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Many people have small pouches in their colons that bulge outward through weak spots. Each pouch is called a diverticulum. About 10% of Americans older than age 40 years have diverticulosis, which, when the pouches become infected or inflamed, is called diverticulitis. The main cause of diverticular disease is a low-fiber diet.
On average, someone in the United States has a stroke about every 40 seconds. This is about 795,000 people per year.
Asthma cases in Americans are about 75% higher today than they were in 1980.
Colchicine is a highly poisonous alkaloid originally extracted from a type of saffron plant that is used mainly to treat gout.
The heart is located in the center of the chest, with part of it tipped slightly so that it taps against the left side of the chest.