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February 26, 2008

Steroid side effects

CUSHINGOID:
  • Cataracts
  • Ulcers
  • Skin: striae, thinning, bruising
  • Hypertension/ Hirsutism/ Hyperglycemia
  • Infections
  • Necrosis, avascular necrosis of the femoral head
  • Glycosuria
  • Osteoporosis, obesity
  • Immunosuppression
  • Diabetes

BECLOMETHASONE:

  • Buffalo hump
  • Easy bruising
  • Cataracts
  • Larger appetite
  • Obesity
  • Moonface
  • Euphoria
  • Thin arms & legs
  • Hypertension/ Hyperglycaemia
  • Avascular necrosis of femoral head
  • Skin thinning
  • Osteoporosis
  • Negative nitrogen balance
  • Emotional liability

Avand Training Courses

Now a day when life is so hectic to get time out for any special lengthy training in your chosen field, and no good jobs without one, Avand Training Courses are well suited for people like that. They offer detailed but short courses on Business Management, Sales Management and Plumbing. They can easily be fitted in your busy schedule meanwhile giving a through full training that involves safety procedures, workshops, guides and know how’s’ for your chosen course. The website allows easy online filling forms that are more convenient than running off to offices trying to get your copy and posting it. They give detailed information on all the topics they’re covering so the one applying can know before hand what he’s about to do and how so they can adjust it with their daily life. Definitely a must try.

Management Courses

February 23, 2008

Piles home remedies

Piles treatment using Dry Figs

Three of four figs should be soaked overnight in water after being cleaned thoroughly in hot water. They should be taken first thing in the morning along with the water in which they were soaked. They should also be taken in evening in the similar manner. This treatment should be continued for three or four weeks. The tiny seeds of the fruit possess all excellent quality of stimulating peristaltic movement of the intestines. This facilitates easy evacuation of faeces and keeps the alimentary canal clean. The pressure on the anus thus being relieved, the hemorrhoids also contract.


Piles treatment using Mango Seeds

Mango seeds are an effective remedy for bleeding piles. The seeds should be collected during the mango season, dried in the shade, powdered, and kept stored for use as medicine. This powder should be given in doses of about one and a half to two grams with or without honey, twice daily


Piles treatment using Jambul Fruit

The jambul fruit is another effective remedy for bleeding piles. The fruit should be taken with salt every morning for two or three months during its season. The use of the fruit in this manner during every season will effect a complete cure and save the user from bleeding piles for his entire life.

Piles treatment using Radish

White radish is considered highly valuable in piles; 100 mg of grated radish mixed with a teaspoon of honey may be taken twice daily in treating this condition. This vegetable can also be taken in the form of juice mixed with a pinch of salt. It should be given in doses of 60 to 90 ml, morning and evening. White radish, well ground into a paste in milk. can also be applied over inflamed pile masses to relieve pain and swelling.

Piles treatment using Turnip

The leaves of turnip have been found useful in this disease. The juice of these leaves should be extracted and 150 ml given to the patient. It is, however, necessary to take a proper diet of raw fruits and vegetables while taking this juice. For better results, 50 ml of the juice should be mixed with equal quantities of juices of watercress, spinach, and carrots.


Piles treatment using Bitter Gourd

The juice of the fresh leaves of bitter gourd is also valuable in piles. Three teaspoons of the leaf juice, mixed with a glass of buttermilk, should be taken every morning for treating this condition. A paste of the roots of the bitter gourd plant can also be applied over piles with beneficial results.

Piles treatment using Ginger

Ginger is also useful in this disease. Half a teaspoon of fresh ginger juice, mixed with one teaspoon each of fresh lime juice and fresh mint juice, and a tablespoon of honey, constitutes an effective medicine for piles.


Piles treatment using Onion

Onions are valuable in bleeding piles. About thirty grams of this vegetable should be finely rubbed in water and sixty grams of sugar added to it. It should be taken twice daily by the Patient. It will bring relief within a few days. Onion is also useful in the treatment of dry piles. A crushed onion, skinned and roasted in aches, may be applied with beneficial results.

