Best Pharmacy Guide

Four Drug Free Ways to Lower Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is the force of blood against the walls of the arteries, the vessels that carry blood away from the heart. It is normal for your blood pressure to fluctuate during the day. When it stays high, you have high blood pressure, or hypertension. This increased pressure puts a strain on your heart that could lead to a heart attack. It also affects other organs in the body like the kidneys and brain. There are literally hundreds of prescription medications for treating blood pressure but certain lifestyle changes can also have beneficial effects on blood pressure.

According to The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, over 90% of Americans have or will have hypertension in their lifetime. When blood pressure reaches 115 over 75, the damage to the body has just begun. For every 20 over 10 increase, the damage actually doubles. According to a national survey, 70% of Americans are aware of their high blood pressure, 59% are being treated, and 34% have it under control.

Eating foods that are low in saturated fats, low in total fat, and low in cholesterol can reduce blood pressure. A well balanced diet of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and low fat dairy products should make up the majority of your eating plan. Be sure to ease into any change in eating regimen. Sudden changes can cause bloating and diarrhea, lessening your chance of sticking with it. The lowered pressure effect of this dietary change is often the same as taking a blood pressure medication.

Maintaining a healthy body weight reduces your chances of developing hypertension. The best way to control body weight is to eat less calories and exercise more. Proven calorie reduction techniques include eating smaller portions, using low fat or fat free products, and limiting sugar intake. Exercising just 20 to 30 minutes a few times a week can produce dramatic results. The physical activity can include anything like walking, bicycling, or gardening. Simply getting your body in motion and keeping it in motion for a period of time is all you need.

Reducing sodium in your diet is another way to keep the pressure down. The average American should consume no more than 2.4 grams of sodium per day. For someone with high blood pressure, your doctor may recommend 1.5 grams or less of sodium. Processed and pre-packed foods usually contain a high amount of sodium. After a high sodium meal, many people have a bloated feeling due to excess water retention. This extra volume increases the blood pressure. Salt substitutes are available but be sure to check with your doctor before using any of them. Most contain potassium which reacts with certain medications.

Drinking an excess amount of alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It also harms the liver, brain, and heart. Alcohol is also high in calories, which can that lead to weight gain. If you drink, be sure to have a moderate amount. This is defined as one drink a day for women and two drink a day for men.

None of these lifestyle changes will work unless you stay on them. Americans must change how we view blood pressure. This disease is much more prevalent than previously thought. The sooner action is taken, the better.

An excellent resource for blood pressure reduction techniques is found at the National Institute for Health website at www.nhlbi.nih.gov/hbp/index.html.

by admin on September 3, 2010
filed in Medication

New Therapy For Parkinson’s Disease Patients

In the United States, an estimated 1.5 million Americans are afflicted with Parkinson’s disease (PD), with more than 60,000 new cases diagnosed each year. While the condition usually develops after the age of 65, 40 percent of people diagnosed are under age 60. Parkinson’s disease is a chronic, progressive disorder of the central nervous system that belongs to a group of conditions called motor system disorders. It affects nearly equal numbers of men and women, with no obvious social, ethnic, economic or geographic boundaries. There presently is no cure for the disease, and the cause is unknown.

Levodopa/carbidopa is commonly used early in the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, but as the disease progresses it becomes increasingly difficult to adequately control symptoms with this medication. In fact, Parkinson’s disease patients may experience many hours during the day in which their symptoms return as a result of medication wearing off. This wearing off is known as “off” time.

The good news is that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Zelapar (selegiline HCl) Orally Disintegrating Tablets, a once-daily adjunct therapy for Parkinson’s disease patients being treated with levodopa/carbidopa who exhibit deterioration in the quality of their response to this therapy. Utilizing a unique orally dissolving drug delivery system, Zelapar has been shown to reduce “off” time, on average, by more than two hours per day.

Marketed by Valeant Pharmaceuticals International, Zelapar is a selective and irreversible monoamine oxidase type-B (MAO-B) inhibitor and is the first Parkinson’s disease treatment to use a novel delivery system called Zydis Technology, which allows the oral tablets to dissolve within seconds in the mouth and deliver more active drug at a lower dose.

“Many people with Parkinson’s disease are not adequately controlled on their current treatments,” said Cheryl Waters, M.D., F.R.C.P. (C), Albert B. and Judith L. Glickman professor, Department of Neurology, Columbia University. “The unique formulation of Zelapar allows the orally disintegrating tablets to dissolve within seconds. By delivering more active drug at a lower dose, Zelapar significantly reduces ‘off’ time, giving valuable hours back to the patient.”

