Everyone knows that different people don’t respond the same way to medications, and that “one size does not fit all.” FDA has been pushing for targeted drug therapies, sometimes called “personalized medicines” or “precision medicines,” for a long time. Targeted therapies make use of blood tests, images of the body, or other technologies to measure… Continue reading An Update on Precision Medicine
Tag: drugs
How Much Do You Know about “Bioidentical” Hormones?
Although many menopausal women are taking so-called “bioidentical hormones,” they may not understand the risk of these unapproved treatments, according to the North American Menopause Society. An analysis to be published in the Society’s journal Menopause found that between 28% to 68% of women using hormones take the “bioidentical” substances without understanding that they are… Continue reading How Much Do You Know about “Bioidentical” Hormones?
The Drug/Alcohol Combination: Are You Putting Yourself in Danger?
Although it’s well known that certain drugs can interact with each other (that’s why it’s important that health-care providers know all the medications a patient is taking), the interaction of medicine with alcohol presents an equal, if not greater, problem. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), many common prescription medicines can interact badly… Continue reading The Drug/Alcohol Combination: Are You Putting Yourself in Danger?
The Test Every Baby Boomer Should Take
It’s important to know what health tests and screenings you should take. Most of us are aware for the need for timely mammograms and colonoscopies, but there’s another test that every Baby Boomer should consider taking – the test for hepatitis C. Here, the experts from the federal Centers for Disease Control (CDC) tell you… Continue reading The Test Every Baby Boomer Should Take
Some OTC Drugs Linked to Dementia
Researchers say that taking some commonly used drugs at a higher dose for a longer time carries a significantly increased risk for developing dementia, including Alzheimer’s. The drugs include such familiar remedies as nonprescription diphenhydramine (Benadryl). The study, published in JAMA Internal Medicine, is the first to show such a link. And it’s the first… Continue reading Some OTC Drugs Linked to Dementia
Patients Don’t Want Their Doctors to Know Everything About Their Health
Many patients withhold sensitive health information from their doctors, according to the first real-world trial of the impact of patient-controlled access to electronic medical records. Researchers from Clemson University, the Regenstrief Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine and Eskenazi Health published their finding in in the Journal of General Internal Medicine. Kelly Caine, assistant professor… Continue reading Patients Don’t Want Their Doctors to Know Everything About Their Health
Anxiety Drug Use Highest in Older Women
Prescription use of benzodiazepines–a widely used class of sedative and anti-anxiety medications–increases steadily with age, despite the known risks for older people, according to a comprehensive analysis of benzodiazepine prescribing in the United States. Popular brand are Valium and Xanax. Given existing guidelines cautioning health providers about benzodiazepine use among older adults, findings from the… Continue reading Anxiety Drug Use Highest in Older Women
What You Need to Know About Generic Drugs
Editor’s note: No matter what prescription drugs you’re taking, there are several issues you should be aware of: how effective the drugs are, whether they interact with any other medicines you might be taking, and whether a chaper generic is as good as a more expensive brand name. The generic-vs.-name brand issue can be especially… Continue reading What You Need to Know About Generic Drugs
An Update on Alzheimer’s Drugs
Editor’s Note: Alzheimer’s, a frightening and ultimately fatal disease, is becoming a more crucial issue with every passing year. An aging global population means not only that there will be millions of new patients over the next few decades but that millions of other people such as the patients’ caregivers and families will also be… Continue reading An Update on Alzheimer’s Drugs