Showing posts with label Patient Education. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Patient Education. Show all posts

Monday, May 14, 2012

Best Diabetic Diets, Blood Sugar Control Diet


It is a condition in which the blood sugar becomes abnormally high. A proper diet, however, can effectively control this condition. A Diabetes control meal, along with prescribed medicines, is the key to manage fluctuation in sugar levels. Patients will face difficulty managing their this health disorder if certain foods are consumed. The main aim of meal is to control the glucose without diabetes drugs, so as to allow the patient to lead a healthy normal life.

Reducing sugar intake is the best way to decrease high sugar levels,and this can be easily accomplished through a meal to control diabetes. There is no doubt that a diabetic diet is one of the best ways to control sugar elevation. Health complications in this disease, such as kidney problems, can also be easily averted if a prescribed food is followed. A controlled diabetes meal has the capacity to slow down the increase of sugar levels, thus allowing the patient to live without worrying about sugar levels.

Control with Exercise
Exercise for diabetic patients is as important as following a diabetes control food. Daily exercise for about 30 – 60 minutes can go a long way in controlling the disorder. Many people with this issue strictly follow an exercise routine to keep diabetes related health problems at bay. Physical activities such as walking, bicycling, and jogging are some of the most recommended exercises for diabetics.

Erectile Dysfunction Techniques

Avoid High Sugar Foods
Bringing diabetes under control without avoiding high sugar content foods is simply not possible. People suffering from this health condition need to be aware of foods containing high amount of sweet stuff. Eating less sugar is a must for diabetes. Limiting sugar intake is what is expected in the diet to control the disease.

Foods that are high in sugar are:

  • Bananas
  • Oranges
  • Sugarcane
  • Concentrated fruit juices
  • Canned fruits
Diabetes and Other Disorders


Related Diabetes Reading


Friday, May 11, 2012

Unknown Eating Disorders List


Eating disorders are not limited to just eating too much food or gorging and overeating. It goes way beyond and there are have been many more such syndromes which haven’t got the limelight that they deserve and before it becomes grave issue, it is vital to know them to ensure that you are not facing any of these or if you do then take right step to stop it now.

Night Eating Syndrome: The name explains itself. Person suffering from this disorder will never ever eat in the morning due to the guilt of over eating the previous night. They may wake up in the middle of night feeling awfully hungry and would eat anything that they can lay their hands on. It is said to be the biggest culprit behind obesity which is like a red carpet for all the life style syndromes.

Orthorexia Nervosa: This one is an abnormal obsession with eating healthy and good food. They worry about how the food was made, is it high in nutritious value and how much to eat, etc. When you become a healthy food addict then it becomes an issue of concern. Everyplace that you go would definitely not be as hygienic such apprehensions and obsessions may create problems in your personal life.

Pica: It is about people having craving for some weird food items that one would otherwise think as gross.
Acuphagia – Yearning to eat sharp things
Amylophagia – Yearning for eat washing powder
Cautopyreiophagia – Yearning for eat burnt matches
Coprophagia – Yearning to eat faeces
Geophagia – Yearning to eat soil
Lithophagia – Yearning to eat stones
Mucophagy – Yearning to eat mucus
Pagophagia – Yearning to eat ice
Plumbophagia – Yearning to eat lead
Trichophagia – Yearning to eat hair
Xylophobia – Yearning to eat wood
Hyalophagia- Yearning to eat glass
Saponaceous- Yearning to eat soap

Nocturnal Sleep Eating:
Nocturnal Sleep Eating is to do with people who it in semi conscious state of mind thinking where they are simply not aware about have they eaten in the last meal or have they eaten a meal at all. It is commonly found in people who have high intake of sugar and fats and suffer from severe anxiety and anger pangs.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Effect of High Cholesterol Level on Heart


To understand high blood cholesterol (ko-LES-ter-ol), it is important to know more about it. It is a waxy, fat-like substance that is found in all cells of the body. Your body needs some to work the right way. Your body makes all the cholesterol it needs. It is also found in some of the foods you eat. Your body uses it to make hormones, vitamin D, and substances that help you digest foods. Too much, can be serious. People with high blood cholesterol have a greater chance of getting heart disease.

This disease on its own does not cause symptoms; so many people are unaware that their cholesterol level is too high. It can build up in the walls of your arteries. This build-up is called plaque (plak). Over time, plaque can cause narrowing of the arteries. This is called atherosclerosis (ath-er-o-skler-O-sis), or hardening of the arteries.