A new medication is providing increased benefit for Parkinson’s disease patients-helping reduce “off” time, when symptoms are not adequately controlled.

Note to Editors: Important Safety Information

Zelapar is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to any formulation of selegiline or any of the inactive ingredients of Zelapar. Serious, sometimes fatal reactions have been precipitated with the concomitant use of meperidine (e.g. Demerol and other tradenames) and MAO inhibitors including selective MAO-B inhibitors. These reactions have been characterized by coma, severe hypertension or hypotension, severe respiratory depression, convulsions, malignant hyperpyrexia, excitation, peripheral vascular collapse and death. In addition, the combination of MAO inhibitors and dextromethorphan has been reported to cause brief episodes of psychosis or bizarre behavior. Severe toxicity has also been reported in patients receiving the combination of tricyclic antidepressants and conventional selegiline and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors and conventional selegiline. Zelapar should not be administered along with other selegiline products.

Zelapar may potentiate the dopaminergic side effects of levodopa and may cause or worsen preexisting dyskinesia. Decreasing the dose of levodopa may improve this side effect.

5.2 percent of patients discontinued Zelapar therapy due to adverse events (vs. one percent with placebo). The most common adverse events reported by patients treated with Zelapar were comparable to placebo, and included: nausea (11%), dizziness (11%), pain (8%), headache (7%), insomnia (7%), rhinitis (7%), dyskinesia (6%), skin disorders (6%), stomatitis (5%), back pain (5%) and dyspepsia (5%). Zelapar should be used during pregnancy only if the potential benefit to the mother justifies the potential risk to the fetus.

by admin on September 2, 2010
filed in Pharmacy Guide

Hodgkin’s Disease

Lymphoma, better known as Hodgkin’s Disease, is a condition characterized by the presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. In addition to Hodgkin’s, there are many other lymphoma diseases which are known as Non-Hodkin’s lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma incidences become more and more common with age, whereas Hodkin’s lymphoma is common between ages 16 and 35, and over 50.

The most common sign of Hodgkin’s lymphoma is swollon lymph nodes, mainly in the neck. This is not painful, however some of the other expected symptoms are. These other symptoms are unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue, itchy skin, low grade fevers, and night sweats. As these are common symptoms of any infection, the only accurate diagnosis is through lymph node biopsy and blood testing.

Unlike Hodgkin’s lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma is a type of cancer. In the united states, 5% of cancer victims are due to Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Signs of this disease are similar to that of Hodgkin’s, with a few differences. As well as in the neck, swollon lymph nodes are common in the underarm and groin. And in addition to itchy skin, patients will notice unexplained red patches.

Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma must be tested for as well, using things such as X-rays, MRI’s, CT scans, PET scans, and Lymphangiogram, which are pictures of the lymphatic system taken with x-rays after a dye is injected to differentiate the lymph nodes and vessels. These tests are due to the simple fact that the symptoms are common in many other, less critical, conditions.

by admin on September 2, 2010
filed in Conditions

Keeping a Vaccine for a Dead Disease: Life for Polio

Keeping a Vaccine for a Dead Disease: Life for Polio

Nigeria has discovered cases of mutated polio virus in within their borders. How can this be? There is a vaccine for polio so it should be well taken care of. If you follow that pattern of thought you would be monstrously mistaken. In actuality the mutation of the polio virus is due to the oral form that is distributed in that region coupled with the drop off of the number of people receiving the vaccine. A sixty percent of the Nigerian population is refusing to get the vaccine due to rumors that it sterilizes Muslim girls and the vaccine carries the AIDS virus. The only way to contain is to continue vaccination. The only problem is that Nigerians’ polio out break was a mutated vaccine form.

Nigerians receive an oral vaccine with a live form of the polio virus and that is what gets passed around and mutated. If Nigerians were given a shot version of the polio vaccine which is dead, or inactive, then there would be no polio outbreaks. That in essence is not the only concern.

The great cause for alarm is what is in the polio vaccination itself. The polio vaccine has SV 40 in it. SV 40 is a cancer causing virus that is tied to brain, bone and lung tumors. The polio vaccine also has more than 26 monkey viruses in it. There is no need to put these harmful agents into our body to protect a disease that outside of the vaccine would not exist. Polio was a prevalent disease in a time where sanitation was poor. In the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century where sewer systems were just being implemented, food storage was just developing technology, and hygiene was not as well practice. Today there have been so much advancement in water sanitation and improvement in the previous categories that it makes antiquated diseases like polio and small pox less likely to be contracted. There were various oral disease like piranha in those days that are incredibly rare today due to gained intelligence over oral health and hygiene.

