Blood Pressure Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives: What Is Blood Pressure?
Blood pressure can be defined as the force of blood pushing against blood vessel walls as it circulates through the body. The more blood your heart pumps and the narrower your arteries, the higher the pressure.When pressure is too high, it negatively affects the arterial wall and the heart must work harder. Though it
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Blood Pressure Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives: What Is Blood Pressure?
Monday, October 24th, 2011Nonstimulants Drugs for Treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Sunday, August 29th, 2010Nonstimulants Drugs for Treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.
The only currently existing, approved nonstimulant ADHD medication is atomoxetine (Strattera).
HOW DOES THIS DRUG WORK?
Strattera is a selective norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor, which essentially means it increases the activity of the brain chemical (or neurotransmitter) norepinephrine. More norepinehrine is thought to increase attention and control hyperactivity and impulsivity in ADHD.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
The effectiveness of Strattera in the treatment of ADHD was established in four studies of pediatric patients ages 6 to 18. Compared with placebo, Strattera proved to be superior with respect to reducing impulsiveness, hyperactivity, and inattention. The effectiveness of Strattera for long-term use (for more than nine weeks) in child and adolescent patients has not been thoroughly evaluated.
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Common side effects are loss of appetite, drowsiness, headache, stomachache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, dry mouth, diarrhea, constipation, difficulty sleeping, sexual dysfunction, agitation, irritability, and difficulty urinating.
MAJOR CAUTIONS (more…)
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Stimulants Drugs for treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Sunday, August 29th, 2010Stimulants Drugs for treatment Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
- Methylphenidate (Ritalin, Concerta, Metadate)
- Pemoline (Cylert)
- Dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine)
- Mixed amphetamines (Adderall)
HOW DO THESE DRUGS WORK?
Central nervous system stimulants help to balance the activity of neurotransmitters (chemical messengers) in the brain. Through this mechanism, they tend to increase attention span, improve focus, and decrease distractibility in people with ADHD.Although these medicines have a stimulating effect in most people, they tend to have a calming effect in children and adults with ADHD.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?
Symptoms are improved in about 70 percent of people with ADHD. In children specifically, 75 to 80 percent improve after starting a stimulant medication.
POTENTIAL SIDE EFFECTS
Loss of appetite, difficulty sleeping, dry mouth, weight loss, stomachache, headache, overstimulation/anxiety, dizziness, tics, listlessness/lethargy, angina, and mood changes are the more common side effects associated with stimulants. In higher doses, paranoid psychotic reactions may be seen. In typical doses, clinically insignificant elevation of blood pressure and increased heart rate may occur.
MAJOR CAUTIONS
In February 2007, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ordered that all companies making stimulant drugs for ADHD add warning labels to their products. These new labeling regulations addressed two major concerns.
First, heart-related problems, including risk of sudden death in children with heart problems; risk of stroke, heart attacks; and sudden death in adults with a history of heart disease.
Second, psychiatric problems: these drugs may trigger or exacerbate negative behaviors and emotions, especially in those with any family history of mental illness. Suppression of growth is also a major concern with long-term use of stimulants in children. Psychological and/or physical dependence on stimulants can occur.
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Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs Tocotrienols
Thursday, August 12th, 2010Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs Tocotrienols
Vitamin E is not just one vitamin, but rather a family of eight slightly different molecular structures that function differently in the body. There are two principal categories of vitamin E: tocopherols and tocotrienols. Each of these has four subcategories: alpha, beta, gamma, and delta. Tocotrienols reduce triglycerides and inflammation of arterial walls, promote dilation and flexibility of arteries, improve blood flow, change LDL cholesterol to a form that does not promote plaque formation, and lower blood pressure. They also help to reduce plaque in the arteries, particularly delta tocotrienols. A four-year study from Elmhurst Medical Center in Queens, New York, involved 50 participants who had plaque in their carotid arteries (the main arteries that carry blood to the brain).
This dangerous condition can lead to a stroke if plaque breaks off and lodges in the brain arteries. Among the participants who took 240 mg a day of tocotrienols along with 60 mg of alpha-tocopherol, 88 percent experienced stabilization or actual reduction of plaque. Among participants taking a placebo, 60 percent experienced a worsening of their condition and only 8 percent stabilized or improved.
