Healthy Me - At Home and Away: Pharmaceutical drug

Showing posts with label Pharmaceutical drug. Show all posts

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Garlic can overcome hypertension

Here is one article that I saw in the net. Hope it helps, but do take note that this should only be administered after discussing with your doctor.
Read on, and read the full article - it is short!
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Benefits of garlic in preventing various diseases was already long since become the attention of scientists? Not only as an anticancer, garlic was also very useful for overcoming high blood pressure.

Some doctors in Austria even recommend garlic as additional materials in addition to medical drugs for people with hypertension patients. The doctors were doing tests to 50 patients with hypertension remedy supplement made of garlic, although still taking other medical drugs.

Patients with hypertension who received four capsules of garlic extract per day will have a lower blood pressure compared with patients receiving placebo pills. Previous research has also shown that garlic extract is very potent in lowering cholesterol levels and high blood pressure in patients with hypertension who can not handle anymore.

Honey, Garlic, & Vinegar: Home Remedies & Recipes : The People's Guide to Nature's Wonder Medicines

Garlic and Other Alliums: The Lore and The Science

Naturessunshine Garlic Immune System Support Herbal Dietary Supplement 100 Capsules (Pack of 2)

However the researchers explained that garlic supplements may be consumed only after getting advice from doctors because garlic can thin the blood and will lead to interaction with some medical drugs.

Taken from

Garlic Can Overcome Hypertension

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

US limits Avandia diabetes drug use

WASHINGTON - The top US food regulator on Thursday severely restricted the use of the controversial diabetes drug, Avandia, made by British firm GlaxoSmithKline, but stopped short of an outright ban.

The Food and Drug Administration said in a statement it was taking the step after data suggested "an elevated risk of cardiovascular events, such as heart attack and stroke, in patients treated with Avandia."

Under the restrictions, the one-time blockbuster medicine will now only be available to new US patients with type 2 diabetes if they are unable to control their glucose levels through other medications.

Existing diabetes sufferers taking Avandia will be allowed to continue to take the medicine if they so choose, the FDA statement said.

"The FDA is taking this action today to protect patients, after a careful effort to weigh benefits and risks," said FDA commissioner Margaret Hamburg. "We are seeking to strike the right balance to support clinical care."

The US move came as the EU regulator, the European Medicines Agency, said the drug would no longer be available to patients in Europe, after recommending it be removed from the market.

A majority of members of a key FDA advisory had recommended in July that the government should allow Avandia to stay on the market in the United States but with greater restrictions on its sale.

Avandia, which generated some 1.2 billion dollars in 2009 for Britain's largest pharmaceutical firm, has long been associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

An FDA study linking the medication to serious health concerns prompted authorities to slap a warning on it in 2007.

"Allowing Avandia to remain on the market, but under restrictions, is an appropriate response, given the significant safety concerns and the scientific uncertainty still remaining about this drug," said Janet Woodcock director of the FDA's Centre for Drug Evaluation and Research, on Thursday.

Doctors will now have to attest that their patients are eligible to be prescribed Avandia, and the patients will have to acknowledge that they are aware of the risks.

The FDA said it would require Glaxo to develop a restricted access programme for Avandia under a risk evaluation and mitigation strategy.

It also ordered the company to set up an independent group of scientists to review the company's clinical trials on the cardiovascular safety of Avandia compared to standard diabetes drugs.

It warned further action may follow once the review has been completed.

And the US watchdog halted Glaxo's clinical trial comparing Avandia to the other most popular diabetes drug Actos as well as standard diabetes medication.

Avandia, also known by its generic name Rosiglitazone, is additionally available in combination with other diabetes drugs, such as metformin under the brand name Avandamet or glimepiride under the brand name Avandaryl.

- AFP/al

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; source article is below:US limits Avandia diabetes drug use
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Thursday, September 16, 2010

Children and non-prescription drugs

There's usually a tendency for parents to just give anything that they can grab from the medicine cabinet or from the fridge (it's where we keep our kids' meds) during panic mode.

Sometimes, the meds work out just fine, but as our doctor said, there's always a side-effect to any medicine taken. And much more if it is the wrong one.

Parents, let us beware of this one -- we may be putting in danger the bundle of joy we adore.

Read on...
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Child health at risk from non-prescription drugs

LISBON : Many parents give their children too large or frequent doses of non-prescription medicines for fever, coughs and colds, putting their health at risk, according to an Australian study released Monday.

"Many children are being put at risk by parents' over-use of widely-available over the counter medicines for fever, coughs and colds," concluded the study by University of Sydney researchers presented at a conference of the International Pharmaceutical Federation.

"We were surprised and concerned to find that some people thought that medicines must be safe because you can buy them without prescription," said Rebekah Moles, who headed up the study of 97 parents and day care centre employees.

"Taking all the scenarios together, 44 per cent of participants would have given an incorrect dose, and only 64 per cent were able to measure accurately the dose they intended to give," said Moles.

Only 14 per cent managed the fever scenario correctly.

The noted that 48 per cent of calls in 2008 to the New South Wales Poisons Information Centre, which receives all out of hours calls from around Australia, concerned accidental overdose in children, with 15 per cent needing hospitalisation.

Australia is unlikely to be a special case, the researchers said, and they believe that the inappropriate use of children's medicines is widespread throughout the world.

"It is vital that parents worldwide should understand the proper usage of medicines so that they do not continue to put their children's health at risk," said Moles.

- AFP/il

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From ChannelNewsAsia.com; source article is below:Child health at risk from non-prescription drugs
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Thursday, May 21, 2009

Health warning on "Air Ikan Haruan"

By 938 LIVE | Posted: 21 May 2009 1053 hrs

Air Ikan Haruan

SINGAPORE: The Health Sciences Authority (HSA) is warning the public against taking a traditional medicine labeled as Air Ikan Haruan.

This after an undeclared potent medicinal substance called dexamethasone was detected in it.

It was found in the course of investigating a report of a serious adverse drug reaction associated with the consumption of this product recently.

The elderly patient had been taking the adulterated product, purchased overseas, for pain relief for more than a year.

She was reported to have developed symptoms of weakness, fatigue, widespread body aches, loss of appetite and weight loss after stopping the product.

These HSA says are symptoms of abrupt dexamethasone withdrawal.

Dexamethasone is a prescription drug commonly used to treat inflammatory conditions such as arthritis.

HSA says the unsupervised and prolonged usage of dexamethasone is associated with serious adverse reactions such as irregular heartbeat, increased blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.

Air Ikan Haruan has not been found in the local retail outlets.

However, HSA is concerned that the public may have purchased the product from overseas and been inadvertently exposed to serious health hazards caused by this adulterated product.

Air Ikan Haruan is packaged in small bottles.

Its label makes a slew of claims, such as "cleanse dirty blood, ease itchy skin, cure internal injury, boost energy, ease dry cough, promote maternal health after childbirth".

HSA strongly advises anyone who has purchased this product not to consume it.
In the event they have consumed this product, they should seek medical advice if they feel unwell or are concerned about their health.

Anyone who comes across Air Ikan Haruan sold illegally is encouraged to report to HSA's Enforcement Branch at 6866 3485.

- 938LIVE/yt

From ChannelNewsAsia.com; see the source article here.

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And this one is a life-giving drink