Medication
FDA Warns - Beware Contaminated Weight Loss Products
In late December 2008, the FDA published a warning to consumers about over the counter weight loss products now on the shelves that are contaminated with unapproved drugs and chemicals. If you are considering taking a weight loss supplement, please read this first.
Jumping JUPITER – Do You Know Your CRP?
One of the biggest splashes in medicine this year came when, in November 2008, the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of a study called JUPITER.
It has the whole medical world talking. This study was done to see if taking a cholesterol-lowering statin drug for primary prevention would help healthy people prevent heart attacks, strokes, heart bypass surgery, hospitalization for chest pain, and death from cardiovascular events. It did.
Read on to see why this study may change national treatment guidelines and what your health provider recommends to reduce your health risks.
Alcohol and Medications – Are You Making Smart Choices?
The holidays are here and many of us will be attending celebrations where alcohol is served. If you take medications and drink occasionally (or even regularly), you face a dilemma. Should you take your medications when you drink?
What’s the smart choice? You may be surprised at the answer.
Do You Take Omega 3 Fish Oils? Are You Taking Enough?
The American Heart Association recommends that patients with elevated triglycerides take 2 to 4 grams (that’s 2000 to 4000 mgs) of omega 3 fish oils a day. In my practice, I recommend 4 grams per day for almost everyone – particularly those people with abnormal cholesterol profiles, Metabolic Syndrome, diabetes, and/or cardiovascular disease.
That’s the dose I take myself - for prevention - even though my cholesterol profile is normal. But when I ask my patients how much they take, most of the time they say “one a day” – and that is not enough. Read here why more omega 3s are better than not enough.
Update: How Long Should You Stay on Osteoporosis Medications?
Medical treatments are continually studied and recommendations to medical professionals are regularly revised. In this post I will update you on the latest recommendations related to the drugs used to treat osteoporosis and osteopenia (pre-osteoporosis). Click here if you would like to review an my post about the risk factors, detection and prevention of these conditions.
If you take Fosamax, Actonel, Boniva or Reclast (or if your health professional has recommended you take one of them) read this post to learn how get the most benefit from them.
Wishing You a Healthy Flu Season and a Pneumonia Free New Year
It’s that time of year again – the leaves are turning, the weather is cooling off, the holidays are fast approaching - and that means flu season is, too. Yearly flu vaccination starts in September and continues throughout the flu season.
Here’s a tip - late October and early November are the best times to be vaccinated. Read this little primer on a yearly ritual. If you need vaccinated, now’s the time!
Vitamin D - Let the Sunshine In
I’ve been seeing a lot of headlines lately about vitamin D. I recently read that one of the largest labs in the country reports vitamin D blood testing has risen for the last four years and is already up 90% so far this year. So does vitamin D really prevent disease and death or is it just a lot of hype? I reviewed the literature to learn more about vitamin D - and here is what I learned.
What Adult Vaccinations Do You Need?
Do you remember your childhood vaccinations – the smell of alcohol that warned of the impending pain of needles? I sure do. I’ve had patients tell me they still get nervous around doctors and nurses and needles, all because of those awful shots. I hate to break this to you – but some of those shots have worn off and there are other vaccinations you need as an adult that you may not have had yet. Don’t get nervous, I can’t give you a shot over the Internet. But please read this post, shore up your courage and go get the vaccinations you need!
Blood Pressure Meds Don’t Work - Unless You Take Them
High blood pressure is called the “silent killer” because it has no symptoms. I have patients who swear they know when their blood pressure is high, but I remain skeptical. More often than not when I take a BP that’s elevated, the person has no idea and “feels just fine”. I have seen patients in the emergency room with alarming, stroke-range BPs who hadn’t a clue their blood pressure was high. If you are on blood pressure medication - or wonder if you should be - please read this post.
The Vytorin Controversy: What’s a Patient to Do?
Note; This post was updated on January 16, 2009. Click here to read the latest conclusions of the FDA and others on the Vytorin controversy.
When all the controversy about Vytorin hit the popular press in January 2008, patients immediately began calling my office for more information. They are asking a lot of good questions. They want to know whether they should stay on the drug or stop it; whether it is doing them any good – or more importantly, whether it is doing them any harm. I’m going to try to explain what the controversy is all about and give you some information that will help you figure out what to do.