So, why are people still submitting their children to the polio vaccine? Sadly, it is because the general public is so programmed. No one questions the possible dangers of vaccines and just stands in line and get their list of required vaccines checked off. The government officials of course need campaign money and therefore are owned by big money insurance companies and medical research facilities. It makes you question if trusting the people you elected is possible. It also makes you consider how heartless people can be and how they are out to make money at all costs. Even though people are dying and new diseases are being formed they need to make money off of a vaccine that is no longer needed. People need to understand that we should not have the government be our medical consultant. Dr. Ron Paul once brilliantly said, “When we give the power to government to make medical decisions for us, in essence, the state owns our bodies.” Everyone should consider that jarring thought.

by admin on August 31, 2010
filed in Disease Treatment

Help Advance The Next Generation Of Cancer Drugs

You can be a part of something important. Researchers are looking for ordinary Americans to be on the front lines of public health in the U.S.

Recently, a group of cancer experts in partnership with the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups (www.CancerTrialsHelp.org) identified 10 high-priority colorectal clinical studies that address important research opportunities and merit support for rapid completion. Combined, these 10 large studies will need to enroll more than 17,500 people. Nine trials will explore new colorectal cancer treatments and one is a large colo-rectal prevention trial designed to enroll healthy individuals.

Patients and caregivers interested in participating in these important trials can find information through www.CancerTrialsHelp.org. A convenient resource called QuickLink has been built on this Web site to help learn more about these major colorectal cancer clinical trials and to easily determine if you are eligible for enrollment.

“Clinical trials are not just a vital source of information, they can be of great value to the individuals who participate in them,” said Robert L. Comis, M.D., president of the Coalition of Cancer Cooperative Groups. “A common misperception that some patients receive placebo has prevented some people from participating in clinical trials.” Placebos (also called “sugar pills”) are rarely used in cancer clinical trials and are never used in place of treatment.

There are nearly 270 colorectal cancer studies currently available for patients in the U.S., out of over 4,500 cancer trials of all types. Now, QuickLink provides information on 10 of the largest colorectal trials currently available, along with links to patient support services.

TrialCheck offers a fast and easy way for people to find out if they may be eligible to participate in these and other trials. Search results are displayed by proximity to the user’s zip code, making it easy to find clinical trials close to home. TrialCheck is the most frequently updated searchable database of cancer clinical trials in the U.S.

Clinical trial participants stand to personally benefit as well. Patients who join cancer clinical trials are given the best available treatment or a new treatment that, based on early clinical data, could be an improvement over the current standard therapy. In addition, there are many trials available for prevention, screening and early detection of colorectal cancer or precancerous polyps.

Participants in clinical trials are vital in the fight against cancer. The American Cancer Society estimates that there will be almost 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer diagnosed in the U.S. in 2006. Many of these patients may be eligible to participate in these clinical trials as part of their treatment, and are encouraged to learn more and talk to their doctor.

Cancer clinical trials are designed to improve upon “best available therapies” while protecting the rights and welfare of participants.

by admin on August 30, 2010
filed in Pharmacy Prescription

Forget the cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, or diabetes.

Forget the cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, or diabetes. Unless

If you want a cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, or diabetes, don’t count on the academia, the National Institute of Health (NIH), or the biotech/pharmaceutical industry. With all the money they have spent on researching these diseases, they have very little to show for it.

In 1971, during the State of the Union address, President Nixon declared the war on cancer proposing “an intensive campaign to find a cure for cancer.” Since 1971, Americans spent, through taxes, donations, and private R&D, about $200 billion in inflation-adjusted dollars. This money produced 1.56 million papers on cancer. Yet, today we are no closer to a cure than we were in 1971. Why?

Consider what Dr. Almog said in his paper: Drug Industry in “depression” (Almog, D. Drug industry in “depression”. Med Sci Monit. 2005 Jan;11(1):SR1-4, I would urge you to read his paper, it’s an eye opener on relationship between academic research and commercial drug discovery): “When the basic science/biology of disease is not available, no new drugs come to market.” With the billion of dollars spent by the NIH on basic science, and the millions of papers published on the topic, the question is, “Why isnt the basic science/biology of disease available? Individual discoveries in the biology of human disease are cornerstone in new treatments. However, in drug discovery, these basic science/biology discoveries are seemingly unrelated dots. To connect the dots you need a theory. The Blind Men and the Elephant is a famous story about six blind men encountering an elephant for the first time. Each man, seizing on the single feature of the animal, which he appeared to have touched first, and being incapable of seeing it whole, loudly maintained his limited opinion on the nature of the beast. The elephant was considered a wall, a spear, a snake, a tree, a fan or a rope, depending on whether the blind men had first grasped the creatures side, tusk, trunk, knee, ear or tail. The story epitomizes the problem of the reductionist approach in biology. A recent book Microcompetition with Foreign DNA and the Origin of Chronic Disease, by Hanan Polansky [11], presents an alternative. The book identifies the disruption that causes atherosclerosis, cancer, obesity, osteoarthritis, type II diabetes, alopecia, type I diabetes, multiple sclerosis, asthma, lupus, thyroiditis, inflammatory bowel disease, rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, graft versus host disease, and other chronic diseases, and describes the sequence of events that leads from the disruption to the molecular, cellular, and clinical effects.”

