Archive for April, 2010

A combination of antihistamines and steroids is an effective form of treatment to provide relief to cardiac patients who have suffered allergic reactions to clopidogrel (Plavix), according to a recently concluded study.

It was remarked by doctors from Thomas Jefferson University Hospital that after the symptoms have been alleviated, patients can remain on the drug.

From News-Medical.Net:

“This is a very important study for many cardiac patients but especially those with stents,” said Savage. “Every patient who receives a stent must take Plavix to help prevent stent thrombosis which is clotting of the stent. This obviously poses major problems if the patient suffers an allergic reaction to the medication. To discontinue taking the drug can lead to a heart attack which may be fatal. Those with a drug eluting stent are required to be on the drug for at least one year. Our patients with drug eluting stents actually averaged 17 months on Plavix versus the minimum of one year. That’s a very long time to not be on a medication that may save your life.”

Plavix is one of the most prescribed drugs world-wide. Data from 2007 shows Plavix is the fourth most sold drug in the United States with almost four billion dollars in sales, according to IMS Health, a leading pharmaceutical industry monitoring company. It is estimated that about six percent of those taking the drug showed some signs of an allergic reaction.

John R. Cohn, M.D., chief of Adult Allergy at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals and a key contributor to the study noted, “Previously, when patients had an allergic reaction to Plavix we would give an alternative drug but they can have their own side effects. Rather than giving the secondary drug we concentrated on suppressing the patient’s allergic symptoms they were having to Plavix by administering low doses of steroids and antihistamines while continuing the drug. What we found was that most of our patients became tolerant to Plavix, essentially becoming ‘desensitized’ to the drug enabling them to continue treatment. Once this occurred we were able to discontinue the steroids and even the antihistamines.”

The study findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session by Primary investigator Michael P. Savage, M.D., director, Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Kimberly L. Campbell, M.D.

When it comes to bodybuilding and treating hair loss, Dutasteride is an admired name. Let us know more about this wonder drug to develop a clear understanding.

Dutasteride can be classified as a 5-alpha-Reductase inhibitor that belongs to the category of drugs with anti-androgenic properties used to inhibit conversion of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone (DHT). This is the reason why it is admired by bodybuilders all over the globe. The FDA approved drug interferes with 5-alpha-reductase enzymes to halt conversion process of testosterone to DHT.

This drug is used to treat hair loss and enlarged prostate glands besides being used for treating hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia. Dutasteride inhibits both type 1 and type 2 isoenzymes. In the world of medicines, it is used to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) by offering long lasting symptom relief and positively impacting disease progression.

The chemical name of Dutasteride is (5α,17β-N-{2,5 bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl}-3-oxo-4-azaandrost-1-ene-17-carboxamide and it has the molecular weight of 528.5 g/mol at the base. The empirical formula of Dutasteride is C₂₇H₃₀F₆N₂O₂; Dutasteride is also known by many names such as Avidart, Avolve, Duagen, Dutas, Dutagen, and Duprost.

The recommended dose of Dutasteride is one capsule of 0.5 mg per day, with or without meals.

Dutasteride, available in oral form, is required to be kept at a controlled room temperature of 25° C (77° F) with excursions permitted up to 15-30°C (59-86°F).

Possible Side Effects

When of a low-grade quality or abused, Dutasteride can lead to possible side effects such as gynecomastia, ejaculation complications, impotency, and reduced libido.

In short, Dutasteride is one drug that can always be relied upon when it comes to bodybuilding and treating hair loss.

According to scientists, the commonly-used practice of injecting gold into knee for slowing down progression of arthritis and reducing the associated pain may not work equally effective for one and all. It was noted that all patients affected with osteoarthritis may not notice the same benefits.

Nearly 80 million people suffer from this condition and a further 350,000 people suffer from rheumatoid arthritis that is an autoimmune joint disease where the joints in the body become inflamed, according to the Arthritis Research Campaign.

From Bio-Medicine.Org:

Treatments include painkillers, steroids and joint replacement.

Gold has already been used in the past for rheumatoid arthritis and for other rheumatic diseases such as psoriatic arthritis, which also causes swelling and pain in and around the joints.

As many as half those patients with rheumatoid arthritis, especially those in the early stages of the condition, can benefit from gold, claim researchers at the University of Washington.

In some, it relieves joint pain and stiffness, reduces swelling and bone damage, and lowers the chance of joint deformity and disability.

It was concluded during the study that injecting gold into the knees cannot be termed as the same-treatment-for-all remedy since approximately 20 to 30 percent of the affected patients do not experience benefits from gold treatment.

