Category Archives: Drugs

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Angiotensin receptor blockers, drugs commonly taken to control high blood pressure, appear to reduce the amount of plaque in the brains of Alzheimer's patients and others, a new study shows. These results were found when patients with high blood pressure on drugs such as losartan (Cozaar) died and underwent an autopsy. These brain plaques are a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Whether, however, these drug also improve mental function isn't known, the researchers added. "[It] would have to be proven in a clinical trial whether these effects seen in an autopsy study manifest themselves in a clinical setting," said lead researcher Dr. Ihab Hajjar, an assistant professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. "But since we don't have any treatment for Alzheimer's, it's worth pursuing." Candesartan (Atacand), irbesartan (Avapro), olmesartan (Benicar), valsartan (Diovan), telmisartan (Micardis) and eprosartan (Teveten) are other angiotensin receptor blockers approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Although this study can't determine whether angiotensin receptor blockers improve mental function in Alzheimer's patients, Hajjar pointed out there is a connection between blood pressure and brain health, and the choice of blood-pressure lowering drugs … Continue reading →

ScienceDaily (Sep. 10, 2012) Drugs prescribed to treat anxiety, depression and insomnia may increase patients' risk of being involved in motor vehicle accidents, according to a recent study, published in the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology. Based on the findings, the researchers suggested doctors should consider advising patients not to drive while taking these drugs. Psychotropic drugs affect the way the brain functions and can impair a driver's ability to control their vehicle. Research on the links between psychotropic medication and driving accidents has focused on benzodiazepines, which have been used to treat anxiety and insomnia. Perhaps the best known of these drugs is diazepam. Newer Z-drugs, used to treat insomnia, have received less attention, as have antidepressants and antipsychotics. To understand the effects of a wider spectrum of psychotropic drugs on driving accidents, the authors compared drug use in two groups of people identified using medical records from the Taiwanese national health insurance programme. The first group included 5,183 people involved in motor vehicle accidents. The second group included 31,093 people, matched for age, gender and the year of vehicle accidents, who had no record of being involved in motor vehicle accidents. In general, those involved in accidents were … Continue reading →

By Jenifer Goodwin HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- When prescription drugs become available over-the-counter, advertisements for the medications are far less likely to tell consumers about the potential harms and side effects, new research finds. The reason for it, experts say, likely has to do with which federal agency regulates the marketing materials for each type of drug. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates ads for prescription drugs, while ads for over-the-counter drugs are regulated by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC has much less stringent standards than the FDA for what manufacturers have to reveal about products in their marketing materials, the researchers noted. The FDA requires prescription drug advertising to provide consumers with a "fair balance" of risks and benefits -- for drug ads, that often means rattling off a lengthy list of potential side effects. The FTC, on the other hand, holds drug advertisements to the same standards as other consumer products, requiring a "reasonable" standard of truthfulness. The looser requirements mean that information about potential side effects and harm aren't included in most over-the-counter drug ads, said study author Dr. Jeremy Greene, an associate professor in the history of … Continue reading →

12 September 2012 Last updated at 04:16 ET The Health Service Executive has issued a warning to drug users about a brown powder form of ecstasy, which may have been a factor in the death of two men in County Cork. The substance is known to contain Methylamphetamine, better known as MDMA or ecstasy, and Paramethoxymethamphetamine or PMMA. It said Irish police have confirmed the product may have been a factor in the deaths of Michael Coleman and Liam Coffey in Kinsale at the weekend. Medical professionals in the Cork area have been told to be vigilant, and the public is advised that the drugs carry serious health risks, particularly when combined with other drugs including alcohol. The HSE said if someone gets into difficulty after taking the substance, it is important to get help immediately. Symptoms associated with the powder include high fever, rapid heart rate and agitation. The HSE is liaising with community and voluntary groups working with drugs users in the area and also with police. David Lane, co-ordinator of addiction services for HSE South, said the biggest concern was that anyone who uses the powder with other drugs and/or alcohol is at a higher risk of … Continue reading →

Readmore: Local, Crime, Victor Woolson, Synthetic Drugs, Bath Salts, Laws, Teresa Woolson, Sarah Gauger, Oswego County, Drowning, Tougher Laws It's known among people in theCity ofOswegoasflat rock.It's a favorite spot for swimmers on the shore ofLakeOntario. It's where 19 year oldVictorWoolson drowned onAugust 9th. Now his grieving family is on a campaign for tougher laws and greater awareness about the dangers of synthetic drugs, commonly called "bath salts." VictorWoolson's mother, Teresa and his sister, SarahGauger tookCNY Central's Jim Kenyon to flat rock despite the painful memories associated with it.It was here they toldKenyonof a young man from a good family who they say became a victim of synthetic drugs."He was a great kid, never in trouble. (He spent)4 years ofU.S. MarineCorpsROTC program in high school... advanced regents diploma." Gauger added,"I could never see him doing drugs.He was very intelligent with his advanced regents diploma...a lot of potential that was just ripped away by these synthetic drugs." The family says last year, Victor got mixed up with some friends who introduced him to synthetic drugs which at the time was legal. Soon they sayVictor was trapped in a world they could not understand."We tried to be there more for him.We tried … Continue reading →