Fruit diet

The treatment of the basic cause, namely, chronic constipation, is the only way to get rid of the trouble. To begin with, the entire digestive tract must be given a complete rest for a few days and the intestines thoroughly cleansed. For this purpose, the patient should adopt an all-fruit diet for, at least, seven days. Thereafter he may adopt a diet of natural foods aimed at securing soft stools.

Source

February 22, 2008

Aspirin: side effects

ASPIRIN:
  • Asthma
  • Salicyalism
  • Peptic ulcer disease/ Phosphorylation-oxidation uncoupling/ PPH/ Platelet disaggregation/ Premature closure of PDA
  • Intestinal blood loss
  • Reye's syndrome
  • Idiosyncracy
  • Noise (tinnitus)

Furniture From Home

Furniture play an essential role in making your house more attractive and good looking.This hobby or passion for furniture is coming in our blood from our ancestors that were belonging to some royal family and the furniture that were used by them you can only think of it. As i am also very much crazy about furniture beds and other things related to it, i found the website " Furniture From Home" that contains different types of Sleigh Bed , Queen Beds , King Beds Furniture, their designs actually remind me the furniture that our ancestors might be using in their era.The most appreciable part of the website is that they have provided all the furniture photographs and its information where you can find and choose and place an order.So what are you waiting for.



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Anticholinergic side effects

"Know the ABCD'S of anticholinergic side effects":
  • Anorexia
  • Blurry vision
  • Constipation/ Confusion
  • Dry Mouth
  • Sedation/ Stasis of urine

February 20, 2008

Drug Addiction social problem and its solution

In todays world drugs have become an essential part of our life as immense use of drugs is increasing day by day. So Drug addiction is now unavoidable most of the drugs that we are using for therapeutic purposes whereas some have drug abuse potential. So to overcome this and to make aware the general public i have found a website for Drug information.
Heroine , morphine family addiction is growing day by day so heroin rehab is also very essential to overcome this deadly evil. Most of the person take Withdrawal symptoms as for drug addiction. This website has clearly explained. prescription drug addiction and prescription drug treatment is also you can find in the website.
Useful Links:

Give yourself the gift of healing

In this world everyone is facing problems leading them into anxieties, social withdrawal, losting interest. So this is a major problem that most of us suffering from so it is better to be a part of solution not problem. Fortunately i have found a website For Rehabilitation Programmes including Alcohol Treatment.
Drug Addiction is also a major problem as some of them are very useful and have to be used for long periods leading to Drug addiction. So addiction treatment is also available over the website go and check it. Drug Rehab is another that can be seen in the website.So what are you waiting make your life valuable more pleasant go over the website and get what you needed.

Corticosteroids: adverse side effects

CUSHINGS BAD MD:

  • Cataracts
  • Up all night (sleep disturbances)
  • Suppression of HPA axis
  • Hypertension/ buffalo Hump
  • Infections
  • Necrosis (avascular)
  • Gain weight
  • Striae
  • Bone loss (osteoporosis)
  • Acne
  • Diabetes
  • Myopathy, moon faces
  • Depression and emotional changes

Rehabilitation Programmes

There are so many kinds of drug addiction in which alcohol plays a major role. The alcoholic becomes physical as well as psychological dependent. So to overcome this major problem Rehabilitation Programmes should be started. I was searching website for Rehabilitaion and finally found Alcohol rehab extremely useful.
The most amzing part of this website is that it is a not-for-profit free resource covering all latest techniques of drug and alcohol rehabilitation. Being a doctor myself i found this website very useful, informative for the people searching for Alcohol, cocaine, Marijuana and also for Substance Abuse Treatment.
One section of the website also deal with Prescription Drug Addiction, that explains the drugs that are prescribed by the Physician and resulting in Addiction.

