Monday, June 30, 2008

Anxiety Management With Prescription BuSpar: Don't Worry, Be Happy


We’ve all had one of those weeks: the washing machine overflows, the dog forgets his housetraining and the toddler her toilet training, the boss is going through a divorce and making everyone miserable. And you feel like you just don’t know how to handle it all.

Anxiety is, unfortunately, an inevitable part of modern life. But when anxiety prevents you from engaging in day-to-day activity or trying anything new, it may be time to see your doctor for anti-anxiety help.

What causes anxiety?

Anxiety is the feeling caused by the release of stress hormones and brain chemicals which help us fight for our lives or flee from danger. In our evolutionary past, bursts of stress hormones may have helped give us a boost when running away from large animals with big teeth! And believe it or not, in the right situation, these hormones can be a big help in day-to-day activities. Mild tension before giving a presentation can help you do your best. A burst of brain chemicals can help speed your reaction time when you see a pedestrian dashing in front of your car and can save someone’s life!

When anxiety becomes a constant companion in our lives, we may start having symptoms of anxiety when we think about anything - work, marriage, children, even going to the grocery store. The symptoms include muscle tension, sweating, nausea or “butterflies,” clammy hands, difficulty swallowing, jumpiness, stomach distress.

If these symptoms have become part of your everyday life, it may be time to talk with your doctor about an anti-anxiety medication like BuSpar.

But I’d rather be anxious than spacey!

You may remember the days where anxiety was treated with heavy-duty drugs that could tranquilize a bad-tempered elephant! But as scientists have learned more about the biology of anxiety, anxiety management has become more sophisticated, helping your mood without making you a zombie. You won’t turn into a Stepford wife. Instead, you’ll go back to reacting the way you used to, both to happy events and anxiety-provoking situations.

BuSpar works gently by affecting your feelings over the course of a few weeks. Most people begin getting relief over that time period and can start getting back to living their lives.

While you don’t have to worry about walking around in a haze, many people do feel some dizziness or drowsiness when they are first getting used to BuSpar. You may want to avoid driving or operating heavy machinery until your body has adjusted to the medication.

Sounds great! Let’s head to the drug store.

Well, not just yet. BuSpar is a prescription drug, and you’ll want to check a few things out with your doctor before she gives you a prescription.

If you’re taking monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors (a kind of anti-depressant) or certain other drugs, have ever had an allergic reaction to mood-altering drugs, or have severe kidney or liver damage, this may not be the right drug for you.

Lastly, alcohol can have a major impact on how your body responds to BuSpar, so you may want to skip the champagne in favor of a pancake brunch when celebrating your anxiety-free life!

You can buy Buspar here

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Blackguard's weblog

Side Effects of Some Drugs that Are Lowering Blood Pressure(part One)


Lowering blood pressure is a condition that is below the normal expected for an individual in a given environment. Blood pressure differs deeply with activity, age, medications, and underlying medical conditions

Some of the Drugs have some side effects that can cause lower blood pressure include blood pressure drugs, diuretics (water pills), heart medications (especially calcium antagonists-nifedipine/Procardia, beta blockers-propranolol/Inderal and others), depression medications (such as amitriptylene/Elavil), and alcohol.

Diuretics — diuretics are a big evil of lower blood pressure. It could cause lack of potassium in your body. Usually after taking diuretics, patient may suffer from weakness, leg cramps, or being tiredness however, it is not permanent. A patient can avoid these problems by taking some potassium tablets with diuretics. Diuretics such as amiloride (Midamar), spironolactone (Aldactone) or triamterene (Dyrenium) are called "potassium sparing" agents and provide equal of amount of potassium to your body. A lower blood pressure patient with diabetes can have some problems with diuretics. It may increase the blood sugar level. So, it is recommended to take permission from doctor before taking it.

Beta-blockers — patients of lower blood pressure feel insomnia, cold hands and feet, tiredness or depression, a slow heartbeat or symptoms of asthma after taking Beta-blockers. Patients of diabetes need to care while taking this medicine.

ACE inhibitors — a required amount of ACE inhibitors not effect badly to lower blood pressure patient but the drugs, such as captopril (Capoten), enalapril (Vasotec), lisinopril (Zestril or Prinivil), may cause a skin rash; loss of taste; a chronic dry, hacking cough; and in rare instances, kidney damage.

Angiotensin II receptor blockers — another evil for the patients of lower blood pressure. A patient may feel occasional faintness, so take care, and ask your doctor before taking the drug.

