Things to Avoid If Your Friend has Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is influenced by serotonin in the brain. Therefore, the most commonly prescribed medications for GAD as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). Another class of drugs used to treat GAD are known as benzodiazepines, which also ease anxiety and help with sleep. Common drugs in this class are Xanax (Alprazolam), Klonopin (clonazepam), Valium (diazepam), and Ativan (lorazepam).

Friends and family members of people struggling with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) are extremely important in helping that person improve and become less anxious. For many people with GAD, their main emotional supports have the best intentions, but can make some mistakes in the name of helping.

The following is a list of common pitfalls that friends of those with GAD make, designed to help you avoid them. It can also be used in conjunction with the previous article on things you can do to help.

1. Don’t Say “Stop Worrying About It”
One of the first impulses that helping friends have is to be protective of their anxious friend and try to take away their anxiety. Saying things like “it’s nothing to worry about," “stop worrying," or “it’s really not a big deal” often come off as patronizing and unsupportive. The person with GAD usually recognizes on some level that the worrying is stronger than it should be, but stopping it seems very hard.

Alternative: As a friend, try saying and asking things like “how can I be helpful?,” “it’s OK, I’m here with you,” and “it sounds like this is really hard for you” instead. Order Alprazolam at Low Price

2. Don’t Solve Problems
After trying to take away anxiety and failing, many people switch into “problem-solving mode." This is when a friend will attempt to constructively solve or remedy the stressful situation with or for their friend.

Although occasionally this can be helpful, often it misses the mark on what could be most helpful, which is being emotionally supportive. Just because someone has GAD does not mean that they aren’t intelligent enough to solve their own dilemmas, and the time spent trying to reduce anxiety via problem-solving ends up being wasted.

Alternative: Try taking a perspective that if you can be supportive and patient, your presence and understanding can often allow your friend to relax and work their the problems himself.

LSD

LSD

Lysergic acid diethylamide

LSD (Lysergic acid diethylamide), first synthesized in 1938, is the most potent hallucinogen known to man. It is manufactured from lysergic acid, which is found in ergot, a fungus that grows on rye and other grains.

LSD is produced in crystalline form and then mixed with excipients, or diluted as a liquid for production in ingestible forms. It is odorless, colorless and has a slightly bitter taste. LSD is sold in tablet form (usually small tablets known as Microdots), on Sugar Cubes, in thin squares of gelatin (commonly referred to as Window Panes), and most commonly, as blotter paper (sheets of absorbent paper soaked in or impregnated with LSD, covered with colorful designs or artwork, and perforated into one-quarter inch square, individual dosage units).

A Great Date Night With Your Lady

If you are looking for a great way to take a new lady out why not think about going out with someone to a fun charity or fundraiser event. When you are wanting to create a lasting impression on someone it can be especially important to open yourself up to that person more than what you may consider doing on any given typical date.

This is why we suggest you take them to a fundraiser of your choosing, or ask her where she would rather spend the date night money. What better way to show her your big heart with other than a charitable offering of her choosing.

This is more than likely something that she has never been asked before. Why not sweep her off her feet from the first moment imaginable If you are looking for some great ideas, get to know her through places like her twitter page, Facebook, or her friends.

Sanctura

Sanctura

Generic Name: trospium (tros PEE um)

Brand Names: Sanctura

What is Sanctura?

Sanctura relieves spasms of the bladder. It is an antispasmodic and antimuscarinic agent. It works by reducing muscle tone of the bladder which decreases urinary spasm and frequency.

Sanctura is used to treat overactive bladder and symptoms of urinary incontinence, frequency, and urgency.

Sanctura may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Sanctura

Do not take Sanctura if you are allergic to trospium, or if you have untreated or uncontrolled narrow-angle glaucoma, a blockage in your digestive system, or if you are unable to urinate. Take Sanctura on an empty stomach, at least 1 hour before a meal. Sanctura can cause side effects that may impair your vision, thinking, or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and able to see clearly.Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy (especially cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures or anxiety). They can add to the side effects of Sanctura. Tell your doctor if you regularly use any of these medicines. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase drowsiness caused by Sanctura.

A Great Place To Meet Women

There are several places to meet women where the atmosphere is right for forming a connection (it doesn't include bars and night clubs). This article goes into specifics about where the best places are to meet women who would be more open to meeting men.

What constitutes a great place to meet women? Here's a hint: It's not a bar. Women do not really like meeting men in bars or clubs. It may seem like these would be great places to meet women but women are not really open to advances in any form in these particular settings. Many women only see men in bars as generic partiers that are really only after one thing.

A Great Quit Smoking Book Can Help You Conquer the Awful Nicotine Habit

Many folks wish to give up using tobacco, but they do not know where to begin or what to undertake. A stop smoking guide could be quite handy for people who're in need of some assistance. Smoking cessation guides will be one of the most essential things that you will spend your cash on, and this short article looks at their advantages.

Countless folks wish to stop using tobacco, but they do not know where to start or what they must do. A smoking cessation book can be quite useful for folks who're looking for some help to quit using tobacco. If you're one of those tobacco users who want to overcome the habit, a superb guide will assist you in accomplishing your objective of having a much healthier lifestyle and make the whole process as easy as possible. Stop smoking guides may be one of the most essential things that you will spend your money on, and this article looks at their benefits.

A Guide in Addison's Disease in Dogs

The scientific name of Addison’s disease in dogs is hypoadrenocorticism. This type of illness is not a very common one but it is a serious one because it can cause death. The condition’s primary cause is the hormones underproduction from the adrenal glands. These types of hormones are vital. What does hypoadrenocorticism appear in dogs?

Primary reasons

Mainly, there are two causes: the immunity system is damaged and it causes problems for the adrenal gland or the pituitary gland doesn’t work properly. When the pituitary gland doesn’t secrete the right amount of hormones, hypoadrenocorticism develops.

A Guide to a Seven Day Weight Loss Program

Does the lack of an effective and actionable weight loss program keep you from getting started on your weight loss goals? Read more about a seven day weight loss program here . . .

Are you looking for a relatively easy but actionable plan of action to lose weight? The program offered here was developed as a way for you to have a plan of action for losing weight. The goals here are to lose fat and minimize any losses to body fluids and lean muscle tissues.

Preparation

of course any endeavor you partake will require a level of dedication and focus. before you get started with this program we also suggest you have a visit with your doctor and get there input before beginning.

A Guide to Diet Fitness

Are you online looking for effective but actionable diet information? Before you make an ill advised choice make sure you are well informed. Read more about diet fitness here . . .

With the overwhelming focus put on obesity and health in this country most people have become more aware of the importance of fitness and health. In fact many people want to go further then that and have the sculpted bodies that grace many magazine covers. As a direct result of this the fitness industry, fitness centers, health spas and gyms have been growing in leaps and bounds to deal with the growing demand.

The Choices

8 Great Gift Ideas for Women

Finding the right gift for someone can be quite a difficult task. Here are some of the most popular gift ideas for women.

It can be a difficult task finding the ideal gift for your wife, mother or daughter on the many special occasions. In order to remove some of the stress involved below is a handy list of ideas for some of the more conventional best gifts for a woman.