February 16, 2008

Captopril (an ACE inhibitor): side effects

CAPTOPRIL:
  • Cough
  • Angioedema/ Agranulocystosis
  • Proteinuria/ Potassium excess
  • Taste changes
  • Orthostatic hypotension
  • Pregnancy contraindication/ Pancreatitis/ Pressure drop (first dose hypertension)
  • Renal failure (and renal artery stenosis contraindication)/ Rash
  • Indomethacin inhibition
  • Leukopenia/ Liver toxicity

Beta-blockers: side effects

"BBC Loses Viewers In Rochedale":
  • Bradycardia
  • Bronchoconstriction
  • Claudication
  • Lipids
  • Vivid dreams & nightmares
  • -ve Inotropic action
  • Reduced sensitivity to hypoglycaemia

Beta-blockers: main contraindications

ABCDE:

  • Asthma
  • Block (heart block)
  • COPD
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Electrolyte (hyperkalemia)

Pharmacology Mnemonics

Hepatic necrosis: drugs causing focal to massive necrosis


"Very Angry Hepatocytes":

  • Valproic acid
  • Acetaminophen
  • Halothane

Amiodarone: action, side effects

6 P's:

  • Prolongs action potential duration
  • Photosensitivity
  • Pigmentation of skin
  • Peripheral neuropathy
  • Pulmonary alveolitis and fibrosis
  • Peripheral conversion of T4 to T3 is inhibited -> hypothyroidism

Exclusive Furniture For Your Home

Initially I was wondering for the site where I can find furniture for Bedroom, Living rooms, Dining Room and also for Office. Fortunately I found the website Exclusively For Furnitures, which made my entire problem simple. The best thing of the website is that it contains pictures of the furniture also where you can see and pick it up and place the order. The pictures of Bedroom furniture, Sofa Set, and others so fascinating and attractive. Contact number is also provided in the website. So you don’t need to worry about interior decorator and decorate your house by your own.
So what are you waiting for decorate your house by your interior decorator on your fingertips i.e
http://furniturefromhome.com/
Useful Links:
Bed -
sofa -

Mnemonics Anatomy

Bowel components
"Dow Jones Industrial Average Closing Stock Report":
From proximal to distal:
Duodenum
Jejunum
Ileum
Appendix
Colon
Sigmoid
Rectum


Meckel's diverticulum details


2 inches long.
2 feet from end of ileum.
2 times more common in men.
2% occurrence in population.
2 types of tissues may be present.
Note: "di-" means "two", so diverticulum is the thing with all the twos.

February 14, 2008

Cosmetic Surgery can change your world

I was wondering over the internet to find the website for Cosmetic surgery. It was very tedious job not so easy but being doctor , I was fortunate to evaluate the websites related to it. Finally I came across Cosmetic Surgery website. Most amazing part of this website is that many of the people that are benefitted from their website have share their views and story. As I found a case of Marius Muller, a 28-year-old carer for Breast Reduction. He has lots of fold of skin over his stomach and breast which could not be shifted through exercise only. Earlier he was not able to go outside but after his breast reduction he is going out more and playing the field as well. It has changed his world.

What are you waiting for go through this website and find your cosmetic surgery it can change your world too.

This is a sponsored post.



Cosmetic Surgery



February 12, 2008

Foods That Causes Flatulence

Legumes
Most beans, especially dried beans and peas, baked beans, soy beans, lima beans.

Milk & milk products
Milk; ice cream; and cheese

Vegetables
Cabbage; radishes; onions; broccoli; Brussels sprouts; cauliflower; cucumbers; sauerkraut; kohlrabi; asparagus

Root vegetables
Potatoes; rutabaga; turnips

Fruits
Prunes; apricots; apples; raisins; bananas

Cereals, breads
All foods thst contain wheat and wheat products including cereals, breads, and pastries. Check labels.

Fatty foods
Pan-fried or deep-fried foods; fatty meats; rich cream sauces and gravies; pastries. (While fatty foods are not carbohydrates, they too can contribute to intestinal gas.)

