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...
Tag: <span>medications</span>
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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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...
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For older adults with heart failure: Can taking too many medications reduce abilities?
As we age, we tend to develop a number of chronic health conditions and concerns. Often, managing health problems can mean that older adults may take many different medications. When older adults take five or more medicines (a scenario health experts call “polypharmacy”, it can increase the risk of harmful side effects. Polypharmacy can contribute...
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What to know about focal (partial) seizures
Focal seizures, also called partial seizures, occur in only one part of the brain. There are two types of focal seizure: Partial and complex. In this article, we look at the types, causes, symptoms, and treatment of focal seizures. What is a focal seizure? The human brain contains neurons, or brain cells, that use electrical...