Written by Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP | Reviewed by Sanjai Sinha, MD Published on April 20, 2023 Key takeaways: While it’s not common, some medications can cause hearing loss. Examples include certain antibiotics, high doses of aspirin, and water pills (diuretics). Medication-related hearing loss tends to be more common if you take more than one...
Written by Kristianne Hannemann, PharmD | Reviewed by Austin Ulrich, PharmD, BCACP Key takeaways: Some medications work better when taken on an empty stomach. Common examples include thyroid medications, bisphosphonates, and sucralfate (Carafate).The general rule of thumb is to take your medication either 1 hour before or 2 hours after a meal. But how long...
Akshay B. Jain, MD It’s that time of the year, when social media is rife with many top 5 and top 10 lists. Perhaps the beginning of a new year is a good time to review how different medications can have side effects beyond the disease state they’re used to address. Among the most common...
ADHD prescriptions surged among adults during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prior years. Milko/Getty ImagesAdult prescriptions for ADHD medication surged during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to prior years, a new study reports.Other categories of drugs, including benzodiazepines, medications to treat opioid use disorder, and antidepressants, continued along regular trends or remained flat.The increase in ADHD...
Written by Jennifer Gershman, PharmD, CPh, PACS | Reviewed by Sarah Gupta, MD DragonImages/iStock via Getty Images Plus Key takeaways: Certain health conditions — like cancer and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) — can take a toll on the appetite. Pain, trouble swallowing, and medication side effects are common reasons that it can be challenging to...
For researchers involved with sleep disorders, developing a pharmacologic treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a bit like searching for the holy grail. P K Schweitzer and colleagues have published the results of the randomized MARIPOSA study assessing a combination of two medicinal products known as AD109, one of the products having an antimuscarinic...
Written by Kaitlyn Keesling, PharmD Candidate | Reviewed by Christina Aungst, PharmD Key takeaways: A doctor speaks to a patient during an appointment.Geber86/E+ via Getty Images If you take a prescription medication, you may wonder how your healthcare provider settles on the best dosage for you. Your safety is the most important factor, but other...
Written by Nicole E. Cieri-Hutcherson, PharmD, BCPS, NCMP | Reviewed by Stacia Woodcock, PharmD Key takeaways: pointstudio/iStock via Getty Images PlusConstipation is when you’re having fewer bowel movements than usual, or your stool becomes hard to pass. While most people experience this from time to time, it can be frustrating and uncomfortable. And finding relief...
Written by Stacia Woodcock, PharmD | Reviewed by Alyssa Billingsley, Key takeaways: When you’re feeling tired, it can be hard to go about your daily activities. This feeling isn’t uncommon. In fact, fatigue is one of the most common complaints people give to their primary healthcare provider. Up to 45% of people experience it, and...
Written by Alyssa Billingsley, PharmD | Reviewed by Christina Aungst, PharmD Key takeaways: Over-the-counter (OTC) medications don’t require a prescription. They’re readily available to help you self-treat symptoms of allergies, pain, and more.Many different types of medications are available OTC. Examples include motion sickness pills like Dramamine (dimenhydrinate) and pain relievers like Advil (ibuprofen).GoodRx can...