What are the implications of the NIH failure? A decline in the number of new drugs introduced by pharmaceutical companies. Consider what professor Taylor says in his paper: Fewer new drugs from the pharmaceutical industry (Taylor D. Fewer new drugs from the pharmaceutical industry. BMJ. 2003 Feb 22;326(7386):408-9): “In 2002 spending on medicines exceeded $400bn (248bn; 377bn) worldwide. Optimists in the pharmaceutical industry believe that the global market for their products will go on expanding by around 10% a year, with the United States continuing to lead towards higher per capita outlays. Expenditure on research by the pharmaceutical industry is also increasing worldwide. It is now over $45bn a year—twice the sum recorded at the start of the 1990s—and projected to rise to $55bn by 2005-6. Concerns are growing, however, about the productivity of research being funded by the major pharmaceutical companies. … Empirical evidence indicates a crisis in productivity in pharmaceutical research. The number of medicines introduced worldwide that contain new active ingredients dropped from an average of over 60 a year in the late 1980s to 52 in 1991 and only 31 in 2001. The overall number of new active substances undergoing regulatory review is still falling.”

On the one hand, the expenditure on research is increasing. On the other, the number of new drugs is decreasing. The professionals call this situation the productivity crisis in drug discovery.

The NIH failed to produce the so much needed biology of chronic disease because it is caught in the reductionist mentality. Dr. Hanan Polansky offers an alternative. If we want a cure for cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer, or diabetes, we need to seriously consider his alternative.

by admin on August 29, 2010
filed in Medication

Heart Diseases: Statistical Comparison between US and Africa

Cardiomyopathy is a rare heart muscle disease over the world, but not in Africa where it is one of the major causes of heart failure, according to experts that reviewed all available cardiomyopathy studies performed in Africa, along with all the information about the causes and types of heart muscle disease in Africa, where 10 per cent of the world’s population lives.

A 10 per cent to 17 per cent of cardiac problems found through autopsies in South Africa and Uganda, and 17 per cent to 48 per cent of heart failure diagnoses in many parts of Africa are due to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is an enlargement of the entire heart, explain researchers.

In the United States, 4 to 8 per 100,000 people are affected by DCM, but African overall incidence is unknown, because the corresponding studies have not been made yet.

Researchers’ findings show that Peripartum cardiomyopathy has a very high incidence throughout Africa and Nigeria. This illness can cause heart failure and it develops between the last month of pregnancy and the first five months after childbirth.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy incidence in the US is 1 in 15,000 deliveries; meanwhile the incidence in South Africa is 1 in 1,000 cases.

DCM is caused by various factors, under generally accepted African theory. These include untreated high blood pressure, infective and toxic agents, inappropriate immunologic reactions, nutritional deficiencies, and genetic factors.

According to experts, it is important to do more research to understand the underlying reasons for Africa’s high cardiomyopathy rate, and prevent or reduce it.

by admin on August 26, 2010
filed in Pharmacy Prescription

Heart Diseases: Statistical Comparison between US and Africa

Cardiomyopathy is a rare heart muscle disease over the world, but not in Africa where it is one of the major causes of heart failure, according to experts that reviewed all available cardiomyopathy studies performed in Africa, along with all the information about the causes and types of heart muscle disease in Africa, where 10 per cent of the world’s population lives.

A 10 per cent to 17 per cent of cardiac problems found through autopsies in South Africa and Uganda, and 17 per cent to 48 per cent of heart failure diagnoses in many parts of Africa are due to dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), which is an enlargement of the entire heart, explain researchers.

In the United States, 4 to 8 per 100,000 people are affected by DCM, but African overall incidence is unknown, because the corresponding studies have not been made yet.

Researchers’ findings show that Peripartum cardiomyopathy has a very high incidence throughout Africa and Nigeria. This illness can cause heart failure and it develops between the last month of pregnancy and the first five months after childbirth.
Peripartum cardiomyopathy incidence in the US is 1 in 15,000 deliveries; meanwhile the incidence in South Africa is 1 in 1,000 cases.

