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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.
Cytomegalovirus affects nearly the same amount of newborns every year as Down syndrome.
The average human gut is home to perhaps 500 to 1,000 different species of bacteria.
Studies show that systolic blood pressure can be significantly lowered by taking statins. In fact, the higher the patient's baseline blood pressure, the greater the effect of statins on his or her blood pressure.
The longest a person has survived after a heart transplant is 24 years.