Drugs

Oliver Wendell Holmes once said that if the whole Phamacopediawere dumped into the ocean it would be better for mankind and worse for the fishes. Perhaps that is an extreme position. All medications have side-effects, but the issue is whether the benefits outweigh the risks. It is a good idea to know possible side-effects and […]

Scientists at the University of Michigan Medical School, published in found that antibiotics were the best way to kill the bacteria that cause gastritis and eliminate stomach inflammation. Mice given drugs called proton pump inhibitors (like Prilosec and Prevacid) to block acid production had more bacteria and inflammation than mice that were not given the

Some Pain Medications May Make Blood Pressure Rise According to research published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (October 28, 2002;162:2204-2208), frequent use of pain-relief medications may result in an increased-risk of high blood pressure in women. These drugs are known as NSAIDs (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). Use of acetaminophen (eg Tylenol) was also monitored in

Parents of asthmatic children often overlook important measures, including banning smoking in the house and shutting windows to keep pollen out. About 25% of   parents surveyed said that a smoker lived in the same house as the child with asthma but they had not done anything about it. “80% of parents in this study knew

Pain Medications May be Linked to Kidney Failure People with kidney disease or other ailments who regularly take aspirin or acetaminophen may be increasing the risk of developing kidney failure. Patients who regularly use pain medications (according to researchers, regular use is defined as at least twice each week for two months), were between two

People with kidney disease who regularly take aspirin or acetaminophen may increase their risk of developing kidney failure, According to research published in the New England Journal of Medicine (December 20, 2001;345:1801-1808) the use of aspirin or acetaminophen may increase the risk of kidney failure in those with existing kidney disease. Kidney patients who took

Pain Medication Can Increase the Risk of a Second Bout of Heart Failure Popular anti-inflammatory, pain-killing drugs (called NSAIDs—or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) may increase the risk of relapse in patients with heart failure according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine (February 11, 2002;162:265-270). NSAIDs, a group of drugs that includes aspirin

Overuse of inhalers may have a detrimental effect on those suffering from asthma, according to the article: “Pharmacists Urged to Alert Physicians to Asthma Inhaler Overuse”, Family Practice News, April 15, 1993; 46. Pharmacists should monitor patients’ use of asthma inhalers, according to a spokesperson from the National Asthma Education Program. Inhaler overuse is associated

According to research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (Vol. 296 No. 15, October 18, 2006), over 700,000 Americans end up in the emergency room each year due to reactions to prescription medication. The most common causes are allergic reactions and accidental overdoses. According to the authors of the study and other

For more articles on this and other health topics, click on the link to go to our practitioners’ directory and link to a web site that is loaded with information: Practitioners’ Directory According to the January 18, 2008 issue of the British Medical Journal, the benefits of osteoporosis drugs are exaggerated. The drugs are being