Special arteries, called coronary arteries, bring blood to the heart. Narrowing of your coronary arteries due to plaque can stop or slow down the flow of to your heart. When the arteries narrow, the amount of oxygen-rich blood is decreased. This is called coronary heart disease (CHD). Large plaque areas can lead to chest pain called angina (an-JI-nuh or AN-juh-nuh). Angina happens when the heart does not receive enough oxygen-rich blood. Angina is a common symptom of CHD. Some plaques have a thin covering and can burst (rupture), releasing cholesterol and fat into the bloodstream.

The release may cause your blood to clot (and study has also proved that cholesterol drugs can reduce blood clots). A clot can block the blood flow. This blockage can cause angina or a heart attack. Lowering your cholesterol level decreases your chance for having a plaque burst and cause a heart attack. Cholesterol lowering drugs may also slow down, reduce, or even stop plaque from building up.

Bones and Bone Cancer, What You Should Know About

It is derived from the bone – primary bone cancer – is rare. It is relatively uncommon compared with secondary or metastatic cancer. It can also develop their bone structures, such as bone marrow and connective tissues. With modern methods of treatment, the outlook in many patients is significantly improved. There are three types:
  1. osteosarcoma – become a growing bones, usually between the age of 10 and 25.
  2. Chondrosarcoma – Begins with the cartilage, usually 50 years of age
  3. Ewing’s sarcoma – begins in nerve tissue in the bone marrow of young people, after treatment of another condition with radiation or chemotherapy.
Cancer cells, causing problems that make bone. Tumors occur most commonly in children and adolescents and are less common in older adults. Parents of this disorder in adults is most often the result of metastatic spread to another tumor. The primary it is unknown, but hereditary factors, environmental factors, trauma or excessive radiation therapy may be mostly due to bone cancer involved. Multiple myeloma may also affect bones. The incidence of this disease is higher in patients with Pagets disease, degenerative disease.

The first symptom is usually pain or tenderness near the bone. It due to stretching of periosteum is a cancer, or by stimulating nerves inside the bone. It can be difficult to distinguish. The usual low back pain or arthritis. In general, it due to metastasis is fairly constant, even at night. It may worse in various positions such as standing up, which packed the weight of cancer in which the bone. If it continues more than a week or two, does not seem to be going away, and unlike other pain that can be seen, it would be evaluate a doctor. Pain and tenderness is influenced bones. It is often dull and local, and often in night. Swelling or less detectable tumor mass, or around the primary tumor site. (swelling does not usually happen metastatic tumor.) greater susceptibility to fractures (such as healthy cells are replaced by a malignant them). Other Symptoms may vary depending on the location and size of cancer. Surgery is often the most important treatment. Other treatments may include amputation, chemotherapy and radiation.

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Symptoms of Arthritis at a Glance, a Summary

It is a chronic, inflammatory type of arthritis. It is also classified as an autoimmune because certain immune cells malfunction and attack a person’s own body. Rheumatoid arthritis typically begins in middle age, but children and young adults can also develop the disease. RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that causes inflammation of the joints and may cause inflammation of other tissues in the body.

The immune system consists of the cells and proteins in our bodies that fight infections. An autoimmune disease occurs when our immune system doesn’t recognize part of our body and attacks it as if it were an invader such as a bacteria or virus.

People of all races and ethnic backgrounds can develop RA. Symptoms which are commonly associated with this disorder include: Joint pain, Joint Swelling, Joint Stiffness and warmth around the affected joint. Morning Stiffness which lasts for one or more hours. Symmetrical pattern of affected joints, meaning the same joint on both sides of the body is affected (e.g., both knees). Small joints of the hands & feets are characteristically involved, although any joint can be affected. Rheumatoid Nodules (firm lumps under the skin), found on elbows and hands of about one-fifth of rheumatoid arthritis patients Fatigue and noticeable loss of energy.

Flares & remission of disease activity is characteristic of this disease. Most people who develop RA are between the ages of 20 and 60, if you fall outside of this age range it makes the diagnosis less likely. The most common joints to be involved are the fingers, hands, wrists, and feet.

Often, people with this disorder may also complain of general fatigue, weakness, low-grade fever without an obvious source of infection, decreased appetite, weight loss, and/or muscle pain.  People with RA typically will complain of difficulty performing tasks of daily living such as writing, preparing food, grasping a cup, getting dressed, and turning a doorknob.
Oral arthritis drug and celebrex

Friday, May 4, 2012

Diabetes In Children, Difficult To Treat, Says Study

Some diseases were known as elderly diseases. Those diseases were blood pressure, heart attack, stroke and diabetes & its complications such as glaucoma. But this no longer remains truth for today. Cases of Diabetes in young adults are growing. According to a report, every year 4000 young people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in USA. Matter of concern for experts is diabetes is difficult to manage in young people with currently available diabetes drugs treatments.

