Blog about medicines and adverse drug reactions.
April 28th, 2009 admin
Symptom: Breathing rate higher than normal
Home care: None, except for shortness of breath caused by anxiety. Ask your doctor for advice.
Precautions
- Do not be concerned if your child breathes more rapidly during a fever; fever increases the breathing rate.
- High doses of aspirin increase the breathing rate.
- Contact your doctor if your healthy child breathes rapidly while at rest.
Breathing is the process by which the body is supplied with oxygen and relieved of the waste product carbon dioxide. When the body’s demand for oxygen is not met or it retains too much carbon dioxide, shortness of breath results. Shortness of breath usually follows prolonged physical exertion, but it also may accompany fever because the elevated temperature speeds up the body’s chemical reactions which, in turn, increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the body and the demand for oxygen.
Shortness of breath also may be a sign of disease. It indicates that something is interfering with the intake and transport of oxygen. It may be due to croup; inflammation of the bronchial tubes or the epiglottis in the throat; asthma; pneumonia; inhalation of a foreign body; or spontaneous collapse of a lung (pneumothorax).
Inadequate transport of oxygen causing shortness of breath may signal the presence of heart disease, severe anaeimia, or carbon monoxide poisoning from automobile exhaust fumes or a defective heater.
A rapid rate of respiration may be a consequence of aspirin poisoning, which stimulates the breathing centers in the brain, or uncontrolled diabetes and dehydration (loss of body fluids). Anxiety sometimes causes the false sensation of shortness of breath.
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April 23rd, 2009 admin
What are they?
Engorgements and enlargements of ‘cushions’ of tissue that line the anus (opening of the back passage). They are very common in the West and were until recently thought to be a sort of varicose vein in the back passage. This theory is no longer tenable in the light of recent research which shows that we all have anal cushions of tissue that close off the back passage so as to keep stools in until we choose to release them.
What causes them?
Studies from around the world show that piles are mainly a disease of the western world. Monthly returns from seventy-seven rural hospitals in sub-Saharal Africa showed that fewer than three people with bleeding or prolapsed piles were found each year in each hospital. These figures are extremely low compared with the West where the disease is said to affect half the entire population over the age of 50!
It is now thought that as hard, sticky masses of stools are forced down the back passage, substantial shearing stresses are put on the anal cushions which, as a result, become pushed down as they part company with the underlying muscles. Both the straining and the hard faecal matter are caused by a low-fibre diet.
Prevention
• Drink more water. This tends to make the stools less hard and easier to pass.
• Eat more fibre in all its forms. This alone will make the stools easier to pass and so reduce the shearing stresses on the anal cushions.
• Lubricate the back passage before opening the bowels (with a little Vaseline or KY jelly).
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April 23rd, 2009 admin
Although we all live against the backcloth of western civilization we are able now, at least to some extent, to manipulate our environment so as to reduce some of the hazards. There are three reasons for linking health and lifestyle.
1. The major causes of death, serious illness and disability in the West today are the c1 ironic diseases and violence. Chronic disease accounts for about 80 per cent of all deaths, and violence in the form of accidents, suicide and homicide for about 8 per cent.
2. Behind most of these deaths are behavioural and environmental factors, many of which can be prevented. About 80 per cent of all cancers in men, and 75 per cent in women, for example, are attributable to environmental or behavioural factors or a combination of both.
3. A few individual and societal lifestyle changes could make an enormous difference to rates of death and disease and levels of suffering in any westernized society.
Smoking
Nearly 20 per cent of all western mortality is smoking related. Lethal diseases associated with smoking are: heart disease, lung cancer; chronic bronchitis and emphysema; and cancer of the kidney, stomach and pancreas. It also plays a part in the forming of peptic ulcers and has adverse effects on the fetus. In spite of this being well known and widely publicized 36 per cent of the UK population and 41 per cent of adults in the US, still smoke.
Alcohol
The extent to which alcohol contributes to disease, disability and premature death is not always appreciated. Many authorities agree that ‘alcoholism’ is the most devastating socio-medical problem faced by human society apart from war and malnutrition. It plays a major part in liver disease, peptic ulcer, many digestive disorders, nervous system damage, nutritional disorders, and metabolic changes. It contributes to half of all deaths in car accidents, half of all murders, and a quarter of all suicides. The true alcoholic’s lifespan is shortened by 10-12 years and even that of the heavy social drinker is shortened.