Calcium channel blockers —lower blood pressure patient may suffer from palpitations, swollen ankles, constipation, headache, or dizziness with this medicine. Form of Calcium channel blockers are Diltiazem (Cardizem), nicardipine (Cardene), Nifedipine (Procardia) and verapamil (Calan or Isoptin) which is injurious in lower blood pressure.

These side effects will continue in the next article "Side effects of some drugs that are Lowering Blood Pressure(part two)"

You can buy Procardia here

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Gnarl's weblog

What are Lamisil Side Effects?


Lamisil side effects are probably the biggest concern for people who are taking this drug, or considering taking it, for fungus nail infections. Fungal infections are difficult to treat, and antifungal drugs are infamous for their toxicity. The liver is the organ that removes toxins from the bloodstream: the liver recognizes many drugs, including Lamisil as toxins, so this is where the drug does its worst damage. No one wants liver damage in exchange for treatment to clear up a fungal nail infection.

The danger of Lamisil side effects is real, but probably not as severe as many people believe. Controlled studies of the drug, and years of experience, indicate that severe complications are rare. When side effects Lamisil may cause are usually mild and temporary. If you are thinking about taking it, learn to recognize the symptoms of liver toxicity: nausea, vomiting, appetite loss, stomach pains, a yellowish hue developing in your skin and eyes, dark urine, pale stools, tiredness. If any of these symptoms occur, you can always stop taking the drug and let your liver recover.

Other side effects Lamisil may cause include rash or itchy skin, diarrhea, and an altered sense of taste, and these symptoms are more common than those experienced with liver toxicity. Rarely, people experience Lamisil side effects such as blistering and peeling skin, fever, chills, aching joints, and sore throat.

The danger of Lamisil increases in certain circumstances. You should not take Lamisil without consulting your doctor if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Do not use alcohol while taking it. Alcohol abuse, past or present, as well as liver disease or kidney disease don’t mix well with the drug: patients with these conditions should not take the medication. Finally, if you are taking other medications, be sure to remind your doctor and your pharmacist: some of the side effects Lamisil causes are made worse when the drug is mixed with other drugs in the body.

While it’s important to be careful, remember Lamisil side effects are rare and the danger of Lamisil doing you serious long-lasting harm is quite remote. In fact, the greatest danger of Lamisil could be the damage it will do to your budget if you have to pay for it yourself. Depending on where you buy it, the drug can cost more than eight dollars per pill! At one pill a day for 12 weeks, you would spend about $700.00 clearing up a nail infection, and some nail infections take much longer to resolve. It might be safe to say that, of all the side effects Lamisil can cause, financial stress is both the worst, and the most common.

You can buy Lamisil here

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Birus Durden's weblog

Medication Can DEGRADE Your Acid Reflux


Can Aciphex bring any true relief to victims of heartburn? In the following article, a former heartburn patient tells the tragic truth about Aciphex, after having compared with many alternative solutions. As an Over The Counter medicament against heartburn, Aciphex is known by millions. Sales per annum of this drug topped $1.3 billion (figures from 2006).

Even if healthy people can get occasional heartburn also, recurrent heartburn (every two or three days) may indicate acid reflux, or by its full name, GERD - gastro esophageal reflux disease. About 1 in 5 of all adults in developed western countries are sufferers of recurring heartburn. The name heartburn comes from the sensation of burning and pain in the throat or the chest, especially following eating.

Acid reflux causing the pain of heartburn occurs because of weakness of a stomach sphincter. It can lead to inflammation of the esophageal lining (esophagitis) and difficulties in swallowing, internal hemorrhages, esophageal constriction and Barrett's esophagus, often a precursor to cancer. GERD is brought on by a muscle between the esophagus and the stomach not working correctly. This muscle is the lower esophageal sphincter and should normally block off the esophagus from the stomach to stop acid and juices backing up into the esophagus.

Aciphex tries to target the acidity as a solution to reduce acid reflux symptoms including heartburn. This is just one of two factors provoking acid reflux. Besides excessive stomach acidity, the other one is weakness of the esophageal sphincter.

This group of PPIs (Proton Pump Inhibitors) function by halting the production of stomach acid. They do this by "disconnecting" the proton pump, which is the stomach's way of fabricating acid. Aciphex is part of the group of (PPI) which aims to treat acid reflux symptoms, and also contains Prevacid, Protonix and Prilosec.