Liquids
Carbonated beverages, medications, or powders

Hints for Reducing Belching

Everyone belches occasionally, often after eating. However, some people belch so much that it becomes annoying and embarrassing. Belching is simply the release of swallowed air from the stomach. The stomach does not produce air or gas on its own. Each time a person swallows food or liquid, some air is swallowed with it. The more frequently a person swallows, the greater the amount of air entering the stomach. Some individuals are "air swallowers" because they frequently swallow saliva and air, and then belch it up.
  • Air swallowers should concentrate on trying to reduce the number of times they swallow air.
  • Avoid pipes, cigarettes and cigars; chewing gum and hard candy; sipping through straws and bottles with narrow mouths; and dentures that do not fit properly. They can increase saliva.
  • Avoid foods that contain air, such as carbonated beverages or whipped cream, and fizzy medicines, such as bicarbonate of soda.
  • Eat slowly. Gulping food and beverages add large amounts of air into the stomach.
  • Do not deliberately swallow air to force a belch.

February 11, 2008

Cinnamon Help Lowering Blood Glucose and Cholesterol

There has been a lot of talk these days about cinnamon. According to some studies, cinnamon may improve blood glucose and cholesterol levels in people with Type 2 diabetes. The results of a study from 2003 in Pakistan showed lower levels of fasting glucose, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol after 40 days with levels continuing to drop for 20 days after that.
The study was made up of 60 people with Type 2 diabetes who were divided into 6 groups of 10. Three groups received cinnamon in the form of capsules totaling 1, 3 or 6 grams of cinnamon a day. The other three groups received placebo capsules. The capsules were taken three times a day, after meals. All three levels of cinnamon showed results, leading researchers to believe that as little as 1 gram a day of cinnamon may benefit people who have Type 2.
There has been some debate in this country on whether "true" cinnamon was used for the study.
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there are two types of cinnamon sold in the United States; cinnamomum zeylanicum nees or cinnamomum cassia (L.) blume. Most of the cinnamon sold in our grocery stores is cinnamomum cassia. The Pakistani study does list cinnamomum cassia as the cinnamon that was used.
Richard A. Anderson, Ph.D., CNS, of the the Beltsville Human Nutrition Research Center (BHNRC), is one of the original researchers in the Pakistan study. The BHNRC is under the United States Department of Agricuture (USDA). From results of his continued study of the components of cinnamon and their effect on blood glucose and cholesterol, he states,
"We have also shown that the active components of cinnamon are found in the water-soluble portion of cinnamon and are not present in cinnamon oil, which is largely fat-soluble. In addition to ground cinnamon consumed directly, one can also make a cinnamon tea and let the solids settle to the bottom or use cinnamon sticks, which make for a nice clear tea. Cinnamon can also be added to orange juice, oatmeal, coffee before brewing, salads, meats etc. The active components are not destroyed by heat."
Based on these studies, it seems that cinnamon may lower blood glucose, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol in people with Type 2 diabetes. The fact that studies so far have involved a small amount of people and have not yet explored the long term benefits of cinnamon, would lead to the conclusion that there may not be enough evidence gathered yet, to support cinnamon as a major player against Type 2. But adding more cinnamon to already healthy lifestyle changes probably wouldn't hurt either.
Sources:
Khan, MS, PHD, Alam, Safdar, MS, Mahpara, Ali Khan, MS, PHD, Mohammad Muzaffar, Khattak, MS, Khan Nawaz, and Anderson, PHD, Richard A.. "Cinnamon Improves Glucose and Lipids of People With Type 2 Diabetes." Diabetes Care 26(2003): 3215-3218.
Anderson, Ph.D., CNS, Richard A.. "Cinnamon, Glucose Tolerance and Diabetes." Agricultural Research Service. 08 Aug 2005. United States Department of Agriculture. 17 Nov 2006.

