Health Library

Keep Allergies in Mind When Planning Valentine's Day FRIDAY, Jan. 23, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- When choosing a Valentine's Day present for your sweetheart, make sure it won't trigger an allergic reaction. "Chocolates and flowers are lovely, but not if they cause an allergic response," Dr. James Sublett, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI), said in an ACAAI news release. "You need to be vigilant when it comes to giving gifts to someone with allergies," he cautioned...

Knee Pain While Using Stairs May Be First Sign of Arthritis THURSDAY, Jan. 22, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Having knee pain while using the stairs may be an early sign of arthritis, a new study suggests. "At present, we have little concept of 'early' osteoarthritis and often only see people when they have significant, longstanding pain and loss of function," research leader Philip Conaghan, a professor of musculoskeletal medicine at the University of Leeds in England, said in a university news release. "Th...

Keep Dogs and Cats Safe During Winter SATURDAY, Dec. 27, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Winter can be tough on dogs and cats, but there are a number of safe and effective ways you can help them get through the cold season, an expert says. "Sidewalks, driveways and steps are often coated with rock salt or ice-melt products that can prove irritating and drying to animals' feet," warns Dr. Greg Nelson, director of surgery and diagnostic imaging at Central Veterinary Associates in Valley Stream, N.Y. "If they lic...

Keep Holiday Meals Festive and Safe THURSDAY, Dec. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Holiday parties and home-cooked meals offer plenty of opportunities for germs to find their way into food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service offers advice about keeping food safe. At the store: To prevent cross-contamination, separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in the grocery cart. Ask for these foods to be placed in separate bags at the checkout counter. Buy cold foo...

Kids Who Were Preemies More Vulnerable to Flu Complications: Study WEDNESDAY, Dec. 3, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children who were born prematurely are twice as likely to develop pneumonia and other flu-related complications, so they should be first in line for flu shots every year, researchers suggest. However, current U.S., U.K. and World Health Organization guidelines do not identify these kids as a high-risk group for flu complications, the study authors noted. In their analysis, the researchers revie...

Kids Born to Overweight Moms May Face Higher Heart Risks as Adults THURSDAY, Nov. 20, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight or obese women who get pregnant are much more likely to have a child who suffers from heart disease as an adult, new research suggests. But it looks like environment may play a greater role than genetics in that trend, the researchers added. "Mothers who are overweight teach behaviors, and those behaviors are passed on," said study author Dr. Michael Mendelson. He is a research fello...

Kids Who Need Heart Transplant Should Get the First Available, Study Says WEDNESDAY, Nov. 19, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children who need a heart transplant may be better off if they get a new heart as soon as possible rather than waiting for a perfect match, according to a new study. Researchers assessed 10-year survival among more than 2,700 children in the United States after they were put on the heart transplant list. Some of the kids received the first suitable heart, even if they had immune system ...

Kids Obese at Young Age Often Stay That Way, Study Shows MONDAY, Nov. 10, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The vast majority of children who are obese at age 11 are still far too heavy at age 16, new research suggests. Tracking nearly 4,000 children in three U.S. metropolitan areas over five years, researchers found that 83 percent of obese 10th graders had also been obese in fifth grade. Only 12 percent of kids who were obese in fifth grade transitioned to a normal weight over the following half-decade, accord...

Kids With Epilepsy Face Higher Early Death Risk, Study Reports THURSDAY, Nov. 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children with epilepsy have an increased risk of dying prematurely, according to a new U.S. government report. The study found that for children up to 18 years old with epilepsy, the annual risk for death was 0.84 percent, compared with 0.22 percent for children of the same ages without epilepsy, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Deaths are related not so much to the...

Kids: An Rx for Menopause's Hot Flashes? FRIDAY, Oct. 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Women who live with young children may be less likely to suffer hot flashes after going through surgical menopause, a new study suggests. The finding, published recently in the journal Menopause , followed a small group of women who had their ovaries removed because they were at high genetic risk of ovarian cancer. Most of the women had already gone through menopause, but 48 had not -- which meant the surgery caused an ab...