Tocotrienols also combat cholesterol.According to a review published in the Journal of the American Nutraceutical Association, supplementation with gamma and delta tocotrienols at 75 mg to 100 mg per day for two months reduced total cholesterol levels by 13 to 22 percent and cut LDL
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Natural Alternatives to Atherosclerosis Drugs – Diet and Lifestyle
Saturday, August 7th, 2010Natural Alternatives to Atherosclerosis Drugs – Diet and Lifestyle
Dean Ornish on Newsweek cover
Dean Ornish, M.D., a leader in promoting lifestyle changes to reduce cardiovascular risk, emphasizes the importance of a restricted diet for patients with cardiac disease. In a study published in 1990 in the journal Lancet, Dr. Ornish reported that 23 of the 28 participants who followed his special diet for one year showed “measurable reversal of coronary artery blockages”. The participants also quit smoking, had stress-management training, and followed moderate exercise. Among the 20 patients in the control group,who reportedly followed standard medical advice regarding a low-fat diet, coronary artery plaque more than doubled after one year.
This demonstrated to Dr. Ornish that atherosclerosis patients needed to do more than just reduce dietary fats to improve their condition. As a result, he developed the Ornish Reversal Diet, which recommends:
- 10 percent of daily calories from polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats (no saturated fats).
- 70 to 75 percent of calories from carbohydrates.
- 15 to 20 percent of calories from protein.
- No more than 5 milligrams of dietary cholesterol.
Dr. Ornish
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Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs Oral Anticoagulants
Monday, August 2nd, 2010Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs Oral Anticoagulants
These are medications that dissolve blood clots; for example, warfarin (Coumadin, Jantoven).
How do these drugs work?
These medications dissolve blood clots present in blood vessels.
What are the benefits?
Blood clots that form in the blood vessels can block blood flow to the heart or brain, causing a heart attack or stroke. By dissolving blood clots, anticoagulants can lower the risk for heart attack and stroke.
Potential side effects
Painful, purple toes; rash; hair loss; bloating; diarrhea; jaundice; bleeding gums; bruising; nosebleeds; heavy menstrual bleeding; cuts that bleed too long; hematuria
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Atherosclerosis and CAD Drugs Nitrates
Tuesday, July 27th, 2010Atherosclerosis and CAD Drugs Nitrates
- Isosorbide dinitrate, sublingual and chewable (Isordil, Sorbitrate)
- Isosorbide mononitrate (Imdur, Ismo, Isotrate ER,Monoket)
- Nitroglycerin ER (Nitroglyn)
- Nitroglycerin ointment (Nitro-Bid ointment, Nitrol)
- Nitroglycerin skin patches (Deponit, Minitran, Nitro-Dur, Nitrodisc,
- Transderm-Nitro)
- Nitroglycerin spray (Nitrolingual)
How do these drugs work?
This class of medications dilates the veins returning blood to the heart as well as the heart arteries, increasing oxygenation of the heart cells.
What are the benefits?
Quick relief of heart pain (angina)
Potential side effects
- Constant throbbing headache
- Flushing of the head and neck
- Increased heart rate or heart palpitations
- Nausea, vomiting
Major cautions
Drop in blood pressure, causing dizziness and weakness
Known drug interactions (more…)
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Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives. What Is Atherosclerosis?
Monday, July 19th, 2010Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Disease Drugs and Their Natural Alternatives. What Is Atherosclerosis?
The medical term
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Anxiety Drugs Beta-Blockers
Thursday, May 27th, 2010Anxiety Drugs Beta-Blockers
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Pulmonary edema
Tuesday, September 1st, 2009What is pulmonary edema? Causes of pulmonary edema.
It may be caused by various reasons. Myocardial infarction caused by heart failure and arising in connection with the violation of the outflow of blood from the pulmonary blood vessels. In patients with essential hypertension or anemia occurs mainly due to excitation of the autonomic nervous system that leads to a redistribution of blood in the body and its accumulation in the pulmonary system. The same thing happens with injuries and diseases of the brain. In uremia, poisoning and toxic substances (chlorine, phosgene) in the development of pulmonary edema huge role played by the increased permeability of the walls of pulmonary capillaries. Whatever the cause of pulmonary edema leads to disruption of breathing and hypoxia. One of the first symptoms – shortness of rapid breathing (dyspnea), patient anxiety, increased heart rate. In the future, breathing becomes hoarse and even choking, coughing appears to release a white or pink frothy sputum buy Revatio online. This foam prevents the flow of air in the alveoli of the lungs, the patient develops anoxia, one of the signs of which – cyanosis of the skin and mucous membranes (cyanosis).