The investigational study included 700 obese children. All the children were below 17 and diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. 46% diabetics did not respond to most effective treatment to maintain sugar level. Generic Glucophage  along with weight loss plan or Metformin with other diabetes drugs such as generic Avandia could not controlled sugar level in those patients. They all were then given insulin injection.

Conclusion of the study has been published on reputed online journal, New England Journal of Medicine. Study result was also discussed at Pediatric Academic Societies.

Check study here http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa1109333

Little or nothing was known about which treatment should be used to address diabetes in youth because Diabetes was almost non-existent in children - according to Dr Lori Laffel. But now is different scenario. Dr Laffel is heading pediatrics department at Joslin Clinic. A group of experts at the clinic has conducted this study. Goal of the study was to see whether diabetes drug (with highest efficacy rate) and rigorous weight loss plan helps children to avoid insulin injection in order to maintain blood glucose level.

Outcome of the study was disappointing. Metformin (alone) did not work well in 52% patient and they had to take insulin injection. 47% people who received weight loss therapy with Metformin and 39% people with metformin plus avandia had to switch to insulin therapy respectively.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

Taking Aspirin Daily Good for Bowel Cancer Patients

Research study has found reduction in death caused by bowel cancer if patient takes aspirin every day. The study result has been presented at British Journal of Cancer.

The study included examination of 4,500 patients of bowel cancer.

All patients were on aspirin 80mg tablet. Aspirin is analgesic pain killer and is usually prescribed to heart patients for daily use.

Despite positive result of aspirin's effect, experts are not ready to prescribe the drug to bowel cancer patients any time soon.

Plenty of research studies have found aspirin helpful in preventing cancers of initial stage. Recent findings have also backed result of previous studies - Aspirin could work well to prevent spread of cancer if included in cancer therapy.

However, grave side effects of Aspirin - such as internal bleeding and irritation in stomach - undermine its good effects, believes expert.

4,500 bowel cancer patients were inspected for almost 10 years. 25% of the patients were not taking aspirin, 25% patients started taking aspirin after diagnosis of bowel cancer and rest of the patients were on aspirin before and after they were diagnosed with cancer.

Patients were taking aspirin, post cardiovascular event, as a part of the treatment to prevent future heart disease and stroke.

Aspirin found to reduce bowel cancer death by 23% regardless of the time span aspirin was taken. Chances to die from bowel cancer were 30% less for those who took aspirin standard dose for 9 months after cancer diagnosis.

Administration of aspirin only after cancer diagnosis was more effective than taking aspirin before and after diagnosis. The reason assumed for this is that people who took aspirin before bowel cancer diagnosis might had stubborn tumor.

Dr Gerrit-Jan Liefers is lead author of the study. Dr Leifers is a scientist at Leiden University Medical Centre.

check more here. Acid reflux disease

Quick Facts about Aspirin

Aspirin

  • Aspirin contains Acetylsalicylic acid as its active ingredient
  • Aspirin is most commonly prescribed pain killer drug.
  • Aspirin is analgesic i.e. it masks the pain.
  • Patients with history of cardiovascular evets are recommended to take aspirin (75mg) daily
  • Rare side effect of aspirin is fatal internal bleeding.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

Prostate Treatment without Sexual Side Effects

A new device to treat prostate enlargement is claimed to have been zero-side effects treatment. Any available treatment ( Drug treatment such as Proscar or surgery) cause erectile dysfunction in men and sexual dysfunction in women. Dr Allen, founder of UK based Fine Treatment, has developed the device which treats mal functioning of prostate.

The device is Thermobalancing Therapy and is comprised of two basic parts namely; thermo-element and soft belt. Research studies have linked prostate surgery and drug treatment to cause impotence. Unlike other prostate treatment, the device does not cause impotence because of the way device work. In fact, Fine Treatment terms the device being natural therapy. Efficacy of the device is much higher as it keeps running 24*7 as long as it is applied. The device is to be worn on back side where prostate gland is located.

How Prostate Disorder Affect?

Mal functioning of Prostate is closely related to sexual problem and hair loss. A drug called Propecia approved by FDA for the treatment of Bening Prostate Hyperplasia causes irreversible impotence, abnormal ejaculation. Propecia is alos approved for hair loss. Sexual problems have been reported from men taking Propecia for hair loss. Propecia and Proscar contains Finasteride. FDA has recently issued drug safety warning for Finasteride. Moreover, a research study has confirmed that erectile dysfunction causes cardiovascular disease.

Good functioning of prostate ensures healthy sex life and good hair growth.