Knowing Genetic Risk for Cancer May Not Change Behavior FRIDAY, Oct. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- As more genetic tests are developed that spot increased risks for certain cancers, one might think that high-risk people would be more proactive about getting screened. But a new study suggests that, at least with colon cancer, knowledge does not change behavior: People who found out their genes doubled their risk of colon cancer were no more likely than people with average risk to get screened. "It didn't ...

Keep It Clean After Ear Piercings SATURDAY, Oct. 11, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- If you get your ears pierced, you need to take steps to protect against infection, an expert says. "It's important to remember that pierced skin is skin that has been wounded, leaving it vulnerable to infection," Dr. Elizabeth Martin, a dermatologist in Hoover, Ala., said in an American Academy of Dermatology news release. "To minimize the risks, always go to a trained professional for piercing, use hypoallergenic earrings and...

Kids May Leave Hospital Sooner When Antibiotics Are Controlled THURSDAY, Oct. 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- New research finds that children who are hospitalized get discharged sooner and come back less often when hospitals take extra efforts to control treatment that uses antibiotics. Some hospitals and other medical facilities have embraced "stewardship programs" designed to make it harder for physicians to prescribe antibiotic medications without a good reason. While antibiotics can often effectively t...

Kids With Autism Tend to Be Less Active, Study Says WEDNESDAY, Oct. 1, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children with autism are more sedentary than those without the disorder, but they're fully capable of being more active, a small study suggests. Researchers tested the fitness and activity levels of 29 children, some with autism and some without. Children with autism averaged 50 fewer minutes per day of moderate physical activity and 70 more minutes each day sitting than those without autism. The 17 children ...

Kidney Transplantation Procedure (Kidney Transplant, Renal Transplant) Procedure overview What is a kidney transplant? A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from another person. The kidney may come from a deceased organ donor or from a living donor. Family members or individuals who are unrelated but make a good match may be able to donate one of their kidneys. This type of transplant is called a living transplant. Individuals who donate...

Kidney Disorders Many disorders of the kidney require clinical care by a physician or other health care professional. Listed in the directory below are some of the conditions, for which we have provided a brief overview. Overview of Kidney Disorders Analgesic Nephropathy End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD) Glomerulonephritis Glomerulosclerosis Goodpasture Syndrome Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome Immunoglobulin A (IgA) Syndrome Kidney Cancer Kidney Stones Kidney Transplantation Nephrotic Syndrome Polycystic Kidney ...

Kidney Transplantation Click Image to Enlarge What is a kidney transplant? A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from another person. The kidney may come from a deceased donor or from a living donor. A person receiving a transplant usually receives only one kidney, but, in rare situations, he or she may receive two kidneys. In most cases, the diseased kidneys are left in place during the transplant procedure. The transplanted kidney is i...

Kidney Cancer Click Image to Enlarge What is kidney cancer? Most cancers are named after the part of the body where the cancer first begins, and kidney cancer is no exception. Kidney cancer begins in the kidneys--two large, bean-shaped organs--one located to the left, and the other to the right of the backbone. Renal is the Latin word for kidney, and kidney cancer may also be referred to as renal cancer. According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), about 65,000 people in the U.S. were expected to be ...

Kids' Lunch Boxes Often Fall Short on Nutrition THURDAY, July 31, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- A home-packed lunch isn't necessarily healthier than school cafeteria fare, a new study suggests. The new research found that just 27 percent of the lunches third and fourth graders brought from home met three of five National School Lunch Program (NSLP) standards. "Our findings are similar to results of other studies of children's packed lunches from across the world, which have found that high-calorie packaged f...

Kids Will Pass on 'Healthy' Foods TUESDAY, July 29, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Want young children to embrace a more healthful diet? Don't tell them something that's healthy is good for them. Doing so will actually make them think it won't taste good, a new study suggests. "Parents and caregivers who are struggling to get children to eat healthier may be better off simply serving the food without saying anything about it, or (if credible) emphasizing how yummy the food actually is," said study authors Mic...