Drug abuse
This is now increasingly common in the form both of legal and illegal drugs. People living in the industrialized world are increasingly dependent upon readily available drugs as aids to coping with the stresses of modern life. These range from prescribed tranquillizers such as Valium and Librium to alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, cannabis, cocaine and heroin. Six out of ten of all prescriptions in the US are for mood-altering drugs. Legally prescribed drugs in the form of tranquillizers and sleeping tablets are used in suicide attempts-successful and otherwise-and the number of narcotic addicts is rising all over the western world. Narcotic drugs are now the second biggest killer under the age of 40 in New York (violence and accidents are the main cause). The withdrawal of both legal and illegal drugs can cause real suffering (as millions of tranquillizer patients know to their cost).
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April 9th, 2009 admin
If you’re weight lifting and taking anabolic steroids, your breasts will remain enlarged until you stop both training and taking the medications.
The detection and diagnosis for a breast tumor in men is the same as for women. Sonography and/or mammography is used initially; if the mass appears to be suspicious, your doctor will do a biopsy to determine whether the cells are cancerous or not.
If you are taking either cimetidine or digoxin and you’ve noticed that your breasts have grown since you’ve begun the regimen, ask your doctor if he can switch you to another effective medication that won’t give you these side effects. When you stop taking the drug, your breasts should return to their normal size.
If your breasts have grown because you’ve gained weight, the only treatment is a weight-reduction plan that includes exercise. Some men have actually undergone breast-reduction surgery to eliminate this embarrassing condition, but most either learn to live with it or reduce the prominence of their breasts by losing weight and building up the pectoral muscles that lie underneath.
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April 9th, 2009 admin
Even though many midlife adults worry about getting colon cancer, the truth is that it is actually a treatable disease if it’s discovered early. However, because it is so serious, you should be attuned to the signs of colon cancer and know the risks.
First of all, if you or someone in your family has a history of colon disease—not necessarily cancer, but perhaps colitis or polyps—or if you are over 50 and have chronic constipation, you should be monitored regularly by your doctor.
Besides chronic constipation, some of the other signs of colon cancer include a slow change in bowel habits that occurs over the course of several weeks or months. Diarrhea might also be present, as well as bloating, gas, weight loss, a change in appetite, anemia, and depression. These, however, are what I call “soft” signals; people might think they are appearing due to a change in lifestyle or another health problem. When they do seek help and recognize that it may be colon cancer, they will do so when their intestines become blocked by the tumor or they experience a serious blood loss from a tumor that begins to bleed.
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April 9th, 2009 admin
Description and Possible Medical Problems
If you occasionally feel your heart start to race for a minute or two and then return to normal, and you’re under 50, you have nothing to worry about. Usually, this condition is the result of an excess of caffeine ot stimulant medications, anxiety, or thyroid disease and is not an indication of heart trouble. Only if the rapid heartbeat lasts for more than several minutes should you call your doctor.
If you’re over 50, however, and become short of breath when your heart rate goes above 100 beats per minute, and it lasts for several minutes, you should see your doctor; heart disease may be the cause.
Treatment
If you’re under 50 and your rapid heartbeat is caused by caffeine, anxiety, or a thyroid disease, your doctor will probably prescribe beta-blockers to slow your rapid heartbeat. Long-term medication will not be used.
If you’re over 50 and develop a rapid heartbeat, your doctor will want to evaluate you for heart disease. An example of a rapid heartbeat that’s the result of heart disease is a trial fibrillation, or atrial flutter; the underlying heart disease will then be monitored with an electrocardiograph or a Holtor monitor and treated with medication such as verapamil, digoxin, or Inderal. In an elderly person, a rapid heartbeat will also be treated with these medications and requires close monitoring in a hospital to help slow the heartbeat. If the rapid heart rate is not slowed, heart failure can result. If an elderly person has had a series of small strokes and now exhibits a rapid heartbeat, the doctor will prescribe an anticoagulant medication such as Coumadin, which will require weekly blood tests after being discharged from the hospital to help determine the correct dosage. Since Coumadin is a potent medication, side effects such as blood in the urine, a black stool, a nosebleed that won’t go away, or any new symptoms that appear anywhere in your body require the immediate attention of a doctor.
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April 9th, 2009 admin
Description and Possible Medical Problems
From time to time, we all get one of these common conditions: skin rashes, pain in the joints, and a feeling of fatigue. Usually, however, these conditions appear by themselves.