Jewelry - Never underestimate the power of something sparkly Jewelry can be both timeless and fitting for any occasion. Jewelry can also cover a wide range of budgets and for an added special touch jewelry can also be personalized.

8 Natural Beauty Secrets

Have you read about the often unhealthy ingredients that are in your average beauty products? Now is the time to call it quits! Learn about the simplest and most natural beauty secrets ever.

Do you know that the most effective and simplest ways to create and maintain everlasting beauty, are at your finger tips? It's all there, as nature intended.

1. Drink 8 glasses of water per day

Lots of clean, filtered water will give you a beautiful and youthful complexion. Carry around one or more bottles and aim to finish them off, every day.

2. Don't wear make-up

Read the labels of your average make-up carefully. It is safer and kinder to your skin to wear none. Not only do many of them contain harmful toxins, but they also clog up your skin. Take good care of your skin - it's the largest organ you have!

8 Simple Tips for Healthy Diet

If you are on a diet, no doubt you are ready to get all the tips possible that have to do with weight loss. Losing weight is not always easy, and from time to time it is easy to get into a slump.

All the determination in the world to lose weight won't make a bit of difference if you're hanging onto an unhealthy set of dietary commandments that drive you unconsciously to eat at the wrong times or for the wrong reasons.

Here are eight simple tips on how you actually can get closer to your ideal weight:

1. Eating won't make you fat after 7 p.m.

It's not because calories consumed after a certain hour stay with you longer. The real problem with most people is, when they eat late at night, they're typically skipping meals during the day, said Annie Neuendorf, a dietician at Northwestern Memorial's Wellness Institute. That puts the body into deprivation mode, slowing your metabolism and making you more inclined to overeat later on. Better to eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a pauper.

8 Tips To Create Rapid Weight Loss Diet Plan

An effective option for people who want to achieve rapid weight loss. The following list of rapid weight loss diet tips will hopefully help point you in the direction of your weight loss goal.

Here are 8 tips to help speed up your rapid weight loss diet.

1. Ensure a good daily intake of vegetables, especially the leafy green ones. Such foods are rich in vitamins and minerals.

2. Take high fiber. This may help with a number of minor conditions, such as, constipation, as well as having long term health benefits. High fiber foods include: beans, pulses, fruits and vegetables, as well as the cereals.

How to take care of your skin?

Whether you are 20 or 50, you may experience some skin problems typical of that age. Teenagers and adolescents are more prone to blemishes, zits, and oily skin whereas adults are more prone to eye dark circles, wrinkles, and cellulite. Undesired hair, stained teeth and uneven complexion haunt people at all ages. Most people wish to have a good skin, but it's not always easy. Here are some easy tips to take care of your skin.

Drink a lot of water: The first tip for skin care is to drink lots of water. Drink at least 8 glasses of water everyday. Water has innumerable benefits. It makes your skin look young and healthy along with helping the body to flush out toxins. It also helps you keep acne breakouts at bay.

Risperdal

Risperdal

Generic Name: risperidone (oral) (ris PER i done)

Brand Names: Risperdal, Risperdal M-Tab

What is Risperdal?

Risperdal is an antipsychotic medication. It is an "atypical antipsychotic". It works by changing the effects of chemicals in the brain.

Risperdal is used to treat schizophrenia and symptoms of bipolar disorder (manic depression). It is also used in autistic children to treat symptoms of irritability.

Risperdal may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Risperdal

Risperdal is not for use in psychotic conditions related to dementia. Risperidone may cause heart failure, sudden death, or pneumonia in older adults with dementia-related conditions.

Healthy Food

Well there are a lot of foods for us to eat. Choosing and eating the best one out of them should be the first thing to do if you are dreaming of a good health. First of all you should be creating a good healthy diet for yourself. And you should be including in your diet fruits and vegetables along with other essential foods that are rich in proteins and minerals.

Well, one of the best source of protein is egg. Doctors say that only the egg white is needed to eat and the yolk is not good for some people. So, you can avoid it if you don't like it. The egg white can be included in your diet without any problems whatsoever.

Find A Cellulite Treatment Plan That Works

Reclaim your body right now, or atleast start making the plans for your future body that hopefully you could be happy about, or atleast happier about. Cellulite is definitely the reason why so very many people become obsessed with how their bodies look and searching for new and improved techniques that actually work, in order to prevent or even reduce your cellulite can really be a big challenge for many individuals, no doubt at all about that. Products are coming out each and everyday, with promises of curing you from your cellulite problem forever and often times the people who spend all that money on these expensive products, find out that the item they purchased does not even do any good at all, which is really just tragic. That is one of the most disappointing times in a persons life, whenever they have their hopes up thinking that things could possibly improve, since they went out and spent their hard earned money.

Before You Look For A Health Insurance Plan

Today you have realized the importance of having individual health insurance police. The field of health insurance is packed with a great many of policies with lots of options, different quotes, terms and conditions. It is not an easy task to find complete risk coverage of your life but health insurance industry is always ready to help you.

First of all you need to take a look of your health conditions and to see your medical history. You know that any time you need a doctor or hospitalization your medical bills are very expensive, often more expensive than you can afford. So you need good health insurance coverage instead of paying out of your own pocket each time you need a doctor’s help.

Vitamin B Can Prevent Visual Impairment

Nutrients necessary for healthy eyes was not just vitamin A. In order for vision do not get interference, we also need to take vitamin B.

A study in Boston, United States reveals, consumption of vitamin B can prevent the decline in visual ability. In the study, respondents were asked to consume a combination of vitamin B-6, folic acid, and B-12. The result, the risk of visual impairment in their eyes diminished.

William Christen of the Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston who became head of research said, women over the age of 40 years will experience a decreased ability eyes. For example, blurred vision, foggy like symptoms of cataracts, the eye is more sensitive to light, and so on.

Vegetables for Heart Care

We are well aware of the fact that a lot of people in the United States die because of heart diseases. About 30 % of the people who are due to heart diseases. This proves that it is one of the dangers that are prevailing in our society. We can do a lot of things to prevent heart attacks. Then why are people still not making use of these methods? It may be due to the reason that they may be either unware of it or they don't actually care about their life. Let's see how does heart attack occur in human beings.

A person get attacked by heart diseses when the blood which contains oxygen can't reach the heart. But how does that be possible? It is possbile. If there is some kind of bloackage in the route to our heart, then it is ceratainly possible. This will block the transfer of oxygen to our heart. But how does there come a blockage? There is a speacial area in our body called artieries. When these arteries hardens, that time the walls of the arteries get mal-functioned by the plaque or fats. This way, there occurs a blockage which cause to the prevention of oxygen to our heart muscles.

Some Pointers For Keeping Teeth Healthy

We are always advised by dental practitioners to brush and floss their teeth regularly. Not only are these activities a good way of achieving healthy teeth and gums, they also create lasting good habits of personal hygiene. All the same, brushing and flossing alone do not ensure that oral health problems will not crop up later. Elements such as the volume of saliva in the mouth, the food that an individual consumes, and chemical changes in the body (such as when one is pregnant) can also affect the state of a person’s dental health.