Two abstracts summarizing Emory research on the hormone were presented direction at the 2009 Society for Neuroscience (SFN) meeting in Chicago to examine whether the idea of testing progesterone to optimize efficacy of the hormone for treating patients suffering from traumatic brain injury is worth an effort. The trial was developed by Donald Stein, PhD, Asa G. Candler Professor of Emergency Medicine at Emory School of Medicine.

A multisite phase III clinical trial called ProTECT III would be started in the near future to examine the hormone efficacy.

From Sciencedaily.com:

One of the SFN abstracts reports on progesterone analogues that are more water-soluble. This work comes from Stein and his colleagues in collaboration with the laboratory of Dennis Liotta, PhD, Emory professor of chemistry.

Currently, the lack of water solubility limits delivery of progesterone, in that the hormone must be prepared hours ahead and cannot be kept at room temperature. Small chemical modifications may allow similar compounds with the same effects as progesterone to be given to patients closer to the time of injury.

According to the results, two compounds similar to progesterone showed an equivalent ability to reduce brain swelling in an animal model of traumatic brain injury.

The second abstract describes evidence that adding vitamin D to progesterone enhances the hormone’s effectiveness when applied to neurons under stress in the laboratory. Like progesterone, vitamin D is a steroid hormone that is inexpensive, has good safety properties and acts on many different biochemical pathways.

It was noted by the authors that even low amounts of vitamin D can boost progesterone’s ability of guarding that is a principal cause of brain injury and cell death.

When it comes to suppressing the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), Danocrine is a trusted name. Let us read about this miracle drug to gain a clear insight.

Danocrine, also known as Danozol, can be best described as an anti-gonadotropin substance though it has the structure of a steroid. It is highly effective for suppressing the release of sex hormones in the human body by suppressing the production of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). This synthetic androgen is derived from ethisterone, the hormone. Danocrine was initially developed as a form of treatment for providing relief in cases of endometriosis acquiescent to hormonal management.

Danocrine is indicated by medical practitioners for treating patients suffering from hormone related disorders, certain diseases of the breast, and hereditary angioedema. It is also indicated to treat pain and infertility caused by endometriosis that involves tissue of the uterus. This drug is also recommended for heavy menstrual flow or cysts or lumps in the breast.

Recommended Dose

The recommended dose of Danocrine is 200 mg per day, divided into two to three doses. This drug may not bring dramatic benefits for bodybuilders due to its gonadotropin level suppressing and weak anabolic, androgenic behavior.

It is important to note that Danocrine should not be used by pregnant, expecting, or nursing women.

Danocrine Abuse

Use of low grade Danocrine or Danocrine abuse can lead to possible side effects such as slurred speech, bloating, anxiety, dizziness, oily skin, and headache.

We hope that this information on Danocrine helped you gain clear insights.

There is a possible linkage between the increased risk for severe premenstrual depression and a certain genetic variation, as per scientists at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the National Institute of Mental Health.

The psychiatric condition, which is known as premenstrual dysphoric disorder or PMDD, tends to affect around eight percent of women in their child-bearing years and characterized by anxiety and severe irritability during second half of the menstrual cycle.

From News-Medical.Net:

Compared to the control group, women with PMDD were significantly more likely to have the ESR1 gene variants, the study found.

“While these are preliminary findings that require replication in larger studies, we would argue that this may explain part of the variance among women in the susceptibility to developing this mood disorder,” Rubinow said. “Studies have shown that PMDD is characterized by abnormal sensitivity to reproductive steroids like estrogen. As a receptor for the hormone that can trigger the onset of PMDD symptoms, ESR1 has clear physiologic relevance for this disorder.”

The authors acknowledge that as with other complex genetic disorders, the contribution to PMDD of polymorphisms in a single gene may not be large. In addition, they also noted that the findings may be telling us more about the control group.

Dr. David R. Rubinow, the study’s senior author and the Meymandi distinguished professor and chair of psychiatry at UNC School of Medicine, remarked that this study may provide insights as to why some women suffer mood changes and others do not and to examine the nature of this susceptibility.

Elderly people and those taking steroids are at a higher risk of shingles when a class of medications used widely to treat rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases is administered.

The findings, appearing in the Feb. 18 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, are expected to enhance the level of awareness regarding the potential complication among physicians and patients, yet some experts believe that they are unlikely to bring a change in context to how the drugs are used.

From Bio-Medicine.Org:

The increased risk did not reach clinical significance, and, Fiocco added, rheumatoid arthritis itself probably increases the risk of shingles (herpes zoster), as do steroids, which are taken by many people with the disease.

Although the link between TNF blockers and fungal and bacterial infections is fairly well-established, associations with viral infections are less clear.