Keep Your Teens Safe on the Road This Summer TUESDAY, July 22, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Car crashes are the leading cause of accidental death among American teens, and parents need to take steps to keep their teens safe when they're on the road this summer, an expert says. The period between Memorial Day and Labor Day is the deadliest time of the year for teen drivers and passengers, according to the AAA auto club. "Even more than drinking and driving -- which, thanks to strong messaging, is at an all-t...

Kids From Dairy Farms Have Lower Allergy Risk, Study Finds TUESDAY, July 15, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children raised on dairy farms are much less likely to develop allergies than other youngsters, a new study finds. Researchers tracked children who lived in rural areas of Sweden, half of them on dairy farms, from birth until 3 years of age. Children on dairy farms had one-tenth the risk of developing allergies as other rural youngsters. "Our study also demonstrated for the first time that delayed matur...

Kids Still Getting Too Much 'Screen Time': CDC WEDNESDAY, July 9, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. teenagers are still spending hours in front of the TV and computer every day -- despite years of expert advice that kids' "screen time" should be limited, a new government study finds. In two national surveys of children aged 12 to 15 years, researchers at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that nearly three-quarters spent at least two hours a day watching TV and using a computer. The s...

Kids With ADHD More Likely to Abuse Drugs: Analysis MONDAY, June 30, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Children suffering from attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) are more than twice as likely to try and abuse drugs, a new analysis finds. However, that does not mean that the medications that are prescribed to treat the most common childhood disorder in the United States play a part in that increased risk. In fact, "one of the main points [of the finding] is that treating ADHD both with behavioral tec...

Kids on Tight Schedules May Lose Out, Study Says MONDAY, July 7, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- Which approach to parenting is best: tiger mom or free range? A new study suggests that kids may need a little more latitude with their free time instead of having their days packed with lessons, sports and structured activities. "The more time kids had in less structured activities, the more self-directed they were and, also, the reverse was true: The more time they spent in structured activities, the less able th...

Keep Moving to Manage Your Weight You can lose weight by dieting, exercising, or a combination of both. Including exercise into your daily routine offers other benefits besides weight control: it boosts your stamina, increases your muscle strength, improves your balance and your mood, and can reduce your risk for some cancers. Exercise helps build lean muscle. Muscle mass burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle mass you have, the more calories you burn. If you don't exercise, or slack off on yo...

Knee Replacement Surgeries Rising With Obesity Rates FRIDAY, June 6, 2014 (HealthDay News) -- The number of total knee replacement surgeries in the United States are on the rise, a new study shows. What's more, the demand for this surgery seems to parallel the rise in overweight and obesity in America. In fact, the study showed weight problems account for 95 percent of the increased demand for knee replacement. Not surprisingly, this has also resulted in a greater need for the procedure among younger fo...

Kidney, Ureter, and Bladder X-ray (KUB [Kidneys, Ureters, Bladder], KUB X-ray, Flat Plate of the Abdomen X-ray) Procedure overview What is a kidneys, ureter, and bladder X-ray? A kidney, ureter, and bladder (KUB) X-ray may be performed to assess the abdominal area for causes of abdominal pain, or to assess the organs and structures of the urinary and/or gastrointestinal (GI) system. A KUB X-ray may be the first diagnostic procedure used to assess the urinary system. X-rays use invisible electromagnetic ...

Kidney Ultrasound (Renal Ultrasound, Kidney Ultrasonography, Kidney Echography) What is a kidney ultrasound? A kidney ultrasound is a noninvasive (the skin is not pierced) procedure used to assess the size, shape, and location of the kidneys. Ultrasound technology allows quick visualization of the kidneys and related structures from outside the body. Ultrasound may also be used to assess blood flow to the kidneys. A kidney ultrasound uses a handheld probe called a transducer that sends out ultrasonic so...

Kidney Scan (Renal Scan, Renogram, Renal Scintigraphy) Procedure overview What is a kidney scan? A kidney scan is a specialized radiology procedure used to assess the function and structure of the kidneys, as well as the perfusion (blood flow) to the kidney tissue. A kidney scan is a type of nuclear radiology procedure. This means that a tiny amount of a radioactive substance is used during the procedure to assist in the examination of the kidneys. The radioactive substance, called a radionuclide (radio...