There are several other activities that we must accomplish, aside from brushing and flossing, in order to keep the health of our teeth.

Skin Care Product

We have the habit of spending tons of dollars for cosmetics and creams that are good for skin care. You might be buying creams to remove the wrinkles, or make your skin softer than before. We don't miss a single day without such things. Do you know what are the ingredients of these skin care products? Are they harmful to our skin? Lets's get into it briefly.

Paraben is a key ingredient in most of the skin care products. It is a preservative that can be bought for pretty cheap price. Besides that, do you know anything else about it? It is a cancer causing agent. And it is an ingredient in our skin care products. Can you believe it? It is true. So, before buying skin care products blindly make sure that they are good for your health. One of the ingredients that are seen in most of the products is alcohol. It is used for drying the skin.

Selecting Cholesterol Free Foods

Almost everybody knows the effects of bad cholesterol in the body. By bad cholesterol, it literally has to do with low-density lipoprotein's molecular transport deposits that thicken in the walls of the arteries hindering the flawless passage of blood affecting the atherogenic status of the arterial walls. While few people do not fully appreciate the importance of cholesterol in the body, this non-soluble waxy substance is essential to aid in building membranes, manufacture of bile, cell walls, nerve sheaths, and produce hormones.

However, exposing the body to high cholesterol supply result to hypertensions and other cardiovascular disorders or lead to atherosclerosis, a disposition of fatty substances, and fibrosis of the inner arteries.

Learning Appropriate Diet to Lower Cholesterol

Cholesterol is one of the major substances that cause heart attacks, high blood cholesterol levels, and weight problems. Despite its “bad guy image,” this waxy, fat-like substances made in the body by the person’s own liver serves a number of vital functions unknown to many.

Basically, there are two types of cholesterol: the Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL) and the High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL). The former refers to the bad type of cholesterol that is known to clog the person’s blood vessels, thus, increasing the risk for a heart attack or a heart disease. Studies show that a diet that is high in saturated fat is a main dietary cause of a raised LDL cholesterol level. The latter, on the other hand, is the good type of cholesterol that helps clear LDL cholesterol out of the blood stream, thus, reducing the risk for any heart illness. Researches have shown that a diet rich in fruit and vegetables along with average levels of omega-3 from fish oil greatly helps raise HDL cholesterol levels.

Herbal Cures For Insomnia

When people are not able to sleep the first thing they do is to go for sleeping pills. People consider this as an option after spending sleepless nights for a long period. And this makes them to believe that they have a sleep problem.

The point is that it is well known that sleeping pills are addictive in nature and if you continue to take them, the dosage that you may require to actually get to sleep will increase over time. Eventually, there comes a stage where the highest potency of the pill also does not help you sleep peacefully.

If this was not enough, sleeping pills are also known to cause side effects like drowsiness, lack of focus and slow motor reactions, which are basically symptoms of insomnia that you want to avoid in the first place.

Tekamlo

Tekamlo

Generic Name: aliskiren and amlodipine (AL is KYE ren and am LOE de peen)

Brand Names: Tekamlo

What is Tekamlo?

Tekamlo contains a combination of aliskiren and amlodipine. Aliskiren is an anti-hypertensive (blood pressure lowering) medication. It works by decreasing substances in the body that narrow blood vessels and raise blood pressure.

Amlodipine is in a group of drugs called calcium channel blockers. Amlodipine relaxes (widens) blood vessels and improves blood flow.

Tekamlo is used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Tekamlo may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Health Insurance Plans for Individual

Having convinced that the rest is safe is one priority problem for any travel and the health insurance can be the best way to make it. If you travel alone, you want that your health will be under protection in case of emergency situation occurrence. If you travel with a family, you definitely want to be convinced that your relatives will be cared if there is an unexpected. For these and other reasons the insurance of a trip which contains special positions in public health services area is necessary.

If you travel abroad, get the health insurance.

The necessary things exist to consider, in case you are going to go abroad. The protection of travel cards of medical insurance while you are on vacation is the important factor when you are in your country. You should investigate your usual contract of insurance before departure to be convinced of your grants. The majority of people do not understand that their normal health insurance cannot be used in other countries.

Finding The Best Health Insurance

Several years ago you used to waste days and weeks to shop around and to find the best health insurance with affordable medical plan and reasonable rates and quotes.

Today it will take your only a few minutes to switch on your computer, to get online, to find a web site which provides corresponding service, to put in a little information about yourself, your family, your location and your lifestyle and after that you have lists of quotes and rates from leading and reputable insurance companies right in front of you. It is the most convenient way of getting information you have ever seen.

Nevertheless a lot of people think that this way is too easy and there must be a kind of trap. That is why they insist on getting information from insurance companies by phone and still believe that they will get better service and more affordable quotes if they speak to some clerk by phone or personally.

Effective Weight Loss Pill

There is no doubt that we are living in obese world where there are simply so many people have over weight problems. There are probably many factors contribute to this condition, however most of the time it is due to the bad diet and lack of physical activities. And it's not really a surprise actually, since we are all living in a busy world with tight daily schedules that sometimes won't allow us to have proper healthy meals as well as don't have the time to do regular exercises. When it happens for long time we will for sure deposit more and more fat inside our body.

To answer this obesity problem, currently there are many diet and weight loss solutions available on the market. And these days every time we turn on the TV or reading a magazine we will see there are many weight loss pills advertised that promise to be the best and fastest solution for our overweight problem. Do they really work as advertised? Unfortunately, most of the time they don't. There are many of these diet pills that bring no results and even some of them probably can lead to other health problems due to the substances they bring.

Best Food That is Part of the Diet to Lower Cholesterol

People have to eat in order to have energy to do certain things. Some are able to make three or four trips to the buffet table while others are satisfied after one round. In any case, the type of food brought to the plate could be healthy or harmful and the choice is really up to the person.

Those who love to eat red meat and other dishes that are fatty or oil are at risk of getting sick. This isn’t diarrhea but something worse which could be life threatening because of the amount of bad cholesterol that is being taken into the body.

The high levels of cholesterol in the body are happening more often now than ever before. This is because of the variety of food offered now in the grocery and in restaurants. The person can still recover from this by eating foods that are not high in saturated fats.

Why should we know our cholesterol level?

Cholesterol level in your blood closely related to your heart condition. It means that your cholesterol level will tell you whether you are in the risk of getting heart attack or not. As your cholesterol level increase, your risk of getting heart attack will increase too. Even when you are not in the groups of the people who have a heart disease, your heart condition in not in an ideal level. Many people have been killed by heart attack merely because of the high level of cholesterol in your blood. Most of them get this problem, usually because they are careless about their cholesterol level. They never put it in a high priority to be taken care of n their life.

Skin Tightening Face Tips

Having a tight skin and healthy is a dream everyone.Various beauty products were rampant in the market.But do you know that to get a fresh skin, firm and youthful , does not have to be expensive?This time I will provide a natural herb for toning your face.