By Kathleen Doheny HealthDay Reporter TUESDAY, Sept. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Growing numbers of pregnant women are on medicines to treat high blood pressure, new research indicates. "The reasons for the increase are not entirely clear," said study author Dr. Brian Bateman, an assistant professor of anesthesia at Harvard Medical School. While it's important to manage high blood pressure during pregnancy, certain drugs are preferred due to their safety profile. In the study, Bateman found that many women were not on those drugs. "We need to do more research to figure out which medicines are the best for insuring a good pregnancy outcome for both mother and baby," he said. The findings are published in the October issue of Hypertension. [See Pregnant? Get Your Choline!] Bateman and his colleagues examined Medicaid claims from 2000 to 2007, looking for the records of women who had completed pregnancies. Of the more than 1 million women, nearly 48,500 (4.4 percent) took blood pressure medicines during pregnancy. From the start of the study to the end, the proportion of women taking the drugs increased from 3.5 percent to 4.9 percent. Some were on the medicines before getting pregnant, Bateman said. Others developed high blood … Continue reading →

Tuesday, September 11, 2012 PEDDLING of illegal drugs in Davao City is becoming a family affair, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) regional chief said in explaining why there is an increase in illegal drug activities. Meaning not only the father ang involved sa drug rate kasama na rin ang kanila mga asawa o anak (Its a family affair business in which the wife and the children are also involved, not only the father), said Emerson Rosales, PDEA regional director. Check our new look and tell us what you think. He said the authorities have monitored this based on the previous arrests of drug violators. He said it is never enough to just constrict the supply as the city has done to some extent, but there has to be effective actions to reduce the demand. Ang supply reduction sa pag aresto ng mga drug offenders ay isa lamang solution sa drug problem but the demand transaction problem ay kasamang solution din sa pag-solve dito sa drugs (The supply reduction is just one of the solutions but the demand transaction problem is also a way to solve drugs issue), he said. He said the solution to the drug situation problem does … Continue reading →

Javier Sicilia leads a 50-cross procession at Loyola Marymount University, each cross representing 1,000 cartel murder victims. STORY HIGHLIGHTS Editor's note: Javier Sicilia is one of Mexico's most highly regarded poets and the leader of the Movement for Peace with Justice and Dignity. His son, Juan Francisco, was murdered last year near his hometown of Cuernavaca. The Movement's Caravan for Peace crossed the border at San Diego on August 12 and will arrive in Washington on September 10. Follow on Twitter @caravanaUSA (CNN) -- Why was my son murdered? He was 24, and he had never tried drugs. He didn't even smoke. He had paid half his university costs with a sports scholarship and was working as administrative staff at a cardiac clinic in Morelos, Mexico. Why then was my son suffocated by hit men from the Gulf Cartel? Why did his six friends, just like him, die at his side? The answer, you may tell me, is obvious. "Because drug traffickers are bad, and must be stopped." The answer, however, is not that simple. If it were I would not be leading a caravan for peace across the United States. Let's pose the question differently. If Mexico's President Felipe … Continue reading →

ByMyHealthNewsDaily Staff Some drugs that treat high blood pressure may increase the risk of lip cancer, a new study suggests. In the study, people who took thehigh blood pressuredrug hydrochlorothiazide for five years or more were four times more likely to develop lip cancer, compared with those who did not take the drug. The study included only Caucasian people. Hydrochlorothiazide is a photosensitizing drug, meaning it can increase a person's sensitivity to sunlight. People who take photosensitizing drugs may burn more easily, or develop rashes upon sunlight exposure. Previous studies have linked hydrochlorothiazide and an increased risk of certainskin cancers. Other photosensitizing drugs examined in the study, including one called nifedipine, increased the risk of lip cancer more than twofold in whites. The findings held even after the researchers took into account study participants' smoking, a factor that increases the risk of lip cancer. Lip cancer is rare (there are about 0.7 cases per 100,000 people per year in the United States), and the benefits of high blood pressure drugs generally outweigh the increased risk of this particular cancer, the researchers said. "However, physicians prescribing photosensitizing drugs should ascertain whether patients are at high risk of lip cancer because of … Continue reading →

NEW YORK, Sept. 10, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Reportlinker.com announces that a new market research report is available in its catalogue: Global Ovarian Cancer Drugs Market 2011-2015 http://www.reportlinker.com/p0962688/Global-Ovarian-Cancer-Drugs-Market-2011-2015.html#utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=pr&utm_campaign=Drug_and_Medication TechNavio's analysts forecast the Global Ovarian Cancer Drugs market to grow at a CAGR of 13.1 percent over the period 2011-2015. One of the key factors contributing to this market growth is the increasing prevalence of ovarian cancer. The Global Ovarian Cancer Drugs market has also been witnessing the trend of the use of combination therapies for the treatment of ovarian cancer. However, patent expiration of key drugs could pose a challenge to the growth of this market. TechNavio's report, the Global Ovarian Cancer Drugs Market 2011-2015, has been prepared based on an in-depth analysis of the market with inputs from industry experts. The report covers the Americas, and the EMEA and APAC regions; it also covers the market landscape and its growth prospects in the coming years. The report also includes a discussion of the key vendors operating in this market. Key vendors dominating this market space include Eli Lilly and Co., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Bristol Myers Squibb Co., and Roche Pharmaceuticals. Other vendors mentioned in the report are Johnson & Johnson, Amgen … Continue reading →