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.
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People with alcoholism are at a much greater risk of malnutrition than are other people and usually exhibit low levels of most vitamins (especially folic acid). This is because alcohol often takes the place of 50% of their daily intake of calories, with little nutritional value contained in it.
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More than 34,000 trademarked medication names and more than 10,000 generic medication names are in use in the United States.
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In the United States, an estimated 50 million unnecessary antibiotics are prescribed for viral respiratory infections.
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Approximately 25% of all reported medication errors result from some kind of name confusion.