For dry skin:

Make a mask from a mixture of coconut water, fresh whole milk, egg white and one tablespoon of honey.

For oily skin:

Use a mask of yam bean amalgamated with lemon, lime, fresh water and cucumber water.

Self Esteem Problem Due To Cellulite

An immense fraction of women are deeply apprehensive about their appearance and due to this a great deal of them are skirmishing with a certain sort of consuming chaos. It matters a lot to them that they goal only to make themselves look enhanced than to surrender to what has happened to them. Cellulite is one of the problems that shake their self-admiration, even though it is much not as good as anything else. This grounds you due to several reasons. A lot of women around the globe are venturing their mirrors with a great deal of bearing. What ever they do to keep out of cellulite problem it, sort of, don't leave them.

Human Growth Supplement

Every people need the ideal body and also health. They want the healthy body with everything good inside and outside for their body. They will consume the nutrition and healthy food everyday just to build their immune system for their body. Immune is important to protect them from the disease, bacteria, and viruses which attacked to our body. And you need supplement to make you healthy and also vitamin supplement for your body, not only for increase the immune system but also for the growth hormone.

You will need human growth hormone which offers the youthfulness, vitality and attractiveness. It will also help you in decreasing the fat and increase the lean muscles; make your skin health, improve the mood and others benefits you can get. And you can get it is in the Genf20. It is the diet and vitamin supplement which naturally can help you in increasing the growth hormone. Before you try to consume it, you should know the Genf20 review as your references. It will provide the information, the benefits, the effect for your body and some opinion from others people who already tried it. People are not only post the advantages of Genf20 but also post the disadvantages of effect they get after consume the Genf20. But all of this just references and you can try it by yourselves and proof it.

Discussing Diabetes With A Child's School

Many children are being diagnosed with type 1 and type 2 diabetes at this point in time and it is very important that upon entering your child into any school that you discuss your child's health with their teachers and caregivers. They will need to know this information concerning your child so that they will know what to do if anything may happen while they are at school. If your child has to have any insulin injections the school nurse should be able to administer these and they can check your child's blood sugar as necessary. While at school your child is in their care and you want them to get the best care wherever they may be.

'Nonsense' science article offered publication -- for a fee

Using a bit of mischief, researchers at Cornell University and the New England Journal of Medicine have exposed the dangers of open access scientific journals after they were able to get a nonsensical article past editors of the Open Information Science Journal recently.

All they had to do was submit an $800 (US) "access fee" to the journal, blogger Bob Grant said in his blog for The Scientist magazine.

Philip Davis, a PhD student in scientific communications at Cornell University, and Kent Anderson, executive director of international business and product development at the New England Journal of Medicine, submitted the fake manuscript to The Open Information Science Journal (TOISCIJ) at the end of January. Image:

Sustiva

Sustiva

Generic Name: efavirenz (e FAV ir enz)

Brand Names: Sustiva

What is Sustiva?

Sustiva (efavirenz) is an antiviral medication that prevents human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cells from multiplying in your body.

Sustiva is used to treat HIV, which causes the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). Efavirenz is not a cure for HIV or AIDS.

Sustiva may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Sustiva

Sustiva may cause serious psychiatric symptoms including confusion, severe depression, suicidal thoughts, aggression, extreme fear, hallucinations, or unusual behavior. Contact your doctor at once if you have any of these side effects, even if you have had them before.

Ghostwriting -- why they do it

A prominent hormone replacement therapy researcher exposed by the New York Times last December to have put his name on ghostwritten studies for estrogen drug company Wyeth Pharmaceuticals has broken his silence to say he's sorry.

Seattle blogger William Heisel, a former award-winning health reporter for the LA Times, managed to reach Australisn researcher John Eden by e-mail, where others had failed.

He was surprisingly forthcoming and said he regrets the decision.

"We academics are under some pressure to 'publish or perish,'" Eden wrote. "Performance evaluation of at least Australian academics includes the number and quality of publications per year. In retrospect, I was probably naive and I wouldn't do it now."

Conflicts of interest can hurt business

The chief executive of medical device maker Medtronic Inc. was forced during the company's annual meeting yesterday to defend his company's million-dollar deals with university professors and other researchers hired as consultants.

Medtronic is at the centre of a growing scandal over the close ties between medical and pharmaceutical companies and the researchers who are supposed to be testing their products.

At the annual shareholder meeting of Medtronic Inc. Thursday, CEO Bill Hawkins defended the company's longstanding practice of collaborating with physicians, although he acknowledged these paid relationships could pose a conflict of interest.

Canadian named in ghostwriting, part 2, and what can be done

In a story in this morning's Toronto Star, I explore the ties between McGill University professor Barbara Sherwin, alleged in court documents to have used a ghostwriter for an April 2000 study, and New Jersey ghostwriting firm on a second study published three years later.

Sherwin vehemently denies there was any ghostwriting involved in the 2003 article.

Here is her complete statement to the Star on the matter:

"Concerning the article in question, published in Endocrine Reviews in April 2003, I had refused to submit material offered by DesignWrite personnel. The article eventually published in Endocrine Reviews was entirely my own work. I cannot emmphasize that strongly enough."

Ghostwriting documents a wealth of information

Court documents put online last week by PLoS Medicine give the public an unprecedented look into the world of academic publishing and the extent to which big drug companies used ghostwriters to market their products.

The 1,500 documents -- internal memos, meeting agendas and minutes, project tracking report, faxes, cover letters, draft manuscripts and more -- detail the efforts by Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to use top academic journals as marketing tools for its hormone replacement therapy drugs, and to enlist top researchers from around the world to be "authors" of the studies.

The documents were made public last month after PLoS and the New York Times convinced a US court ot unseal documents in a lawsuit to release them to the public. PLoS put them all online last Friday.

Canadian named in ghostwriting

Writing in the Toronto Star this morning, I look at the case of a McGill University psychology professor, Barbara Sherwin, whose name appeared atop an article prepared by ghostwriting firm DesignWrite as part of its contract to promote Wyeth Pharmaceutical's HRT drugs.

A top Canadian researcher studying hormone replacement therapy was part of a ghostwriting scheme paid for by drug giant Wyeth Pharmaceuticals to promote its products, court documents obtained by the Toronto Star indicate.

The article in question appeared in the April 2000 edition of the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society and listed McGill University psychology professor Barbara Sherwin as author.

Swine flu on Facebook

The American Journal of Bioethics has set up a Facebook group to provide up-to-the-minute information on the current swine flu outbreak.

Launched today, pandemic.bioethics.net is your leading source for bioethics news, commentary and scholarship related to swine flu (H1N1), vaccine research, public health policy and more.

Whether you want up-to-the minute news updates, to comment on what we are writing here at bioethics.net, or to post your own news stories and to write your own comments via Twitter or Facebook, pandemic.bioethics.net is the primary source on the Internet for ethics and pandemics.

Senator's ghostwriting campaign gaining attention

The efforts of an Republican senator from Iowa to lift the veil on the secretive world of academic publishing and the ties between doctors, researchers and big medical companies is gaining increased attention, with stories this week in the Washington Post and the New York Times.