February 10, 2008

The main causes of liver damage

1. Sleeping too late and waking up too late are main cause.
2. Not urinating in the morning.
3. Too much eating.
4. Skipping breakfast.
5. Consuming too much medication.
6. Consuming too much preservatives, additives, food coloring, and artificial sweetener.
7. Consuming unhealthy cooking oil. As much as possible reduce cooking oil use when frying, which includes even the best cooking oils like olive oil. Do not consume fried foods when you are tired, except if the body is very fit.
8. Consuming raw (overly done) foods also add to the burden of liver. Veggies should be eaten raw or cooked 3-5 parts. Fried veggies should be finished in one sitting, do not store.
We should prevent this without necessarily spending more. We just have to adopt a good daily lifestyle and eating habits. Maintaining good eating habits and time condition are very important for our bodies to absorb and get rid of unnecessary chemicals according to "schedule."

Because: Evening at 9 - 11pm: is the time for eliminating unnecessary/toxic chemicals (detoxification) from the antibody system (lymph nodes). This time duration should be spent by relaxing or listening to music. If during this time a housewife is still in an unrelaxed state such as washing the dishes or monitoring children doing their homework, this will have a negative impact on health.

Evening at 11pm - 1am: is the detoxification process in the liver, and ideally should be done in a deep sleep state.

Early morning 1 - 3am: detoxification process in the gall, also ideally done in a deep sleep state.
Early morning 3 - 5am: detoxification in the lungs. Therefore there will sometimes be a severe cough for cough sufferers during this time. Since the detoxification process had reached the respiratory tract, there is no need to take cough medicine so as not to interfere with toxin removal process. Morning 5 - 7am: detoxification in the colon, you should empty your bowel.

Morning 7 - 9am: absorption of nutrients in the small intestine, you should be having breakfast at this time. Breakfast should be earlier, before 6:30am, for those who are sick. Breakfast before 7:30am is very beneficial to those wanting to stay fit. Those who always skip breakfast, they should change their habits, and it is still better to eat breakfast late until 9 - 10am rather than no meal at all.

Sleeping so late and waking up too late will disrupt the process of removing unnecessary chemicals. Aside from that, midnight to 4:00 am is the time when the bone marrow produces blood. Therefore, have a good sleep and don't sleep late.

TAKE CARE ABOUT YOUR HEALTH

BRAIN DAMAGING HABITS
1. No Breakfast People who do not take breakfast are going to have a lower blood sugar level. This leads to an insufficient supply of nutrients to the brain causing brain degeneration.
2. Overeating It causes hardening of the brain arteries, leading to a decrease in mental power.
3. Smoking It causes multiple brain shrinkage and may lead to Alzheimer disease.
4. High Sugar consumption Too much sugar will interrupt the absorption of proteins and nutrients causing malnutrition and may interfere with brain development.
5. Air Pollution The brain is the largest oxygen consumer in our body. Inhaling polluted air decreases the supply of oxygen to the brain, bringing about a decrease in brain efficiency.
6. Sleep Deprivation Sleep allows our brain to rest. Long term deprivation from sleep will accelerate the death of brain cells.
7. Head covered while sleeping Sleeping with the head covered, increases the concentration of carbon dioxide and decrease concentration of oxygen that may lead to brain damaging effects.
8. Working your brain during illness Working hard or studying with sickness may lead to a decrease in effectiveness of the brain as well as damage the brain.
9. Lacking in stimulating thoughts Thinking is the best way to train our brain, lacking in brain stimulation thoughts may cause brain shrinkage.
10. Talking Rarely Intellectual conversations will promote the efficiency of the brain

