White blood cells called neutrophils may be central to the immune system overreaction that can kill COVID-19 patients. New research finds that rod-shaped particles can take them out of circulation. The top cause of death for COVID-19 patients echoes the way the 1918 influenza pandemic killed: their lungs fill with fluid and they essentially drown....
Tag: <span>medications</span>
Sex bias in pain research
It is increasingly clear that male and female humans and rodents process pain in different ways. And that there are important differences in the underlying mechanisms involved at genetic, molecular, cellular, and physiological levels. Despite this fact, according to a review paper from McGill University published in Nature Reviews Neuroscience, most pain research remains overwhelmingly...
Older Americans are risking coronavirus exposure to get their medications
It’s been nearly a month since the U.S. government began urging older Americans to stay home to avoid exposure to the new coronavirus. That means many older adults may be running out of their usual 30-day supplies of medication. As the pandemic continues to spread, they increasingly face a difficult challenge: how to get the...
Lupus patients who take their medications lower their diabetes risk
by University of British Columbia Patients with lupus who take their medications as prescribed have much lower odds of developing type 2 diabetes, a common complication of the disease, finds a new study from the University of British Columbia. Patients with lupus who take their medications as prescribed have much lower odds of developing type...
Novel research aims to identify new medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder
UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA SCHOOL OF NURSING PHILADELPHIA (OCTOBER 31, 2019) – Opioid use disorder and overdose deaths are a major public health crisis in the United States. While medication-assisted treatments for opioid use disorder exist, these treatments remain inadequate for many patients, resulting in a high rate of relapse following detoxification. A new study from...
Which Drugs Interact With Lab Tests?
Gayle N. Scott, PharmD DISCLOSURES June 18, 2019 Lab tests play a key role in clinical decision-making. More than 4000 lab testsare available, and an estimated 70% of clinical decisions are based on their results. Correct interpretation is critical. The pharmacologic effects of drugs can change the results of lab tests; for example, levothyroxine increases thyroid levels, or lisinopril may increase potassium levels. But these changes do not involve...
Beta blockers reduce stress-induced irregular heart rhythm
YALE UNIVERSITY New Haven, Conn. — Taking beta blockers — medications that reduce blood pressure and treat many heart conditions — can blunt the negative effects of stress and anger on people with a history of atrial fibrillation, or irregular heart rhythm, said Yale researchers. This strategy could potentially improve quality of life for many...
Medications to treat opioid addiction are effective, though not widely used
by Neil Schoenherr, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis With more than 2 million Americans suffering from an opioid use disorder and the escalating rate of deaths from opioidoverdoses reaching about 130 per day, efforts to date have had little impact in curbing this crisis across the country. As a result, a committee of the National Academies...
Investigators study effect of switching insulin medications
Boston, MA — In the United States, the drug price for insulin has skyrocketed over the last two decades. While the price has increased for all forms of insulin, newer, “analogue” insulin medications such as glargine and lispro have become especially expensive. This is particularly true for patients with insufficient drug coverage or for Medicare...
Investigators study effect of switching insulin medications
Boston, MA — In the United States, the drug price for insulin has skyrocketed over the last two decades. While the price has increased for all forms of insulin, newer, “analogue” insulin medications such as glargine and lispro have become especially expensive. This is particularly true for patients with insufficient drug coverage or for Medicare...