Kidney Biopsy (Biopsy-Kidney, Renal Biopsy, Biopsy-Renal, Needle Aspiration of the Kidney, Percutaneous Kidney Biopsy) Procedure overview What is a kidney biopsy? A biopsy is a procedure performed to remove tissue or cells from the body for examination under a microscope. During a kidney biopsy, tissue samples are removed with a special needle to determine if cancer or other abnormal cells are present, or to determine how well the kidney is working. There are two types of kidney biopsies: Needle biopsy ...

Knee Ligament Repair (ACL Repair, ACL Reconstruction, PCL Repair, PCL Reconstruction, MCL Repair, MCL Reconstruction, LCL Repair, LCL Reconstruction) Procedure overview What is knee ligament repair? Ligaments are bands of tough, elastic connective tissue that surround a joint to give support and limit the joint's movement. When ligaments are damaged, the knee joint may become unstable. The ligament damage often occurs from a sports injury. A torn ligament severely limits knee movement, resulting in a pe...

Knee Replacement Surgery Procedure (Total Knee Arthroplasty, Knee Arthroplasty, Total Knee Replacement, Knee Replacement) Procedure overview What is a knee replacement surgery? Knee replacement, also called arthroplasty, is a surgical procedure to resurface a knee damaged by arthritis. Metal and plastic parts are used to cap the ends of the bones that form the knee joint, along with the kneecap. This surgery may be considered for someone who has severe arthritis or a severe knee injury. Various types of...

Kidney Transplantation in Children What is a kidney transplant? A kidney transplant is a surgical procedure performed to replace a diseased kidney with a healthy kidney from another person. The kidney may come from a deceased organ donor or from a living donor. Family members or individuals who are unrelated but make a good match may be able to donate one of their kidneys. This type of transplant is called a living transplant. Individuals who donate a kidney can live healthy lives with the remaining kid...

Knowing When to Seek Treatment for Your Child When to seek treatment for your child or adolescent Knowing when to seek treatment for mental health disorders is important for parents and families. Many times, parents are the first to suspect that their child or teen is challenged by feelings, behaviors, and/or environmental conditions that cause them to act disruptive, rebellious, or sad. This may include, but is not limited to, problems with relationships with friends and/or family members, school, slee...

Kyphosis in Children What is kyphosis? A normal spine, when viewed from behind appears straight. However, a spine affected by kyphosis shows evidence of a forward curvature of the back bones (vertebrae) in the upper back area, giving the child an abnormally rounded or "humpback" appearance. Click Image to Enlarge Kyphosis is defined as a curvature of the spine measuring 50° or greater on an X-ray (a diagnostic test which uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, ...

Keratitis What is keratitis? Keratitis is an inflammation or infection of the cornea of the eye. The cornea is the clear, dome-shaped surface that covers the front of the eye. Keratitis is a medical emergency because extensive involvement may lead to blindness. What causes keratitis? There are many different causes of keratitis. The following are some of the more common causes: Bacteria Vitamin A deficiencies Viruses Trauma (usually following insertion of an object into the eye) Fungi Parasites What are...

Kawasaki Disease What is Kawasaki disease? Kawasaki disease is a form of vasculitis, or blood vessel inflammation, that primarily affects children. The inflammation of the blood vessels causes outward symptoms, including swelling of the hands and feet, redness in the whites of the eyes, swelling and redness of the mouth and lips, and a diffuse rash on the skin. High fever and swelling of the lymph nodes in the neck also are characteristic of this illness. While most children completely recover, the main...

December 2013 Kidney Stones: A Painful Reality for More Women Your kidneys have an important job to do: They filter out waste chemicals from your blood. Those substances then leave your body through urination. Sometimes, they can build up and crystallize in your kidneys. The result is a potentially painful kidney stone. Cleaning out chemicals Your kidneys are normally able to effectively flush out chemicals, such as calcium and oxalate. But if those chemicals accumulate, they can bind together and form ...