The Milwaukee Journal Sentinal and the Minneapolis Star Tribune have also got in on the action, writing about the ties to medical supply compnies and big pharma of local doctors and researchers at their local universities.

What all these stories have in common is the work of Iowa Senator Charles Grassley, who is putting his post on the Senate Finance Committee to to use by looking into the ties between doctors and researchers and the big companies behind medical and pharmaceutical advances.

Preparing for a swine flu pandemic

Margaret R. McLean, director of bioethics at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University, says preparing for a swine flu pandemic must be about far more than stockpiling vaccines or freeing up hospital beds.

It must also go hand-in-hand with ethics, she says.

In a video posted to YouTube, McLean discusses the issue, drawing on research she did two years ago looking into response to a possible bird flu pandemic.

In pandemic planning, as in medicine in general, the allocation of these scarce medical resources is the most difficult ethical issue confronting the current health care system. No one wants to speak of rationing, but it occurs daily and necessarily escalates during a disaster. In a time of pandemic, rationing is inevitable and must be done in a manner that is transparent, respectful of persons, inclusive, accountable, proportional, fair, and minimizes harm.

Healthcare for all called an ethical issue

A professional association of U.S. bioethcists has come out in favour of President Barack Obama's plans to make public health insurance available to the 50 million Americans currently uninsured.

Collegiate bioethicists waded into the health-care reform debate Tuesday, declaring that "the current state of health care is unethical" and branding as false criticisms that congressional proposals would threaten patient choice or deny older Americans medical treatment.

"We felt we needed to speak up. The tenor of the debate has become quite strained and full of misinformation," said Jeffrey Kahn, president of the new, 60-member Association of Bioethics Program Directors. Kahn also heads the Center for Bioethics at the University of Minnesota.

Ghostwriting documents put online

PLoS Medicine, the medical journal that paired up with the New York Times last month to convince a US court ot unseal documents in a class action suit against Wyeth, put the court documents online this morning. These are raw documents, and so numerous they're tough to sort through.

The documents include internal correspondence, reports, and tracking documents relating to interactions between the pharmaceutical company Wyeth and a medical communications firm, to promote Wyeth’s hormone drugs. These documents show in considerable detail a coordinated and carefully monitored campaign of “ghostwriting” by Wyeth and medical writing companies for a number of products marketed by the company.

Vermox

Vermox

mebendazole (me BEN da zole)

What is the most important information I should know about Vermox?

Follow your doctor's instructions about treatment; about the washing of clothes, linens, and towels; and about household disinfecting. Pinworm infections are easily spread from one person to another.

Vermox tablets may be swallowed, chewed, or crushed and mixed with food.

What is Vermox?

Vermox is an "antihelmintic," or anti-worm, medication. It prevents worms from growing or multiplying in your body.

Vermox is used to treat infections caused by worms such as whipworm, pinworm, roundworm, and hookworm. It is also used to treat infections caused by more than one of these worms at the same time.

Ghostwriting called bad medicine

Over the weekend, I had a story in the Toronto Star looking at ghostwriting in medical journal, beginning with the case of a woman diagnosed with breast cancer after two decades of using hormone replacement therapy.

Jackie Smith thought she was doing the right thing.

With an asthmatic 4-year-old boy at home and a sick father a world away in Australia, she had no room in her life for osteoporosis or early menopause. It was 20 years ago, and when her gynecologist suggested hormone replacement therapy to stave off the effects of aging, she agreed.

"I was having these awful hot flashes," the 62-year-old recalls. "I found it really hard to deal with. There was a lot of stress in my life."

Flu ethics articles available free

Articles and editorials published in the American Journal of Bioethics over the past few years on pandemics and how to handle them are now available for free to help health officials figure out what to do about swine flu.

Presumably, for in the general public, the articles will also provide something to measure the actions of health officials and politicians against.

Here's a list of available articles:

Ethics, Pandemics, and the Duty to Treat by Heidi Malm, Leslie P. Francis, Robert Hood, Thomas May, Saad B. Omer, Daniel Salmon 2008; 8(8):4

OPCs: Carrots and Sticks: Keeping Healthcare Workers on the Job in a Public Health Disaster by Tia Powell 2008; 8(8):20

Altruistic vaccines

I wrote an article in today's Toronto Star about a novel way to fight Dengue Fever -- or potentially any other disease passed on by mosquitoes.

The idea is an "altruistic vaccine" that does nothing to help the person actually getting the shot. Instead, the person's blood is rendered poisonous to any mosquitoes who bite the vaccinated person -- making the little critters unable to spread the disease.

The vaccine is being developed at Queensland University, in a part of Australia with a fast-growing Dengue problem. Global warming is being blamed for its rapid spread. The Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation is funding the work.

The video Pfizer doesn't want you to see

Pharmaceutical giant Pfizer has asked a judge to order that a video be take off YouTube, saying it could prejudice juries in upcoming court cases.

It's the latest twist for a company caught for months in allegations of ghostwriting.

The video, entitled Prempro News Segment, was made by the law firm behind a $78 million (US) court-ordered settlement in the fall of a lawsuit brought against the company. The Philadelphia jury found that Wyeth, a division of Pfizer, failed to warn women that taking its hormone drug Prempro could cause breast cancer.

Plaintiff’s counsel should be compelled to remove this video from the Internet and refrain from making any further inflammatory and prejudicial public statements” until the litigation is resolved, Pfizer’s lawyers said in a motion filed yesterday in Philadelphia Common Pleas Court.

Swine flu ethics

Hong Kong says it will detain in hospital anyone arriving there who has a fever, at least until it can be proven that they don't have swine flu.

Hardly a surprising reaction by a place that was the epicentre of the SARS outbreak six years ago, but it raises interesting ethical questions about the needs of the many versus the rights of individuals.

Is it ethical to effectively jail someone merely on the suspicion of illness? On the other hand, with thousands, perhaps millions, of lives at stake if this thing becomes a pandemic, would it unethical not to detain people?

Tough questions, to be sure, but ones that I suspect we'll be hearing more about in the coming days as swine flu continues scaring people around the world.

Pfizer conflict controversy continues

The controversial appointment of Pfizer Canada executive Bernard Prigent to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research was the lead item on the CBC's national morning radio show, The Current.

A podcast of the show is available.

In the show, Francoise Baylis, Canada Research Chair in bioethics at Dalhousie University, says it is impossible for Prigent to avoid a conflict of interest in the new posting because his job as a Pfizer vice president is to sell as many drugs as possible. The job of the CIHR, however, is to ensure public safety. The two are not always the same thing, she said.

Dr. Jean Rouleau, dean of medicine at the University of Montreal and a member of the CIFR's governing council told the CBC's Anna Maria Tremonti that the group needs to hear from people in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pfizer Canada facing two conflict fights

Drug giant Pfizer Canada finds itself at the centre of two conflict of interest controversies after one of its executives was appointed to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and it signed a deal to provide $780,000 for the Canadian Medical Association to set up educational programs for doctors.

The controversies have also touched the Canadian Medical Association, which is coming under fire for taking $780,000 from Pfizer to set up the education programs.

