Archive for the ‘Medications’ Category

Superdrug cures wide range of viral infections

Monday, August 15th, 2011

Preliminary studies of a new drug designed to fight off a number of viral infections have proven successful, according to HealthDay.

Researchers at MIT tested the treatment in mice, in which it was effective against the common cold, flu, various stomach viruses, polio and dengue fever, reports the news source.

The drug is known as DRACO, or double-stranded RNA activated caspase oligomerizers. When a virus attacks the body, the affected cells are duplicated and produce double-stranded RNA (dsRNA), which only appears in unhealthy cells. DRACO signals the cells to use their own defense system against the dsRNA.

“Currently, there are very few antiviral treatments, and most that do exist are highly specific for individual viruses or have undesirable side effects,” Todd Rider, senior staff scientist at the MIT-affiliated Chemical, Biological and Nanoscale Technologies Group at Lincoln Laboratory, told the news source. “[DRACO] has the potential to safely treat or prevent a broad spectrum of viral infections.”

Rider, who is the lead researcher, explained that the drug would attach itself to the dsRNA and essentially make the cell kill itself. It does not become attached to healthy cells.

The scientist emphasizes that the results of the research are extremely preliminary and that many years of further research are required.

“We are hoping to license this technology to a pharmaceutical company that can carry it through larger animal trials and human clinical trials. Realistically, it will probably be at least a decade before you can buy DRACO at the drug store,” Rider told the news provider.

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Americans using antidepressants more than ever

Saturday, August 6th, 2011

Photo source: drugfreehomes.org

Antidepressant use is on the rise, as non-psychiatrists are increasingly prescribing the medications for conditions other than mental illness, according to HealthDay.

A recent study published in this month’s Health Affairs has found that many people are taking antidepressants like Lexapro, Paxil and Prozac for a number of other reasons besides a mental health diagnosis, making them the third most popularly prescribed drugs in the country. Researchers voiced concerns over whether doctors and their patients are aware of the risks that could come with use of a medication outside of its intended purpose.

“Both consumers and prescribers of antidepressants should be more knowledgeable about the indications (or symptoms) that antidepressants are better for,” Dr. Ramin Mojtabai, one of the study’s authors and associate professor of psychiatry at Baltimore’s Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told the news source. More than 10 percent of Americans currently take antidepressants, which he attributes to coping with the stresses of life. The doctor warns that there could be consequences in the long run that patients and their caregivers should take into consideration, such as withdrawal.

“Although these drugs do not have many acute side effects, there may be more long-term adverse effects. Pharmaceutical companies aren’t interested in long-term effects because they don’t need that for FDA approval,” Mojtabai told HealthDay.

The health records of more than 233,000 people from 1996 to 2007 were examined in the study. The data revealed a jump from 4 to 9 percent in the number of prescriptions written for antidepressants by non-psychiatrists, with 6.4 percent of patients suffering from a non-mental illness. Prescriptions for persons with a mental health diagnosis, such as depression, increased by 44 percent, reports the news provider.

Many of the individuals who used antidepressants during this time period without a mental health condition suffered from diabetes or heart disease, or complained of insomnia, sexual dysfunction and other issues.

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Top-selling drugs to go generic, significantly lowering costs

Wednesday, August 3rd, 2011

Coping with a condition often means having to deal with the high cost of health care as well, which can create quite a hardship when one’s medications carry sky-high price tags. However, some of the nation’s most popular drugs are about to become less expensive, reports The Associated Press.

Out of the 20 best-selling medications in the world, nearly half will be offered in generic form by 2012, drastically reducing costs for patients. According to the news source, the seven drugs going generic include Lipitor, typically prescribed for high cholesterol, and Plavix, a blood thinner, both of which should be offered by next September.

A number of other brand-name drugs will be getting generic competition within the next year as well for conditions like hypertension, asthma, diabetes, depression, bipolar disorder and more. The AP states that generic medications can cost up to 80 percent less than the big-name companies.

Additionally, London research firm EvaluatePharma has found that 120 top-selling drugs raking in approximately $255 billion each year internationally will see their patents expire by 2016.

Medical professionals are looking forward to the expiring drug patents so that their patients can begin treating themselves properly. Dr. Nieca Goldberg of Manhattan’s NYU Langone Medical Center has noticed a trend in which some patients are not filling prescriptions or not taking their medications enough in order to save money.

“‘You can pretty much tell by the numbers when I check the patient’s blood pressure or cholesterol levels” that they are not taking the drugs in line with the doctor’s orders, she told the AP.

According to the news provider, the generic version of Lipitor will be available at pharmacies on Nov. 30 for approximately $10 per month.

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Healthy App-etite: Medications

Monday, May 16th, 2011

When doing research about different treatments for a condition, patients are sure to come upon certain drugs whose names are both long and confusing. Luckily, those who are taking an active role in their disease management have multiple iPhone applications at their fingertips to help educate them on available remedies. Here are some of the most popular downloads:

iPharmacy – Last year, this app was named as the best for prescription reference, with more than 10,680 medications in its database. An interesting feature is the pill identifier, which helps users determine a certain drug based on its shape, color, imprint or other characteristic. Images are included to avoid any confusion. Information on prescriptions include FDA-approved indications, dosage, side effects and much more. ($0.99).

iPill Trackr – This one is not a reference app, rather it helps patients keep track of their medications, which is particularly helpful for those with a slew of pills to take throughout the week. Users can log their doses, export the information for their doctors, receive push notifications when it’s time to take a pill and more. ($1.99).

Meds Family – This app is great for parents or caretakers who need to manage their family’s health, making it easier to keep track of medications, doctors and general health information. Users can log dosages, refill dates, physician information, pharmacy contact info and more. Meds Family is ideal for those with large families, or caretakers who devote their time to multiple patients. ($2.99).

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