When they appear simultaneously, it’s probably not a coincidence, but a disease called lupus erythematosus. Lupus has long been considered to be somewhat of a mystery due to its various symptoms, which may change in severity from one day to the next. This occurs because lupus is primarily a disease of the body’s connective tissue. Since connective tissue appears throughout the body, it’s no surprise that lupus is so pervasive—and so stubborn. Not only the skin and joints can be affected but also vital organs such as the kidneys and brain, the circulatory system, and the sacs that surround the heart and lungs.
The rash that generally appears across the cheeks and nose is more likely to occur when the skin is exposed to strong sunlight, since another characteristic of the disease is that the skin becomes more sensitive to light.
Lupus is primarily a woman’s disease; about 10 times as many women as men are affected. It is a chronic disease, and there is no known cure.
However, many people with lupus are able to enjoy long periods between flare-ups.
Treatment
The diagnosis for lupus is made by a blood test called FANA or lupus prep. If the test is positive and only the skin is affected, no systemic treatment is needed. Treatment of the rash will involve a combination of the corticosteroid medication prednisone and antiarthritic medication. However, if the disease affects the kidneys, brain, or other vital organs, treatment obviously requires a multidisciplinary approach depending on the organs involved.
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April 9th, 2009 admin
Description and Possible Medical Problems
Because the tissues of the mouth and tongue change with age, becoming thin and less elastic, they tend to become more sensitive to extremes in temperature. A burning feeling in the mouth and on the tongue is one result of these changes.
In addition to the changes that come with age, a vitamin B deficiency is frequently to blame for a burning tongue. Studies show that a lack of iron might also be a contributing factor to a burning tongue. Some women who have gone through menopause and don’t take estrogen replacement therapy complain that their tongue feels as though it’s “on fire.” Studies have shown that a decrease in estrogen levels is linked with the appearance of a burning tongue.
But a burning tongue can occur in anyone at any age, and spicy foods as well as foods with a high acid content can make it worse. This is a related condition called glossodynia.
Treatment
To alleviate the symptoms of a burning tongue, it’s a good idea to start taking a multivitamin supplement such as Z-Bec that contains 100% of all of the B vitamins to see if this helps. One tablet or capsule each day is the recommended dosage. For postmenopausal women, beginning a program of estrogen replacement therapy may help ease a burning tongue.
However, if these methods don’t work, some temporary treatments are available. You can buy benzocaine in several over-the-counter preparations to apply to your tongue when the burning becomes severe. Anbesol in gel or liquid form applied three to four times a day can also offer relief. Some people also find that increasing their consumption of dairy products helps to soothe the burning, at least temporarily.
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April 2nd, 2009 admin
For most people, simple self-care remedies are all you’ll need to treat the bulging eyes caused by Graves’ disease, in addition to taking medication that will bring your Graves’ disease under control. Try sleeping with your head on an extra pillow, which will help reduce the swelling of your eyes. Bulging eyes may become irritated because more of their surface area is exposed, and eyedrops can sometimes help soothe the discomfort.
However, if the condition has been untreated for a long period of time, these treatments may not be effective. In this case, surgery will help. The surgeon will open up a space in a sinus cavity behind the eyes in order to allow the expanded tissues more room. This will reduce some of the pressure the swollen tissue is placing on the eyeballs. At the same time, since the pressure of the tissues can hamper your vision by pressing on the optic nerve, your doctor may repair any damage to the nerve. In addition, your doctor may perform minor cosmetic surgery to return the lower and upper eyelids, which frequently become pulled back in Graves’ disease, to their normal appearance.
After surgery, it’s important that you follow your doctor’s instructions to treat your Graves’ disease with hormonal therapy so that your bulging eyes will not recur.
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April 2nd, 2009 admin
Description and Possible Medical Problems
It seems as though every TV sitcom that has at least one little kid in the cast runs at least one episode each year where the child wakes up the entire household when he has a nightmare.
Everyone—child and adult—has experienced nightmares. Some people dream about being chased, others about falling. As a rule, however, if you have an occasional nightmare, it’s a sign that your imagination is alive and kicking, even during sleep.
If nightmares occur on a regular basis, however, they can be a sign of pulmonary disease or may be due to a lack of oxygen during sleep, which often happens in a person with a severe case of emphysema. Nightmares can also be a side effect of certain medications such as beta-blockers.
Treatment
If you have nightmares only once in awhile, you have nothing to worry about. If, however, they seem to be occurring regularly—at least a couple of times a week—you should see your doctor, who will check you for pulmonary disease or emphysema. If she determines that medication is causing your nightmares, she will change your prescription to another medication that will provide the same benefits without the side effects.
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