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For about 100 years, scientists thought that peptic ulcers were caused by stress, spicy food, and alcohol. Later, researchers added stomach acid to the list of causes and began treating ulcers with antacids. Now it is known that peptic ulcers are predominantly caused by Helicobacter pylori, a spiral-shaped bacterium that normally exist in the stomach.
When blood is exposed to air, it clots. Heparin allows the blood to come in direct contact with air without clotting.
On average, someone in the United States has a stroke about every 40 seconds. This is about 795,000 people per year.
The familiar sounds of your heart are made by the heart's valves as they open and close.
For high blood pressure (hypertension), a new class of drug, called a vasopeptidase blocker (inhibitor), has been developed. It decreases blood pressure by simultaneously dilating the peripheral arteries and increasing the body's loss of salt.