Kyphosis What is kyphosis? A normal spine, when viewed from behind appears straight. However, a spine affected by kyphosis shows evidence of a forward curvature of the back bones (vertebrae) in the upper back area, giving an abnormally rounded or "humpback" appearance. Click Image to Enlarge Kyphosis is defined as a curvature of the spine measuring 50 degrees or greater on an X-ray (a diagnostic test that uses invisible electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal tissues, bones, and organ...

Kidney Stones Click Image to Enlarge What is a kidney stone? A kidney stone is a solid piece of material that forms from crystallization of excreted substances in the urine. The stone may remain in the kidney or break loose and travel down the urinary tract. A small stone may pass all of the way out of the body, but a larger stone can get stuck in a ureter, the bladder, or the urethra. This may block the flow of urine and cause great pain. A kidney stone may be as small as a grain of sand or as large as...

Knee Replacement Surgery When a knee is so severely damaged by disease or injury, an artificial knee replacement may be considered. During knee replacement surgery, joint surfaces are substituted or replaced by prostheses. Nearly 600,000 knee replacement surgeries are performed annually in the U.S. The most common age for knee replacement is between 60 years old and 80 years old. Who might be a candidate for knee replacement? Click Image to Enlarge The most common condition that results in the need for ...

Knee Pain and Problems Brief anatomy of the knee The knee is a vulnerable joint that bears a great deal of stress from everyday activities, such as lifting and kneeling, and from high-impact activities, such as jogging and aerobics. The knee is formed by the following parts: Tibia. This is the shin bone or larger bone of the lower leg. Femur. This is the thighbone or upper leg bone. Patella . This is the kneecap. Click Image to Enlarge Each bone end is covered with a layer of cartilage that absorbs shoc...

Knowing When to Seek Treatment Knowing when to seek treatment for mental health disorders is important for parents and families. Many times, families, spouses, or friends are the first to suspect that their loved one is challenged by feelings, behaviors, and/or environmental conditions that cause them to act disruptive, rebellious, or sad. This may include, but is not limited to, problems with relationships with friends and/or family members, work, school, sleeping, eating, substance abuse, emotional ex...

Keratosis Pilaris What is keratosis pilaris? Keratosis pilaris is a common skin disorder characterized by small, pointed pimples. The pimples usually appear on the upper arms, thighs, and buttocks. The condition worsens in the winter and usually clears up in the summer. Keratosis pilaris has no known cause, but tends to run in families. This disorder does not get worse over time. It is harmless, and often disappears as the person ages. Treatment for keratosis pilaris Usually no treatment is necessary fo...

Keep Autumn Triggers Under Control Autumn means pumpkins, colorful leaves and, for some, worries about asthma. You can blame these worries on seasonal asthma triggers that are in the air and environment, along with falling temperatures. You can thrive during this season by avoiding asthma triggers and following your asthma action plan. Here are tips for lessening the impact of fall asthma triggers: Ragweed pollen. Fall is the peak season for this allergen, which is especially thick in the early morning ...

Know About Niacin Along with diet and exercise, treatment to lower cholesterol may include the B vitamin niacin combined with other drugs, such as statins. Niacin is available by prescription, over the counter and as a dietary supplement. (The dietary supplement form is not recommended for lowering cholesterol.) Take niacin only under a doctor’s guidance. Niacin helps lower triglyceride levels and increase High-density lipoprotein (HDL), or “good” cholesterol, which carries fat away from arteries. It al...

Keep Your Feet Happy Taking good care of your feet is an important part of living with diabetes. With careful attention, you can help prevent more serious foot problems and the risk for toe, foot, or leg amputation. How diabetes affects your feet When you have diabetes, nerve damage, and lack of blood flow to your feet can cause foot problems. Blisters and sores can turn into ulcers when left untreated. These ulcers can become infected and lead to serious health problems. Everyday care for your feet Tak...

