys from reabsorbing glucose into the bloodstream. Instead, the excess sugar is eliminated from the body through urination. They are also prescribed to improve outcomes for patients with chronic kidney disease and heart failure. Common examples include empagliflozin and dapagliflozin.

Healthy skin care is a foundational routine of cleansing, hydrating and protecting skin from environmental damage. Dry skin benefits from short baths and immediate moisturizing, mature skin from retinoids and AHAs, and acne-prone skin from gentle, oil-free products. Daily SPF 30+ sunscreen is essential for all skin types to reduce premature aging and skin cancer risk.

Shock is a condition in which the body's organs do not receive enough oxygenated blood, leading to system failure. First aid means calling 911, keeping the person safe and laying them flat with their feet elevated about 12 inches. Give no food or drink, and do not move them if a spinal injury is suspected.

A lymphadenectomy is surgery to remove some or all lymph nodes in a region near a tumor. The nodes are examined for cancer cells to determine whether cancer has spread and guide further treatment. It may be done through open, laparoscopic or robot-assisted surgery. Possible problems include infection, nerve symptoms, fluid collection, blood clots and lymphedema.

Lung resection, also called pulmonary resection, is surgery to remove part or all of a lung to treat cancer, infection, emphysema and other conditions or to obtain tissue for diagnosis. It may be minimally invasive or open. Recovery takes weeks to months. Seek emergency care for coughing up blood, sudden trouble breathing or sudden chest pain.

A lower body lift, also called a belt lipectomy, is a major operation that removes loose skin and some fat around the waist and can reshape the lower abdomen and buttocks. It is often considered after substantial weight loss. Recovery involves compression garments, drain care and activity limits, and risks include infection, bleeding, blood clots and delayed healing.

A loop colostomy is an operation that redirects part of the colon to an opening in the abdomen called a stoma, usually temporarily, to let the bowel rest and heal or to relieve an obstruction. Stool leaves through the stoma into a pouch. Recovery includes learning stoma care, and reversal may be possible later but is not automatic.

A lobectomy is an operation to remove one lobe of a lung, most often to treat lung cancer, especially early-stage non-small cell lung cancer. It may be done with minimally invasive or open surgery. It is major surgery: recovery takes at least a month, and possible complications include irregular heart rhythm, bleeding, air leaks, blood clots and infection.

Liposculpture is a minimally invasive cosmetic surgery that removes fat from smaller areas of the body to create a more defined shape, sometimes transferring purified fat elsewhere. Results can appear right away, but the full outcome may take up to six months, and recovery often takes weeks. Possible complications include bleeding, blood clots, infection, numbness and scarring.

Lip augmentation is a cosmetic treatment that adds volume to the lips using nonsurgical or surgical methods, mainly hyaluronic-acid fillers, fat transfer, lip implants and lip lifts. Fillers usually last about six months to one year, fat transfer at least five years, while lifts and implants are considered permanent. A qualified clinician can match the approach to your goals.

Life support is a group of medical treatments that replace or support a failing body function, such as mechanical ventilation, ECMO, CPR, defibrillation, artificial nutrition and kidney dialysis. These treatments may keep someone alive while the body heals or support a long-term condition. Decisions should be guided by the person's wishes, medical facts, goals and the care team.

Leg revascularization is a procedure that improves blood flow through a leg artery narrowed or blocked by fatty plaque, using catheter methods such as angioplasty or stenting, or operations like bypass. The choice depends on the blockage and overall health. It can improve circulation and may help avoid amputation, but carries risks such as bleeding and clots.