In surgery, prostate is removed from body which adversely affect nerves (located near it) responsible for erection. As a result of it, men faced problems such as lack of erection or maintaining erection for sexual intercourse. Many men are taking Viagra post prostate surgery for proper erection.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

FDA Safety Warning: Blood Clot Risk with Drospirenone Contraceptives

FDA has issued safty notice for women who are taking drospirenone birth control pills. Keeping latest study results in mind FDA has urged gynecologists and physicians to reckon the risk of Drospirenone while prescribing oral contraceptive pills. FDA has also asked manufacturer of those pills to update drug label.

Oral contraceptive pills that contain Drospirenone have been found to increase blood clotting events. Blood clotting is an essential process in body system. The process helps to heal wounds and stop bleeding by clotting blood at the site of wound.

But, the same process poses threat to life when it occurs in blood carrying veins and capillaries. Unnecessary blood clots in capillaries obstruct blood flow which eventually leads to stroke and heart diseases such as cardiac arrest, heart attack.

Dropirenone is widely used in combination birth control pills. It is synthesized progesterone. Studies, conducted by FDA itself, reported increased risk of blood clotting in people who were taking drospirenone was 3 times greater than those who were taking other contraceptive pills. FDA has revised its drug label and safty information pills that contain drospirenone.

Saturday, April 7, 2012

Can Girl Get Pregnant Even Before First Period?

Can Girl become Pregnant Even Before First Period?
YES. A girl can get pregnant even before her first period.

Teen pregnancy in ever growing now a days. Recent article on DailyMail.co.uk reported Colombian girl of age 10 got pregnant.

A prevailing belief (a misbelief rather) is that a girl who has not had her first period cannot get pregnant even with unprotected sex. That is completely wrong. The only relation between period, sex and pregnancy is having sex before period increases likelihood of pregnancy. Pre period time is most fertile time for having kids. Indications of pregnancy if no-period are after having sex, spotting and bleeding

What is Period?


Period is shedding of skin membrane located inside vagina. The skin membrane is medically known as endometrium. This occurs every month. Some females have irregular period.

First period of a girl is called Menarche. Menarche is indication of capability of reproduction for girls and ejaculation for boys.

What age a girl has period?


Average age of having first period is 12-13. But in some cases period has been reported quite early age. A Peruvian girl had her first period at age 3.

As long as pregnancy is concerned period is just highly fertile time. So what causes pregnancy? Ovulation is key process for pregnancy.

What is Ovulation?


Ovulation is about producing female egg. Ovary releases egg, those eggs pass in the fallopian tube to be fertilized. The eggs get fertilized by male cells called sperm. A girl may not have first period but, she might already be ovulating. If ovulation is there girl of any age can get pregnant.

What age a girl starts Ovulating?


This largly depend on biology and hormonal changes of girl. Hormonal changes triggers puberty. So, it is assumed that a girl starts ovulating with puberty.

How Does Pregnancy Occur?


Ejaculation by male within vagina is first step of pregnancy. Sperm fertilizes female eggs located within fallopian tube (generally known as vagina). Sperm cells can stay inside vagina for upto five days. So, sex five days before and after ovulation can make girl pregnant.

How to prevent pregnancy?


Use of condom is best bet for avoiding unintended pregnancy. Other methods are birth control pills (also known as contraceptive pills). There are number of birth control pills available. Plan B is emergency contraceptive. Generic Alesse, Depo-provera and generic Yasmin are popular birth control pills.

[Note: All birth control pills have different time to take because all the pills have different formulation and combination]

Thursday, April 5, 2012

What Drugs Cause Sexual Side effects? Erectile Dysfunction

There are several drugs whose side effects can harm your sexual life. The drugs can cause sexual side effects such as impotence or erectile dysfunction, low sex drive or decrease libido, premature ejaculation.

In Women (Sexual Dysfunction)

Contraceptive pills: Contraceptive pills are medically known as hormone therapy. Contraceptive or birth control pill alters hormone balance which eventually affects sex drive. All birth control pills contain hormones such as progestins, levonorgestrel or ethinyl estradiol. These pills lower androgens hormone (testosterone) level and thereby decrease sex drive. Several research studies have linked testosterone level to contraceptive pills. check this.

In Men (Erectile Dysfunction)

Hair Loss Drug Finasteride (Propecia®): FDA has issued safety notice on use of only approved drug to treat male pattern baldness. It is proven in research studies that Propecia® cause temporary or permnant erectile dysfunction. If you are on Propecia and experiencing decreased sex drive, stop taking it, it could be irreversible.