Know Your Peak Flow A peak-flow meter is a small device that measures how fast the air is moving out of your lungs when you exhale. You and your health care provider can use information from a peak-flow meter to help stop a flare-up in its tracks. When the airflow from your lungs is slower than your normal rate, this can be a sign of asthma problems. It can help alert you to problems hours or even days before you start to experience actual symptoms, such as an increase in cough or shortness of breath. E...

Take the Kids' Healthy Snacks Quiz Is your snack bowl ready for Halloween? Before you fill it with marshmallow candy and chocolate bars, give a thought to good nutrition. It's possible to offer tasty but more nutritious treats this year. This quiz will give you the lowdown on healthier snacks for kids. 1. Gooey or sticky snacks are bad for kids' teeth. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is Snacks that are gooey or chewy stick to teeth and stay there longer than foods that c...

What Do You Know About Taking Care of Your Knees? Your knees are complex joints and that makes them more vulnerable to injury. Learning how to prevent knee injuries and treating them if they occur can help you stay active at work and play. Test your knowledge of knees by taking this quiz, based on information from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. 1. The knee is the largest joint in the body and bears most of the body's weight. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer...

How Much Do You Know About Kidney Health? 1. How much blood do your kidneys filter daily? You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is One of the functions of your kidneys is to remove waste products and extra fluid from the blood. Waste products come from your diet and normal breakdown of tissues. The kidneys filter about 50 gallons of blood a day. Of that amount, about one-half to two quarts of fluid and waste products are removed from the blood and passed out of the body in uri...

Take the Kidney Stone Quiz Kidney stones are one of the most common problems of the urinary tract—and one of the most painful disorders. How much do you know about kidney stones? Try your hand at this quiz, based on information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. 1. Most kidney stones pass through a person's urinary tract without any medical intervention. You didn't answer this question. You answered The correct answer is If the crystals that form the stones remain...

Kras gene A gene that may cause cancer when it is mutated (changed). The Kras gene makes the KRAS protein, which is involved in cell signaling pathways, cell growth, and apoptosis (cell death). Agents that block the activity of the mutated Kras gene or its protein may stop the growth of cancer. Also called K-ras gene.

K-ras gene A gene that may cause cancer when it is mutated (changed). The K-ras gene makes the KRAS protein, which is involved in cell signaling pathways, cell growth, and apoptosis (cell death). Agents that block the activity of the mutated K-ras gene or its protein may stop the growth of cancer. Also called Kras gene.

Kostmann neutropenia An inherited disorder in which there is a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that is important in fighting infections). Infants with the disorder get infections caused by bacteria, and are at an increased risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplasia (a bone marrow disorder). Also called congenital neutropenia, genetic infantile agranulocytosis, infantile genetic agranulocytosis, Kostmann disease, and Kostmann syndrome.

Kostmann disease An inherited disorder in which there is a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that is important in fighting infections). Infants with the disorder get infections caused by bacteria, and are at an increased risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplasia (a bone marrow disorder). Also called congenital neutropenia, genetic infantile agranulocytosis, infantile genetic agranulocytosis, Kostmann neutropenia, and Kostmann syndrome.

Kostmann syndrome An inherited disorder in which there is a lower-than-normal number of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell that is important in fighting infections). Infants with the disorder get infections caused by bacteria, and are at an increased risk of acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) or myelodysplasia (a bone marrow disorder). Also called congenital neutropenia, genetic infantile agranulocytosis, infantile genetic agranulocytosis, Kostmann disease, and Kostmann neutropenia.

Kaletra A combination of the drugs ritonavir and lopinavir. It is used to treat infection with HIV (the virus that causes AIDS). It is also being studied in the treatment of some types of cancer. Kaletra blocks the ability of HIV to make copies of itself and may help other anticancer drugs work better or may block the growth of cancer cells. Ritonavir blocks the breakdown of lopinavir. Kaletra is a type of anti-HIV agent and a type of protease inhibitor. Also called lopinavir/ritonavir.

kinase A type of enzyme that causes other molecules in the cell to become active. Some kinases work by adding chemicals called phosphates to other molecules, such as sugars or proteins. Kinases are a part of many cell processes. Some cancer treatments target certain kinases that are linked to cancer.