My feeling is that the pharmaceutical industry has no business at all educating doctors,” said Arnold Relman, professor emeritus at Harvard Medical School and former editor of the New England Journal of Medicine. “There's no question that if you're paying the piper, you influence the tune that the piper is going to play.

Paxil costs Glaxo $1 billion or more: report

Settling lawsuits over its controversial anti-depressant Paxil has cost Glaxo SmithKline some $1-billion in court-ordered and out-of-court settlements, Bloomberg News reports.

I don’t think this is within the boundaries of current assumptions for analysts.” Navid Malik, an analyst at Matrix Corporate Capital in London, is quoted as saying.

Another analyst, Savvas Neophytou, a Panmure Gordon analyst in London, says a $1.5 billion liability is possible.

The settlements result from suits in which people taking the drug caused them to contemplate suicide or birth defects in their children. In each of the cases, the plaintiffs allege that Glaxo knew of the dangers.

Glaxo implicated in ghostwriting scandal

Court documents uncovered in a California lawsuit against GlaxoSmithKline over its antidepressant Paxil show that the big pharmaceutical company made extensive use of ghostwriters to promote its drug, later found to be highly addictive and to cause suicidal thoughts in some cases, the Associated Press reports.

WASHINGTON — Drugmaker GlaxoSmithKline used a sophisticated ghostwriting program to promote its antidepressant Paxil, allowing doctors to take credit for medical journal articles mainly written by company consultants, according to court documents obtained by The Associated Press.

An internal company memo instructs salespeople to approach physicians and offer to help them write and publish articles about their positive experiences prescribing the drug.

Tricyclic Antidepressants - Uses and Precautions

Type of drug:

Antidepressants; mood-elevating agents.

How the Drug Works:

Tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) appear to adjust or rebalance the brain's own natural chemicals (neurotransmitters), which control mood, feelings, and behaviors. The effect may take a few weeks (1 to 4) to be noticed.

Uses:

For the relief of symptoms of depression (except clomipramine).

Clomipramine: Only for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Doxepin: To treat anxiety.

Imipramine: For the treatment of bedwetting in children 6 years of age and older after possible organic causes have been excluded by appropriate tests.

Vectical

Vectical

Generic Name: calcitriol (topical) (kal SIT ree ol TOP ik al)

Brand Names: Vectical Ointment

What is Vectical?

Vectical (calcitriol) ointment is a form of vitamin D. It works by decreasing the rate of skin cell reproduction.

Vectical is used to treat mild to moderate plaque psoriasis (raised, silvery flaking of the skin) in adults 18 years and older.

Vectical may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Vectical

You should not use Vectical if you have a severe form of psoriasis (with pus, skin peeling, severe redness).

Before using Vectical, tell your doctor if you have low or high levels of calcium in your blood, a calcium disorder or metabolic imbalance, or if you are receiving UV light treatments (phototherapy) for your psoriasis.

Side Effects of Androgens and Androgens

Type of Drug:Male hormones.

How the Drug Works:

lostosterone is the primary natural androgen (male sex hormone) produced by the testes. Androgens promote normal growth and development of male sex organs (eg, prostate, seminal vesicles, penis, scrotum) and affect fertility. They also produce the distinctive male characterisis of hair distribution, voice depth,

Uses:

To treat testosterone deficiency. Prolonged treatment is required to maintain male sex characteristics.

For hormone deficiency due to developmental defects of the testes. To treat delayed male puberty (brief treatment with low doses) in carefully selected patients. To treat male impotence caused by androgen deficiency (methyl testosterone only).

Pramipexole Drug - How does Pramipexole Works?

Type of Drug:

Antiparkinson agent.

How the Pramipexole Product Works:

Parkinsonism is a neurological disease with a variety of origins characterized by tremor, rigidity and disorders of posture and balance. The onset is slow and progressive with symptoms advancing over months to years. There is no cure for the disease. The goal of therapy is to provide relief from the symptoms, and to attempt to maintain the independence and mobility of the patient.

It is thought that the involuntary muscle movements (shaking) of Parkinson disease are caused by reduced amounts of dopamine in the nervous system. Pramipexole may exert its effects by stimulating the dopamine receptors in the nervous system.

Popularity of Using Contact Lenses

With the growing popularity of using contact lenses instead of glasses, the lens market has during the last decades become enormous. The contact lenses nowadays can be used by most people that need sight correction, and with the size of the market, there's naturally a great choice of lens types and models to choose from. Popular models on the market such are for example the 1 day Acuvue and the Focus dailies, but there are also many other lenses.

The first thing to decide on is what kind of contact lens that best suits you. There are disposable lenses, that you throw away every night, and lenses that you can wear for over a year, if you treat them right. There are color lenses, that can change your eye color if you want, and there are even lenses on the market that help you improve your golf play! What they all have in common however, is that they all give you a great, clear vision. The huge demand has created a strong development in the lens market, and the products are constantly improving. Make a little research to find the lens that suit you best, and you want be disappointed.

How to Locate Best Weight Loss Pills?

The weight loss pills are preferred before other weight loss programs, but these pills are not spared from having their share of disadvantages. It has been proven that certain diet pills are capable of posing threat to nervous system and other organ systems of the body. Thus, if you are desperate to reduce your body fat with most apposite fat loss pills, you must seek guidance to choose the best available pills.

It is not an easy task to choose best diet pills, especially when different manufacturers have flooded the market with a horde of pills. In such situation, expert websites emerge on the scene and take advantage of their online presence to recommend its visitors the best weight loss programs.

Guidelines for Usage Of Tricyclic Antidepressants

Use exactly as prescribed.

Lower dosages are recommended for elderly, adolescent, and outpatients, as compared to hospitalized patients who will be under close supervision. Initiate dosage at a low level and increase gradually, noting carefully the clinical response and any evidence of intolerance. Once depressive symptoms are controlled, maintenance doses will be required for a longer period of time, at the lowest dose that will maintain symptom control.

For many of these medicines, it is not possible to prescribe a single dos­age schedule that is therapeutically effective in all patients. Consequently, the recommended dosage regimens are only a guide, which may be modified by factors such as age, chronic disease, severity of the disease, medical condition of the patient, and degree of psychotherapeutic support.

Getting Naturally Thinner with Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera, when taken in the form of a pill can have a lot of health benefits. It can help you lose weight as well. However, these pills work only when you consume them on regular basis along with following a set schedule of excise and strict diet plan.

Aloe Vera is a plant that proves out to be of great importance for all of us. It represents its various medical uses. Aloe Vera is a source of Vitamin B12, A and E, and helps to digest the food easily and thus keeps the body away from several problems of indigestion and metabolism, including detoxification to support weight loss. It also helps to ease ulcers and heartburns. Apart from this, Aloe Vera gel helps can help us to get rid of serious infections and skin acne problems. Aloe Vera, with its multiple benefits, is used all across the universe by various manufacturers to produce beauty products and other over-counter medications. Any of the product or medicine primed with Aloe Vera do not cause any harm or to the body.