DCM is caused by various factors, under generally accepted African theory. These include untreated high blood pressure, infective and toxic agents, inappropriate immunologic reactions, nutritional deficiencies, and genetic factors.

According to experts, it is important to do more research to understand the underlying reasons for Africa’s high cardiomyopathy rate, and prevent or reduce it.

by admin on August 25, 2010
filed in Conditions

National Awareness Campaign Bringing Attention To A Rare Lung Disease

National Awareness Campaign Bringing Attention To A Rare Lung Disease

A new national disease awareness campaign called “Faces of PAH” is bringing attention to a rare, underrecognized lung disease known as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Created by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), the leading PAH advocacy organization, “Faces of PAH” seeks to raise PAH’s profile in the United States, and provide insight into both the medical and personal aspects of this life-threatening disease.

The initiative focuses on the stories of PAH patients through a series of doctor/patient interviews with national and local media. “Faces of PAH” patient ambassadors will highlight their experience with the disease, while thought-leading PAH doctors will provide an overview of symptoms, diagnosis and treatments.

PAH causes high blood pressure in the lungs due to narrowing and stiffening of the vessels that supply blood to the lungs. As these arteries become increasingly constricted, less blood is able to flow out of the right side of the heart for re-oxygenation in the lungs. The heart must pump harder to overcome the resistance, and this stress causes it to enlarge and lose pumping strength, leading to worsening of symptoms and, ultimately, heart failure.

Symptoms of PAH include:

• Breathlessness or shortness of breath

• Fatigue

• Dizzy spells

• Fainting

• Chest pain, especially during physical activity

• Swollen ankles and legs.

PAH afflicts hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, but it is estimated that many of these individuals have not been diagnosed and are not receiving treatment. The disease can affect people of all ages and backgrounds, but primarily occurs in those 20 to 40 years old and is more prevalent in women than men.

“PAH has a history of being overlooked and misunderstood by most Americans,” said Rino Aldrighetti, Pulmonary Hypertension Association President. “‘Faces of PAH’ will share the stories of heroic PAH patients and their families in an effort to increase understanding of this debilitating disease.”

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit membership organization with a mission to seek a cure for pulmonary hypertension and provide hope for the pulmonary hypertension community.

The “Faces of PAH” campaign is made possible by an unrestricted grant from Encysive Pharmaceuticals.

by admin on August 24, 2010
filed in Pharmacy Guide

IBD And Crohn’s Disease – What’s The Link?

Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is a term used for a group of illnesses affecting the digestive system. With roughly one million sufferers in the United States, IBD is primarily composed of two disorders: Crohns Disease and ulcerative colitis.

What takes place with IBD, Crohns, and ulcerative colitis is the bodys immune system has an exaggerated response to an unknown bacteria or condition of the bowel system, releases a large number of white blood cells to the affected area, and as a result, the area becomes drastically inflamed. This swelling causes ulcerations and injury to the bowel, as well as various other negative side effects.

Although extensive research has been done, it is unclear what causes the excessive immune response in IBD. Some believe it is the bodys mistaken identification of good bacteria in the bowel as being dangerous, while others believe it is a foreign agent that triggers the immune system, which in turn, does not shut down properly. Whatever the reason, this is a chronic condition which will continue to be a problem for sufferers for an extended period of time.

The primary difference between Crohns Disease and ulcerative colitis is the location of the affected area. Crohns Disease may affect any portion of the digestive system and may occur in patches, with unaffected areas in between. However, Crohns Disease primarily affects the end of the small intestine and the beginning of the large intestine. On the other hand, ulcerative colitis only affects the colon. Often, it is very difficult to determine which form of IBD a patient is suffering from and misdiagnosis is common.

Symptoms common of Irritable Bowel Disorder are diarrhea, abdominal pain, rectal bleeding, and occasionally weight loss. These signs are often present with Crohns Disease, as well as uncreative colitis. As a result of blood loss, many sufferers also become anemic. This can be especially devastating to pre-existing conditions. Likewise, complications can arise from blockages that occur due to excessive bowel swelling and the presence of scar tissue. For this reason, surgery is sometimes necessary to remove damaged areas of the digestive system to avoid obstructions. There are also side effects experienced in other areas of the body in addition to the digestive system.

For the most part, IBD and Crohns Disease are often used interchangeably. However, it should be understood that Irritable Bowel Disorder does not necessarily translate to Crohns Disease. There are other forms of IBD that may affect sufferers in much the same way.

by admin on August 24, 2010
filed in Disease Treatment
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