Delayed Orgasm
antidepressant such as generic Paxil (Proxetine), antipsychotic drugs such as mellaril and guanethidine (a high blood pressure drug) are suspected to cause delayed orgasm in women and delayed ejaculation in men.

In Both Men and Women
Antidepressants: Antidepressant drugs of class SSRIs and SNRIs have been reported to cause sexual dysfunction in women and erectile dysfunction in men. SSRI drugs prevents re-use of serotonin. Check this guide to manage erectile dysfunction caused by depression medicines.

[Note: Impotence or erectile dysfunction is found to disappear when stopped taking antidepressants]

Drugs of SSRIs class are....

  • Celexa (Citalopram)

  • Priligy (Depoxetine)

  • Lexapro (Escitalopram)

  • Prozac (fluoxetine)

  • Paxil (Proxetine)

  • Zoloft (Setraline)

  • Luvox (Fluvoxamine)

  • Viibryd (Vilazodone)

Other antidepressants that may affect sexual are tricyclic antidepressants (such as amitryptiline).

Hypertension Drugs or High Blood Pressure Drugs: Some groups do not cause erectile dysfunction and drugs of some groups do.

Blood pressure Drugs that MAY cause Erectile Dysfunction....
Hydrochlorothiazide
Beta-blockers: like Atenolol

NO erectile dysfunction caused by these blood pressure drugs...


  • ACE inhibitors: Benazepril (or generic Lotensin), Captopril ( or generic Capoten), Lisinopril ( or generic Zestril or generi Prinivil). These medicines widen blood capilaries which actually helps to treat erectile dysfunction.

  • Alpha-blockers

  • Angiotensin Receptors Blockers: Check list of drugs in this class

  • Calcium channel blockers: Check list of drugs belong to this class.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

What is (DIN) Drug Identification Number by Health Canada?

What is a DIN?


DIN or Drug Identification number is unique number given by Health Canada to any product with therapeutic effects, including vitamins and supplements. The DIN number is 8 digit number generated by computer system. The number is allotted only after health and safety assessment by Health Canada. It can be seen on drug label prescription.

A DIN of each product indentifies six properties of respective drug. Properties are Manufacturer Company, name of active ingredient, name of product, amount of active ingredient (strength), form (liquid or tablet or capsule) and method to take (such as oral or injection)

When is a DIN issued?


Assigning DIN is final step in order to allow product in market. A drug product receives, after authorization, DIN number from Health Canada which is like a license for the drug itself. Review is strict for a drug product which is completely new (i.e. it does not have any earlier market history). Such products require NOC (Notice of Compliance) along with DIN.

What is DIN intended to?


A DIN indicates to consumers that the product has been reviewed and its safety and effectiveness have been assessed by medical experts. Any drug in market without DIN is violation of Canadian law.

From administration point of view, DIN makes it easy to update particular drug or pull the drug from market or inspect.

Is that assigned to Prescription medicines only?


DIN is printed on both OTC (Over the Counter) and prescription medicines.

Does DIN have any secret mean?


No. DIN does not have any secret information or meaning. It is generated randomly by computer system.

Friday, April 30, 2010

Learn To Read OTC Drug Label

OTC drug label is dispatch with the every OTC drug. The purpose of OTC drug label is to educate patient about drug without help of doctor or pharmacist. Going through the details, given on label, take few minutes which ensures risk free usage of drug.

Deliberate efforts are made to provide information as simpler as possible so that even a non-healthcare professional can understand and learn about OTC drug.

Active Ingredient: Active ingredient is the first thing given on label. It is the chemical compound in the drug that works and produces intended effects.

Uses: 'Uses' lists diseases and symptoms that the drug should ONLY be used to treat. In medical language 'Uses' is referred as 'Indications'.

Directions: This is the guidance and manner the drug should be taken. It tells you number of tablets, strength (such as 20mg or 100mg) and how often should be taken to treat what kind of symptoms.

Warnings: 'Warnings' is list of DOs and DON'Ts that patient should follow while taking the drug. It includes list of other medications, food or activities that should avoid when taking the drug.

If you are taking more than one OTC drug, compare the 'Warnings' given on label of both medicines to check out whether they contraindicated (Contraindication = effects or side effects if two medications taken together) to each other.

Other Information: These are the instructions about drug. Instructions such storage and expiry date of drug.

Inactive Ingredients: Unlike active ingredient, inactive ingredient does not have any effect on body.

Inactive ingredients are used give drug particular taste, color and shape.

Compare label and with the same active ingredient unless instructed by your doctor, pharmacist or other health care professional.

Labeling is available for OTC drugs only. Consumers are needed to consult physician or pharmacist in order to take prescription drug.