Resolving to Break an Addictive Habit?
No matter the addiction — drugs, gambling, shopping, smoking, alcohol or more — people who want to kick their habit in the new year might find help in a new Harvard University publication. “Overcoming Addiction: Paths toward recovery” offers guidance for breaking unwanted addictive habits. The advice applies universally, because what all addictions have in common, the Harvard... Read more
Older people mixing drugs: study
Potentially dangerous mixing of medications is common among older people and non-prescription drugs are the culprit more than half of the time, a new study has found. US researchers found nearly one out of every 25 people aged 57 to 85 took dangerous combinations of drugs with the potential for serious interactions, the study found. For men ages 75 to 85, it was as high as 1 in 10. “The public... Read more
Gleevec Approved for Use After Cancer Surgery
Gleevec, a “miracle drug” in curing certain types of adult leukemia, has received U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval to stop cancer growth after gastrointestinal cancer surgery. According to an FDA news release, Gleevec (imatinib mesylate) can be used after removal of a gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). While this is a fairly rare form of cancer (5,000 – 6,000 new cases... Read more
FDA Panel Mulls Safety of Asthma Meds
The safety of four asthma medications will be weighed by a U.S. Food and Drug Administration expert panel as two days of hearings end Thursday. The controversy over these drugs has been going on for several years, with two FDA officials recently calling for banning the use of these drugs for anyone under 17. One expert thinks the problem is not with the drugs, but with their misuse. “This is... Read more
FDA advisers weigh risks of asthma drugs
Government health officials Wednesday publicly aired deep differences over the safety of long-acting asthma drugs and called on outside medical and scientific advisers to help settle the issue. Experts from the Food and Drug Administration’s safety office are recommending that medications like Advair and Symbicort no longer be used to treat children with asthma because of the risk of serious... Read more
Painkillers Linked to Increase in Overdose Deaths
Deaths from overdoses of prescription drugs, primarily pain relievers, appear to be on the rise throughout the United States, new research suggests. West Virginia, in particular, has seen a large increase in such unintentional deaths, say government researchers, who have uncovered patterns of “doctor shopping” for drugs and overdosing on medications not used as prescribed. “We found... Read more
Statin Use Doesn’t Inhibit Lymphoma Drug Therapy
Cholesterol-lowering statin drugs don’t interfere with rituximab, a medication used to treat lymphomas, say Mayo Clinic researchers, who also found that statins may actually slow progression of some kinds of lymphomas. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody often used alone or in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat lymphomas — cancers of the lymph system. A study published earlier this year... Read more
Brain-boosting drugs: Why not?, experts say
Healthy people are increasingly turning to brain-enhancing drugs like Ritalin to boost their performance in school or at work, researchers said on Monday. And while some expressed alarm over the trend, others embraced the idea, provided the drugs are proven safe. “In the United States, stimulant medications are widely abused,” Dr. Nora Volkow, director of the National Institute of Drug... Read more
Drug Effective for Temporary Sleep Disruptions
The experimental drug tasimelteon helps treat temporary insomnia caused by jet lag or night shifts, according to the results of two new clinical trials. The phase II study included 39 people randomly assigned to receive either 10 milligrams, 20 mg, 50 mg or 100 mg of tasimelteon, or a placebo. They were monitored for seven nights — three at baseline, three after a five-hour advance of sleep-wake... Read more
Medications and Pregnancy
You may take certain over-the-counter supplements and medications without thinking twice. But when you’re pregnant, even drugs that you can buy without a prescription can affect the developing fetus. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these safety guidelines about medications and pregnancy: Don’t take any medicine or herbal supplement without checking with your doctor. Try... Read more