Elimination of toxic substances using detoxification

Detoxification is the process of removal of toxic substances from the body. For example liver acts as a Detox for our body. Alcohol detoxification is a process of removing alcohol mainly as a toxic substance from body. Intake of drugs for a very long duration leads to the accumulation of toxic substances inside the body. These dangerous substances have a lot of ill effects on the body if they are not treated. Detoxification is done by properly cleaning the body. The example of such detox programs are increase in water intake and Sauna . Detox is a mandatory part of any successful drug rehab program. A proper Detox diet can help in keeping our body fit.

Drug Rehab Program

The process of providing physical and psychological counseling treatment to the patients who are addicted to harmful drugs such as heroin, cocaine etc. is known as Drug rehab. Alcohol also falls into the category of these drugs. These harmful drugs are also known as street drugs . With the continuous use of these drugs over a long period of time the brain gets adapt to it. So their effect on the body becomes minimal and your desire for them goes on increasing day by day. Drug Treatment Center becomes necessary to avoid the physical, legal, social and financial effects of drugs addiction. A recent discovery shows that there are increased chances of mental disorders in people who are suffering from addiction .Due to these disorders the recovery become difficult . In some situations Alcohol Rehabilitation is part of our criminal judicial system.The people who are guilty of minor drug offenses are sent to drug rehab centers instead of sentenced them to prisons . People who are found guilty of drinking alcohol during driving are forced to attend alcoholic anonymous seminars. These types of programs are more popular in western countries. Psychoanalysis is a psychotherapeutic strategy of changing the behavior in order to treat addiction. This approach was developed by sigmund freud which was modified by his followers later on. According to this approach the main cause of addiction is the obvious nature of man to enjoy fantasies. Some people misuse the drugs intentionally by taking them in a quantity which is not prescribed.This is known as Prescription Drug Abuse.

Cultured pearls for cultured people!

In this era of globalization, most people follow minimalist trend. Well, it is a fact that excess show of wealth through gaudy jewelry is out of fashion this millennium. You are known by what you wear and it greatly determines your attitude and level of confidence. To present everyone in the corporate world with poise, you must choose your clothes and jewelry carefully. Yes even in day to day life, if you wear minimal jewelry that speaks of your class, people tend to judge your dignity positively. Pearl bracelets or necklaces do this work hassle-free.

No wonder most women are behind collecting pearl jewelry to make themselves suave and cultured. Culture cannot be developed, it is said. But those who wear cultured pearls, the charisma speaks volumes. There are ample varieties to choose from when it comes to pearl jewelry. The pearls are priceless. But when you purchase them online, you can avail fabulous discounts on them with guarantee. Isna€™t that amazing?

Actiq

Actiq

Generic Name: fentanyl citrate (oral transmucosal) (FEN ta nil SIT rayt)

Brand Names: Actiq

What is Actiq?

Actiq is a narcotic pain medicine.

Actiq treats "breakthrough" cancer pain that is not controlled by other medicines. This medication is not for short-term pain relief.

Actiq may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Actiq

Do not use Actiq if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects could occur.

Valacyclovir

Valacyclovir

Generic Name: valacyclovir (val a SYE kloe veer)

Brand Names: Valtrex

What is valacyclovir?

Valacyclovir is an antiviral drug. It slows the growth and spread of the herpes virus so that the body can fight off the infection. It will not cure herpes, but it can lessen the symptoms of the infection.

Valacyclovir is used to treat infections caused by herpes viruses in adults and children. Illnesses caused by herpes viruses include genital herpes, cold sores, shingles, and chickenpox.

Valacyclovir is used to treat cold sores in children who are at least 12 years old, and to treat chickenpox in children who are at least 2 years old.

Actonel

Actonel

Generic Name: risedronate (rih SED ro nayt)

Brand Names: Actonel, Atelvia

What is Actonel?

Actonel (risedronate) is in a group of medicines called bisphosphonates (bis FOS fo nayts). Risedronate alters the cycle of bone formation and breakdown in the body. Actonel slows bone loss while increasing bone mass, which may prevent bone fractures.

Actonel is used to treat or prevent osteoporosis in men and women. Actonel is also used to treat Paget's disease of bone.

Actonel may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Actonel

Do not take a Actonel tablet if you cannot sit upright or stand for at least 30 minutes. Actonel can cause serious problems in the stomach or esophagus (the tube that connects your mouth and stomach). You will need to stay upright for at least 30 minutes after taking this medication.

Adacel

Adacel

Generic Name: tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis vaccine (Tdap, adult) (TET a nus, dif THEER ee a, and ay SEL yoo ler per TUS iss)

Brand Names: Adacel (Tdap), Boostrix (Tdap)

What is Adacel?

Diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis are serious diseases caused by bacteria.

Adacel (Tdap) is used to help prevent these diseases in people 11 to 64 years old. Most people in this age group require only one Tdap shot for protection against these diseases.

Adacel works by exposing you to a small dose of the bacteria or a protein from the bacteria, which causes the body to develop immunity to the disease. Adacel will not treat an active infection that has already developed.

Benazepril

Benazepril

Pronunciation: ben-AZ-e-pril

Generic Name: Benazepril

Brand Name: Lotensin

Do NOT take Benazepril if you are pregnant. Benazepril can cause injury and possibly death to a fetus when used after the third month of pregnancy. Talk with your doctor at once if you think that you are pregnant.

Benazepril is used for:

Treating high blood pressure. It may be used alone or with other blood pressure medicines. It may also be used for other conditions as determined by your doctor.

Benazepril is an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor. It works by decreasing a chemical that tightens blood vessels. This causes the blood vessels to relax (dilate), which lowers blood pressure.

Beyaz

Beyaz

Generic Name: drospirenone, ethinyl estradiol and levomefolate calcium

Date of Approval: September 24, 2010

Company: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Treatment for: Birth Control, Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder, Acne

FDA Approves Beyaz

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Beyaz, an estrogen/progestin combined oral contraceptive that also contains a folate (levomefolate calcium 0.451 mg).

Beyaz is based on the approved product Yaz, which contains the same doses of estrogen and progestin, and is approved for prevention of pregnancy, premenstrual dysphoric disorder and the treatment of moderate acne vulgaris in women at least 14 years of age, only if the patient desires an oral contraceptive for birth control. Beyaz also is approved for the secondary indication in women who choose to use an oral contraceptive as their method of contraception, to raise folate levels for the purpose of reducing the risk of a neural tube defect in a pregnancy conceived while taking the product or shortly after discontinuing the product.

Gadavist

Gadavist

Generic Name: gadobutrol

Date of Approval: March 14, 2011

Company: Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals Inc.

Treatment for: Diagnostic Magnetic Resonance Imaging

FDA Approves Gadavist

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved Gadavist (gadobutrol) Injection, a macrocyclic gadolinium-based contrast agent (GBCA), for intravenous use in diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in adults and children (2 years of age and older) to detect and visualize areas with disrupted blood brain barrier (BBB) and/or abnormal vascularity of the central nervous system (CNS).

Highlights of Gadavist Prescribing Information

Human Secretin

Human Secretin

Generic Name: Secretin Synthetic Human

Company: ChiRhoClin, Inc.