February 07, 2008

Watching Television And Obesity





On average, most of us watch more than four hours of television per day. We're so sedentary, we don't even get up off the couch to switch the channels as we did in the old days.
Meanwhile, obesity rates are increasing.
When you sit watching TV, you burn fewer calories than pretty much any other activity, according to Dr. William Dietz from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Weight control is a matter of calories taken in versus calories burned. More calories taken in than used up results in weight gain.
  • The average household has the TV on in the background for more than 7 hours per day.
  • People viewing more than 3 hours of television per day are twice as likely to be obese as those watching less than 1 hour per day.
  • As TV viewing time increases, so does snacking, while physical activity decreases.
  • Researchers found that for middle-aged men, TV viewing and eating between meals was associated with weight gain. Vigorous activity, decreasing TV use, and changing eating habits resulted in weight maintenance or a modest weight loss over four years.
  • The American Journal of Health Behavior reports that adult TV viewing time is associated with greater obesity risk. They recommend evaluating adults for acceptance of behavioral strategies that have been shown to reduce TV watching in kids.
  • Children increased their risk of becoming obese by 7% for every hour of TV watched on weekends at the age of 5.
  • Children watching more than 2 hours per day on weekends are more likely to become obese adults.
  • 14% of young people report having NO physical activity at all!

Sources
Cole VT. Television viewing in early childhood predicts adult Body Mass Index. Journal of Pediatrics. 2006; 147: 429-435
http://www.tvturnoff.org/research.htm

February 05, 2008

Daytime Sleep May Boost Memory

Take a daytime nap, and you might wake up with a sharper memory. That's what happened in a new napping study that involved 33 undergraduate students.
First, the students took three different tests of their short-term memory.
In one test, they had to learn and remember pairs of unrelated words, such as "alligator" and "cigar." In another test, they had to navigate and remember a maze shown on a computer screen. And in the last test, the students had to copy a complex drawing onto a sheet of paper, and then sketch the drawing from memory.
Next, half of the students napped for about 45 minutes, while other students watched TV. Finally, all of the students repeated the three memory tests
Napping boosted scores on the word-pair test, but not the other two tests.
A closer look at the test scores shows that on all three tests, people with the highest scores before napping were the ones with the biggest gains in their post-nap test scores. So if they didn't really absorb information before their nap, naps didn't magically make the information sink in.
SOURCES:
Tucker, M. Sleep, Feb. 1, 2008.
News release, American Academy of Sleep Medicine.
The stages of Sleep is divided into five stages. The first four are associated with deepening sleep, decreased muscle activity and slowed breathing and pulse rate. The fifth stage is reached when rapid eye movement occurs. It is in this stage that dreaming occurs. The fourth stage is the deepest form of sleep during which the patient is the least arousable. It is associated with delta waves on the electroencephalogram.
Patient presenting with sleep disturbance have symptoms can include insomnia, interrupted sleep, interrupted sleep of the sleeping partner, poor energy levels and daytime sleepiness.


Finding the Right Dentist

Finding the right dentist is a very difficult task specially for cosmetic purpose. Not every dentist is capable of fulfilling your desire to make your teeth attractive and healthy. Through a intensive search over the Internet I finally found the website Finding the Right Dentist describing many different dental procedures such as teeth whitening, implants, veneers, bonding, and teeth straightening.
A smile has an immense effect over other people in our everyday life, so what are you waiting for go and make your teeth your identity through Mission Viejo Dentist.
There may be questions coming to your mind how you will be assured so for that you should first educate yourself about the teeth and also from the photographs of the people that have benefitted from good dentists such as Newport Beach Dentist. All this information is available in the website. Today there is a vast advancement in the dentistry field this website has made your problem easier.
Other useful direct links include:

February 03, 2008

Minimizing Adverse drug reactions


What exactly is an adverse drug reaction?
The World Health Organization’s definition of an ADR is “aresponse to a drug that is noxious and unintended and occurs at doses used in man for the prophylaxis, diagnosis or therapy of disease, or for modification of physiological function.”3 This 30 year old definition is highly debated but is
commonly understood to mean undesired side effects of pharmacological agents and interactions with other drugs, including herbal remedies, alcohol, and food. The terms “side effect” and “ADR” are often interchanged. Although there is no clear distinction, the former implies minor effects that have no lasting effect and may not even require discontinuation of the drug (for example, hypotension in a patient with heart failure who has been treated with an ACE inhibitor) whereas ADRs are more serious, always require discontinuation (or dose reduction), and may have lasting effects (for example, a florid skin rash in response to an antibiotic).
The mnemonic TREND
gives the doctor a simple structure to begin to elicit whether or not an ADR is likely.

