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Common Cold and Immune System, Ah-chew!
I am Dr Patrick Flanagan, and this is the latest edition of my Dr Health Secrets newsletter.
I am a scientist with over 300 inventions related to health, longevity and medicine. This newsletter installment is about the common cold, something we...
Healthy Aging - Surviving In Today's World
(NC)-The older we get, the faster life moves. Unfortunately, as our body ages, we take on the strain of our years. Keeping pace in a hectic world can take its toll. Elderly people need to use extra care to ensure their safety.
When...
Ten Ways to Make It Through the Holidays Sober
1. Plan to stay sober. Every day plan to stay sober and work your plan. 2. Have a support system. If you're going to a party where you know there will be alcoholic beverages served, and you're afraid you may be tempted to drink, bring a buddy...
Vitamins for Kids
Do your children need to take vitamin supplements?
That's a question that more parents ought to ask of themselves
or the doctor before they start pumping kids full of
over-the-counter supplements that may or may not be conducive to
good...
What Are Your Fitness Needs?
As we go about our busy lives, our fitness needs do not often
come to mind. In fact, probably the only thought that is given
to our fitness needs relates to the 15 pounds we think we need
to lose. But even when we are fairly fit, we have needs...
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Be informed about the Medications You Take.
The recent withdrawal of the prescription drugs Vioxx and Bextra have arthritis patients concerned about their health, lawyers busy with lawsuits, and Congress poring over thousands of pages of documents obtained from the manufacturer. The drugs, part of a family of medications known as COX-2 inhibitors, have recently been shown to increase the risk of heart attacks and strokes among users who take the drugs for long periods of time. These findings have more and more people starting to pay more attention to the drugs that are prescribed for them.
Many people, when ill, see their doctor and ask them to prescribe something that will make them feel better. When appropriate, their physicians will do so, and the patients typically run down to their pharmacy to get that prescription filled. They then take their medication as prescribed, usually without giving it much thought. This is probably not wise, especially in view of the recent findings with Bextra and Vioxx. Patients would be well advised to become more informed about the medications prescribed for them. Here are some things you can do to be more informed about the medicines you take:
Ask your doctor questions. Make sure he or she knows about any allergies you might have to particular medications. Ask if there is anything important you should know about the drug, its use, or its side effects.
Ask your pharmacist if there is anything you should know
before taking the medication. Does it interact with other medications? Are there any known risks associated with taking that particular drug?
Read any documentation that comes with your prescription. Many pharmacies include lengthy information sheets that discuss the drug, side effects, prescribing information and more. That information is useful. Read it.
Go online and find the manufacturer’s Website. Many drug companies establish Websites devoted to particular medications. There you can find detailed information covering just about anything you’d care to know about the drug, including the results of test studies and the likelihood of particular side effects.
The Food and Drug Administration has some fairly strict standards regarding prescription medications that are brought to market. It is unlikely that any medications currently offered for sale are patently unsafe. Still, one can always benefit from staying informed. The more you know, the safer you are. If your doctor prescribes a medication for you, learn about it. It can only help.
About the Author
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including Bextra-Info.net, a site devoted to the withdrawn drug Bextra and StructuredSettlementHelp.com, a site devoted to structured settlements.
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