Most people have concerns about staying healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those with a chronic condition such as high blood pressure — a reading above 130/80 — may face an increased risk for severe complications if they get the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). With nearly half of Americans… Continue reading COVID-19: What People with High Blood Pressure Need to Know
Tag: prescription
Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix
If you’re taking a medication, is it safe to drive? Most likely, yes. Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises you to make sure before operating any type of vehicle, whether a car, bus, train, plane, or boat. Although most medications won’t affect your ability to drive, some prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) drugs… Continue reading Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix
Read This if You Take Ranitidine Medicines
The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has learned that some ranitidine medicines, including some products commonly known as the brand-name drug Zantac, contain a nitrosamine impurity called N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) at low levels. According to the Medwatch issued by the FDA, NDMA is classified as a probable human carcinogen (a substance that could cause cancer)… Continue reading Read This if You Take Ranitidine Medicines
Think Before You Click: Buying Online Drugs Can Be Deadly
Illegal online websites are the new street drug dealers. Abusers of controlled substances, prescription drugs which are strictly limited in the U.S., are turning to these sites because, at the click of a mouse, they can “score” as many pills in one order as they want. But there are some serious problems with this practice.… Continue reading Think Before You Click: Buying Online Drugs Can Be Deadly
Watch Out for “Fashion” Contact Lenses
Cosmetic contacts lenses – also known as costume or decorative contact lenses – can change the way your eye looks without correcting your vision. While they may seem like just another fashion accessory, the fact is all contacts require a prescription. Anyone who sells you lenses without getting a copy of your prescription or verifying… Continue reading Watch Out for “Fashion” Contact Lenses
Asthma: Triggers and Treatments
The bad news about asthma is that there’s no cure for it, and in most cases we don’t even know what causes it. The good news: There are ways you can reduce the number and severity of your attacks. You have to tailor your anti-asthma action plan to your own case, though, because not everyone… Continue reading Asthma: Triggers and Treatments
Traveling Abroad with Medicine
If you’re planning to bring your prescription or over-the-counter medicine on your trip, you need to make sure your medicine is travel-ready. Many travelers must carry their medicines with them across international borders to treat chronic or serious health problems. However, each country has its own guidelines about which medicines are legal. Medicines that are… Continue reading Traveling Abroad with Medicine
You Need An Eye Exam Now. Here’s Why.
With all our other health concerns, we may be inclined to skip getting an annual eye exam, but in fact it’s crucial, according to the Lighthouse Guild, a nonprofit organization that provides vision and health services. “Early detection and treatment of low vision are the key to better eye health,” says Dr. Andrea Zimmerman, a… Continue reading You Need An Eye Exam Now. Here’s Why.
Too Many Antibiotics Still Being Prescribed
Although it’s well known that antibiotics are over-prescribed, the drugs are still given to patients at surprisingly high rates, according to a new study. The findings, by researchers from the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, were published in the journal Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology. The study was based on an analysis… Continue reading Too Many Antibiotics Still Being Prescribed
Medicare Has Few Limits on Opioid Prescriptions
Although federal guidelines recommend restrictions of prescription opioids to Medicare patients, Medicare plans place few restrictions on the coverage of prescription opioids, according to new research from Yale. The findings were published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The risk of opioid overdoses rises when individuals are prescribed opiates at high dosages. While the Centers… Continue reading Medicare Has Few Limits on Opioid Prescriptions
Buying Pet Medicines Online: Ensuring Products Are Safe
Editor’s note: Buying your pet’s medications online may be tempting in terms of cost. But you need to approach the issue cautiously, say experts from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). If you’re purchasing medications for your pet online to save money or for convenience, there are Internet sites that represent legitimate pharmacies. But… Continue reading Buying Pet Medicines Online: Ensuring Products Are Safe
Five Reasons to Get An Eye Exam
August is National Eye Exam Month. Lighthouse Guild, the leading not-for-profit healthcare organization preventing vision loss and related health issues, encourages everyone to take care of their eyes and their overall health by getting regular eye exams. According to The National Eye Institute of Health, approximately 14 million people in the U.S., aged 12 years… Continue reading Five Reasons to Get An Eye Exam
Seasonal Allergies: Which Medication Is Right for You?
From experts at the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), ways to navigate the occasionally confusing array of allergy medicines: The pollen count is sky-high. You’re sneezing, your eyes are itching, and you feel miserable. Seasonal allergies are real diseases that can interfere with work, school or recreation. Allergies can also trigger or worsen asthma… Continue reading Seasonal Allergies: Which Medication Is Right for You?
Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse
From the experts at SeniorHealth, a division of the National Institute on Aging, strategies on how to control potential drug abuse: Whether it’s prescription or illicit drugs, can have serious consequences, particularly for older adults. That is why prevention is key. However, there are many different reasons why people abuse drugs and become addicted to… Continue reading Preventing Prescription Drug Abuse
Low-Testosterone Ads Can Lead to Over-Prescribing
Consumer advertising about drugs to treat testosterone deficiency may be good for pharmaceutical companies, but not so good for men’s health, according to an editorial published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). University of California Davis physician Richard Kravitz said in the editorial that an increase in ads and prescriptions for hormone-replacement… Continue reading Low-Testosterone Ads Can Lead to Over-Prescribing
What to Ask Your Doctor before Taking Opioids
Editor’s note: The use and abuse of prescriptions has risen to alarming numbers, especially among senior citizens. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, in 2015 nearly one-third of Medicare beneficiaries received at least one prescription for commonly abused opioids such as Oxycontin. The results of overuse range from addiction to death.… Continue reading What to Ask Your Doctor before Taking Opioids
Paper or Electronic: Which Kind of Prescription is Better?
The way a dermatology prescription is written – paper or electronic – can influence whether a patient fills it and picks it up, according to a researcher from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. In the study, published in JAMA Dermatology, Adewole S. Adamson, MD, assistant professor of dermatology, used data from a… Continue reading Paper or Electronic: Which Kind of Prescription is Better?
Vacation Tips for Diabetes Patients
Everyone loves going on vacation – and to have the best possible time, diabetes patients need to do some extra preparation before they leave. Here, from the American Diabetes Association (www.diabetes.org) are some suggestions for a safe holiday: Before you leave, the ADA says, ask your doctor for two documents: a letter and a prescription.… Continue reading Vacation Tips for Diabetes Patients