Pg.no. 48
A small glass (125ml) of wine contains about 1.5 units of alcohol.
Alcohol and pregnancy
Drinking in pregnancy can lead to long-term harm to the baby, and the risk increases the
more you drink.
If you're trying to conceive, your partner should drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a
week, which should be spread evenly over three days or more. Drinking alcohol excessively
can affect the quality of his sperm.
Treating alcohol
There are two main types of medicines to help people stop drinking. The first is to help stop
withdrawal symptoms, and is given in reducing doses over a short period of time. The most
common of these medicines is chlordiazapoxide (Librium).
The second is a medication to reduce any urge you may have to drink. The most common
medications used for this are acamprosate and naltrexone. These are both given at a fixed
dose, and you'll usually be on them for 6 to 12 months.
3. Blood cancer:
Leukemia is cancer of the white blood cells. Acute leukemia means it progresses rapidly and
aggressively, and usually requires immediate treatment.
Acute leukemia is classified according to the type of white blood cells affected. The two
main types of white blood cells are:
lymphocytes – mostly used to fight viral infections
myeloid cells – which perform a number of different functions, such as fighting
bacterial infections, defending the body against parasites and preventing the spread
of tissue damage
4. Bladder cancer:
Bladder cancer is where a growth of abnormal tissue, known as a tumour, develops in the
bladder lining. In some cases, the tumour spreads into the surrounding muscles.
The most common symptom of bladder cancer is blood in your urine, which is usually
painless.
Why does bladder cancer happen?
Most cases of bladder cancer appear to be caused by exposure to harmful substances, which
lead to abnormal changes in the bladder's cells over many years.
Tobacco smoke is a common cause and it's estimated that half of all cases of bladder cancer
are caused by smoking.