TREND mnemonic
T—Temporal relationship
R—Rechallenge
E—Exclusion of other causes
N—Novelty
D—Dechallenge.
How to minimize ADRs

These points may be helpful.
Take a good drug history—This is not as simple as you might think but it often gives clues to help understand the patient’s problems. This will be helped by written lists provided by the general practitioner, patient, or relatives although any of these can be misleading
Know the common at risk drugs and patients—A small list of common drugs, regularly prescribed by junior doctors, are particularly likely causes of ADRs.
Be aware of common drug interactions—Take particular care when combining agents associated with similar ADRs, for example, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and warfarin (bleeding), or angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and diuretics (renal impairment).
Vulnerable groups—Be vigilant in prescribing for patients who are particularly vulnerable to ADRs. These include elderly people (reduced drug clearance, multiple comorbidities, increased risk of polypharmacy), infants and children (who have poorly developed metabolic enzymes), pregnant women, atopic individuals (more likely to have a hypersensitivity reaction), and those with impaired renal or hepatic function. Start drugs at lower doses if necessary and escalate doses cautiously.
Keep your patient informed—Patients will usually be the first to notice the problems, and appropriate advice may help to avoid an ADR or minimise the dangers if one occurs. Patients need to be aware of the important contribution they can make to the safety of their medicines (taking as directed, early reporting of problems, and participation in monitoring)
Keep yourself informed—Know about the common drugs you prescribe.
Taking a good drug history
Take clear note of:
● All of the patient’s drugs including doses, route, and frequency ofingestion (ask specifically about regular drugs such as the oralcontraceptive pill, which are frequently forgotten by patients)
● Duration of prescription
● Other ingested substances—Over the counter, homoeopathic or herbalremedies, illicit drug use, and alcohol intake
● Previous adverse drug reactions (ask specifically about the nature ofthese. For example, patients may claim to be “allergic” to penicillineven if taking it has previously led to a minor rash)
● History of atopy, for example, hayfever, eczema, or asthma● Family history of severe adverse drug reaction.
Source;
The medic’s guide to prescribing: Minimising adverse drug reactions BMJ

February 02, 2008

Omega-3s

DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) is the most abundant omega-3 fatty acid in the brain and retina. It is an important structural component of the nerve cells in the brain and eyes and a key component of heart tissue. DHA is also a natural component of breast milk.

  • Important for healthy brain, eye and nervous system development in infants
  • Key component of the heart and one of the omega-3 recommended by the American Heart Association and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health
  • Plays a key role in the anti-inflammatory process
  • Important at every stage of life
  • Original source: microalgae. The DHA-rich oil is extracted for use as an additive in foods, supplements and infant formulas
  • Dietary sources: fatty fish and organ meats
EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid)is an omega-3 fatty acid important for human health. However, unlike DHA, EPA is not found in significant levels in the brain or retina and is not considered a significant structural part of the body.
  • Plays a role in cardiovascular health and is one of the omega-3 recommended by the American Heart Association and the USDA Dietary Guidelines for good cardiovascular health
  • Shown to help reduce chronic inflammation by modifying the immune response
  • Dietary sources: fatty fish. DHA can also be converted by the body into EPA

ALA (alpha-linolenic acid)an essential fatty acid, is an omega-3 that serves as a source of energy and a building block for DHA and EPA.

  • Only 5-10% of ALA is converted to EPA and 5% or less to DHA
  • No known independent benefits of ALA on the brain or retina
  • Dietary sources: flaxseeds, walnuts and soy

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