Treatment for: Secretin Stimulation Testing

FDA approves Human Secretin

The Food and Drug Administration, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, Office of Drug Evaluation has issued ChiRhoClin, Inc. an approval for Human Secretin.

The FDA has approved three indications. The indications of Human Secretin are the following:

Stimulation of pancreatic secretions, including bicarbonate, to aid in the diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine dysfunction.

Stimulation of gastrin secretion to aid in the diagnosis of gastrinoma, and

Hydrochlorothiazide

hydrochlorothiazide

Generic Name: hydrochlorothiazide (hye dro klor o THY a zide)

Brand names: Aquazide H, HydroDIURIL, Microzide

What is hydrochlorothiazide?

Hydrochlorothiazide is a thiazide diuretic (water pill) that helps prevent your body from absorbing too much salt, which can cause fluid retention.

Hydrochlorothiazide treats fluid retention (edema) in people with congestive heart failure, cirrhosis of the liver, or kidney disorders, or edema caused by taking steroids or estrogen. This medication is also used to treat high blood pressure (hypertension).

Hydrochlorothiazide may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Istodax

Istodax

Generic Name: romidepsin (ROE mi DEP sin)

Brand Names: Istodax

What is Istodax?

Istodax blocks certain enzymes in the body and interferes with the growth of tumor cells.

Istodax is used to treat T-cell lymphoma affecting the skin (cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, or CTCL).

Istodax is usually given after other medications have been tried without successful treatment of symptoms.

Istodax may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Important information about Istodax

Before you receive Istodax, tell your doctor if you have an electrolyte imbalance, a personal or family history of "Long QT syndrome," heart disease, kidney disease, or liver disease.

Menostar

Menostar

Generic Name: estradiol transdermal (ess tra DYE ol tranz DERM al)

Brand Names: Alora, Climara, Estraderm, Estradiol Patch, Menostar, Vivelle, Vivelle-Dot

What is Menostar?

Menostar is a skin patch that contains estradiol, a form of estrogen. Estradiol is a female sex hormone the regulates many processes in the body.

Menostar skin patches are used to prevent postmenopausal osteoporosis. Menostar skin patches release estradiol slowly, and it is absorbed through your skin. They are used to provide the female hormone when the body no longer produces enough.

Menostar may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Methadone

Methadone

Generic Name: methadone (METH a done)

Brand Names: Diskets, Dolophine, Methadose

What is methadone?

Methadone is a narcotic pain reliever, similar to morphine. It also reduces withdrawal symptoms in people addicted to heroin or other narcotic drugs without causing the "high" associated with the drug addiction.

Methadone is used as a pain reliever and as part of drug addiction detoxification and maintenance programs.

Methadone may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

Important information about methadone

Taking methadone improperly will increase your risk of serious side effects or death. Even if you have used other narcotic medications, you may still have serious side effects from methadone. Follow all dosing instructions carefully.

Zithromax

Zithromax

Generic Name: azithromycin (a ZITH roe MYE sin)

Brand Names: Azithromycin 3 Day Dose Pack, Azithromycin 5 Day Dose Pack, Zithromax, Zithromax TRI-PAK, Zithromax Z-Pak, Zmax

What is Zithromax?

Zithromax is an macrolide antibiotic related to erythromycin.It fights bacteria in the body.

Zithromax is used to treat many different types of infections caused by bacteria, such as respiratory infections, skin infections, ear infections, and sexually transmitted diseases.

In children, it is used to treat middle ear infection, pneumonia, tonsillitis, and strep throat.

Zithromax may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Beef pho packs a sodium punch

Over the last year, Steve Loyd has done the near impossible: He has lost 50 pounds.
Using his smart phone and an app to keep track of every calorie that went into his stomach, Steve was able to whittle down his weight.
But he ran into snags when the app didn’t have nutrition information for certain foods, including his favourite Vietnamese pho.
The pho presented a problem because I really had no idea how good or bad it was and I really try to stay away from guessing,” he explains.
So Steve asked The Dish for help.
I’ve been avoiding one of my favourite lunches because I have no idea what to enter. If I look up pho noodle soup in my tracking software, I see a range from 400 to 1,200 calories.
Steve’s favourite pho comes from The Sprout, a neat and narrow restaurant near Yonge St. and St. Clair Ave. W. that proclaims cheerfulness with refreshing lime green decor. All a-bustle during a weekday lunch, Sprout offers up many kinds of pho. A takeout order comes quickly in two Styrofoam containers; one with noodles, a handful of sprouts and the meat or vegetable of choice, the other with steaming, savoury broth.
As per Steve’s request, we tested the rare beef pho with satay sauce. He was eager — yet also afraid — to hear the results.
He was right to be wary. This soup contains 644 calories, 8 grams of fat and 3,100 mg of sodium.
Steve’s reaction?
Holy cow that’s a lot of sodium! The fat and calories are not too bad, a little higher than I would have liked, but wow that sodium is out of control.
Registered dietitian Carol Harrison shares the exclamation marks over the sodium.
My first thought was ‘Oh, darn!’ because I love pho,” she says. “This just seems like a gratuitous over use of salt. No meal needs that much salt to taste good.
The calories and fat are completely reasonable for a meal. No qualms there, Harrison says. But the sodium should give any diner pause before ordering this pho. The staggering 3,100 mg — more than double what your body needs in a day — forces Harrison to give this meal an emphatic two thumbs down for its poor nutrition.
To help put the large sodium number into perspective, Harrison provides the following comparisons: The 3,100 mg is equivalent to 20 dashes with a salt shaker or one heaping teaspoon of salt or the sodium found in 10 small bags of potato chips.
This is why diners may feel parched after eating out. For your body to process that much sodium, you will feel a physiological response.
The high level of sodium and the refined carbohydrates in the noodles have a combined negative impact to push up blood pressure, Harrison says. She suggests diners ask for more vegetables in their pho to get more nutrients and beneficial complex carbohydrates. The beef does provide a good dose of protein, iron, zinc and B vitamins.
Harrison says it is time for restaurants to focus on lowering the sodium in their meals, noting that Health Canada predicts nine out of 10 Canadians will need medications to manage blood pressure if sodium consumption continues to rise.
Sodium is an issue for everyone,” she says. “When you consume too much fat, your jeans get tight. You can feel the effects. With sodium, it’s harder to feel the negative impacts. The damage is being done inside your body, something you can’t see.
Steve says knowing the nutrition numbers of his favourite rare beef pho will help him make room for the soup in his diet. Even with its astounding amount of sodium.
Once I take the guesswork out of the equation, I can plan around it,” he says. “We’re definitely talking a sometimes food here, and I might skip the satay sauce to try and take a little bite out of that sodium.
I can see it being a little reward for myself after doing a good workout and having had a good eating week. I wouldn’t want to have it more than once a month.
VERDICT: Sodium-full pho renders it a “faux-pas.
Rare beef pho with satay sauce
Serving size: 795 grams
Calories: 644
Fat: 8 grams
Sodium: 3,100 mg
Protein: 28 grams
Carbohydrates: 95 grams