Statins, the most common medication used to lower cholesterol levels, can help prevent heart attack and strokes. According to a new study released by the Mayo Clinic, these same medications can also lower the risk of prostate growth and cancer.
The study followed nearly 2,500 men, aged 40-79, from 1990 through the present and examined their risks for the development of prostate cancer and erectile dysfunction. Interestingly, the results of the entire study favored the use of statins.
We are in the peak of the cough and cold season. As adults, we reach for a variety of over-the-counter medications to ease our symptoms, and as parents we do the same for our children. Recently, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommended that we treat our children differently, and in fact, they recommended that we do not use cold medications for children under the age of two. In older children, these medications must be used with extreme caution, and possibly not at all. A recent study has shown that despite recent announcements concerning overdosages in children, about 7,000 children visit Emergency Departments annually due to complications from taking over-the-counter cold medications.
As we embark on the cold and flu season, you’ll hear various new recommendations from your pediatrician, family doctor, emergency physician, or primary care provider concerning how to treat your young child’s cold. One recommendation to take note of is the findings of a recent panel of Federal Drug Administration (FDA) officials who examined the effectiveness and safety of over-the-counter cold medications. Their conclusion was that children under the age of six should not take any over-the-counter cold medications.
This past year, medication reconciliation has become a major national quality assurance initiative in the medical profession. The medical community is focused on ensuring health care providers in clinics and hospitals clearly document what medications a patient is taking. This process starts when a patient is first seen by a medical professional and records a patient’s current medications. When a patient is discharged, all documentation must accurately reflect any additional medications. Throughout a patient’s lifetime, the documentation must be continually updated so that patients and healthcare professionals have an understanding of what medications are being taken and at what times. Thus, safety is emphasized and duplication of dosages is avoided.
Medication reconciliation not only involves prescribed medications, but over-the-counter medications as well. Most people do not have a clear understanding of the mechanisms of over-the-counter medications, the interactions they can have with prescribed medications, and the potential health consequences of taking several medications at once.
Let’s take a look at some of the most common over-the-counter medications taken on a daily basis.
Do not panic about Vioxx.
Vioxx, a very common pain reliever and anti-inflammatory drug, was voluntarily pulled from the market last week following the release of surprising medical news. Often used for the treatment of osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and certain pain conditions, Vioxx is a drug within the class of COX-2 inhibitors.
Merck Pharmaceuticals, the manufacturer of Vioxx, generated this action despite $2.5 billion in annual sales and more than 2 million patients currently using this medication. So what does this decision mean for patients using Vioxx? Let’s take a closer look.
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