There have, however, been reports of severe herpes zoster in people taking TNF blockers.

TNF blockers, which suppress the immune system, are used for a variety of autoimmune disorders, including Crohn’s disease and psoriasis. In September, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration asked the manufacturers of Humira, Cimzia, Enbrel and Remicade to bolster safety warnings on the risk of developing opportunistic fungal infections. The drugs already carried black-box warnings related to different safety issues. This followed an announcement by the FDA that it would begin a safety review of the drugs, spurred by concerns that the drugs might be associated with cancer.

Dr. Guy Fiocco, an assistant professor of internal medicine at Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine and director of rheumatology at Scott & White in Temple, said that this modest increase in risk would not prove to be a deterrent in prescribing the drug but would only enhance awareness.

When it comes to treating thyroid deficiency and burning off excess body fat, Cytomel is a trusted name. Let us read more about this wonder drug.

Cytomel, which is also known as liothyronine sodium, belongs to the category of synthetic thyroid hormones. It is primarily used to burn extra kilos under the belt and is also effective for treating severe health complications such as thyroid deficiency, obesity, specific metabolic disorders, and fatigue. This drug is considered to be exemplary for its unique ability to increase the metabolism rate leading to an increase cellular activity rate. This means that users of this drug are better positioned to utilize carbohydrates, fats, and proteins that lead to solid muscle and strength gains.

Cytomel is often combined with Clenbuterol for reducing body weight during contest preparations and it is worth sharing here that the results are dramatic to say the least.

The recommended dose of Cytomel is 25-100 mcg per day for a maximum period of 6 weeks at a stretch. Stretching the usage period can result in a situation of permanent thyroid deficiency, which should be avoided at all possible circumstances. It is important for people keen to use Cytomel to get their thyroid level tested before using this drug so that Cytomel abuse or side effects do not happen at any stage. Furthermore, the oral version of Cytomel is always recommended over the injectable version.

We hope that this information on Cytomel was useful to you in more than just a way.

A new treatment form has been identified by researchers from Japan for provide considerable relief to patients suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

During a Phase III, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial it was noted that a daily dose of pirfenidone may prove effective to slowdown the progression of IPF alongside reducing the loss of lung capacity.

From News-Medical.Net:

“The most common treatment for IPF is anti-inflammatory agents such as steroids,” said lead researcher Takashi Ogura, M.D., of Kanagawa Cardiovascular and Respiratory Center in Yokohama, Japan. “However our study confirmed that pirfenidone, the main action of which is thought to be antifibrotic, achieved a therapeutic effect on IPF. I expect that our study will serve as a guide to develop a new therapy for IPF in the future.”

The researchers recruited a total of 275 Japanese patients with mild to moderate IPF and randomized them to a high dose pirfenidone (1,800 mg/day) group, a low dose pirfenidone group (1,200 mg/day) and a placebo group. They measured lung capacity (vital capacity or VC) and progression-free survival, defined as a period without death or a greater than 10 percent decrease in VC, to determine the effectiveness of the regimens.

At the end of one year, they found that patients who had been randomized to the high dose regimen had significantly lower loss of VC than the placebo group. Furthermore, pirfenidone slowed the overall deterioration of IPF compared to the placebo.

“Taken altogether, our study demonstrated positive clinical effects of pirfenidone that suppresses the progress of IPF and potentially contributes to improving the outcomes of patients with IPF,” said Dr. Ogura.

The trial results were announced at the American Thoracic Society’s International Conference in Toronto.

Inhaled corticosteroids are becoming the obvious choice of more and more patients suffering from Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) but this practice didn’t find any support from a recently concluded study.

It was disclosed in the study that the risk of developing pneumonia is increased with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and even leads to an increased number of hospitalization cases.

From Bio-Medicine.Org:

In their report, the researchers noted that the admission rate for pneumonia increased with higher doses of inhaled steroids and that reduction in risk was observed once the medications were stopped. Among all patients taking inhaled steroids, there was a 53 percent increase in pneumonia deaths within 30 days of being admitted to the hospital.

The investigators noted that these findings are particularly relevant, given that pneumonia is the third leading cause of hospitalization in the United States and that inhaled corticosteroid use among patients with COPD increased from 13.2 to 41.4 percent from 1987 to 1995.

Adverse effects of inhaled corticosteroids in patients with COPD, the authors said, are particularly troublesome given the limited evidence for their efficacy.

Hospitalization and drug prescription information from 1988-2003 of 175,906 patients with COPD and living in Quebec, Canada, were analyzed by Pierre Ernst, M.D., a clinical epidemiologist at McGill University, Canada, along with three other researchers from the university’s department of medicine.