Nevertheless, this is not the real reason for acid reflux. Aciphex is merely attacking the sensation (heartburn) and not the real reason. When the real reason remains untreated, it will continue to produce the symptom and this may even result in dependency on the drug and degraded acid reflux. Immediate relief may be the big advertising point for PPIs such as Aciphex, but the negative aspects exist as well. Because gastric acid is needed for correct digestion and for its properties in killing off hostile microbes, blocking its production can be unwise.

An astonishing conclusion was made from the role of gastric acid in killing off pathogens that enter the mouth and travel down the esophagus. Without stomach acid, these microbes can then return up the esophagus to double back down into the lungs and provoke pneumonia. If this was not already bad enough, recent research shows that PPI medications can generated other unwanted secondary effects. The possible increases in the risk of pneumonia was just one conclusion from Dutch research done in 2004.

The same artificial blocking of stomach acid also interfered with the body's ability to fix calcium and so with the right bone mineral density, a problem linked to osteoporosis. In the UK, studies just done indicate that patients using PPI medicaments for more than 12 months and over the age of 50, were 44% more in danger of breaking a hip than acid reflux patients not using PPIs (examples of these PPIs are Nexium, Prilosec, Aciphex, Protonix and Prevacid).

The comprehensive holistic approach will resolve your GERD effectively and safely and permanently prevent it from happening again. Did you already hear the news? Heartburn and its painful effects can now be prevented forever without having to use Aciphex or any similar medication.

You can buy Aciphex here

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darkcow's weblog

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Claritin Antihistamine


Hay fever is one of the most common forms of allergies. It affects millions of people every summer. People who suffer from these seasonal allergies are generally allergic to pollen. Symptoms usually begin to appear in the early spring when the leaves start to appear on the trees and it can last through fall. Sometimes people will mistake the symptoms for the common cold, however cold symptoms usually last a week or 2, while allergy symptoms won't go away.

There are many medications available to treat seasonal allergies. Of these many treatments, Claritin is the most popular. Since there is no cure for allergies, Claritin works by treating the symptoms. It's an antihistamine which means blocks histamine. This may see obvious, but histamine is the chemical that causes nasal congestion, sneezing, runny nose and other allergy symptoms. Therefore by blocking histamine, you can control your allergies.

Side effects

Like any medicine Claritin has a few side effects that you should be aware of. People usually experience higher blood pressure, increased blood sugar levels and an elevated heart rate. These can be some of the most dangerous side effects, so if you experience any of them, make sure you consult your doctor as soon as possible.

The options are limitless

Most people take Claritin in pill form; however Claritin eye allergy relief drops are also available. These are epically helpful if your eye allergies are especially bad. While they only work on your eye allergy symptoms, the benefit of using eye drops is that they work right away. This is because it's applied directly to the source of the affected area.

Conclusion

Remember, Claritin isn't only for seasonal allergies. It's an effective treatment for any type of airborne allergies. For example it can also be effective for people who are allergic to dog or cat dander.

If you're a seasonal allergy sufferer, relief is available. Claritin is a safe antihistamine that has helped people who suffer from allergies find relief. It has been used by kids and adults alike.

You can buy Claritin here

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Findus's weblog

How To Stay Safe When Taking High Blood Pressure Medication


High blood pressure is treated with many different groups of medicines. Each group affects the body in a different way. Depending on your full assessment, your doctor may decide you need a single medicine, or a combination of two or more.

Beta blockers are one group. They slow the heart down. They also reduce the force with which it pumps blood and therefore prevent the heart from working as hard. The end result of these actions is lower blood pressure.

What is Toprol-XL?

Toprol-XL is a beta blocker designed to give up medicine slowly in your body. Drip, drip, drip. This way, you can take your medicine less frequently. Also, this is a gentler way for your body to receive medication, rather than having a big hit with each dose.

Common Toprol-XL side effects

As with any medicine, you should be aware that side effects are a very real possibility.

Some commonly reported side effects you want to watch out for include: dizziness, tiredness, cold hands or feet, anxiety, disturbed sleep, disturbed bowels and dry eyes, mouth, and skin.
How to take Toprol-XL safely

  1. Double check your doctor's directions on how to take your medicine. Do you know the amount you should take? When you should take it? How you should take it - with or without food?
  2. Keep a record and tell your doctor every thing else that you take. Include other prescription drugs, supplements, alternative remedies, and over-the-counter meds.
  3. If you have any questions at all about side effects while taking Toprol-XL, the best people to talk to are your pharmacist and your doctor. Speak to them right away.
  4. If anyone recommends you stop taking Toprol-XL, for whatever reason, even if this person is another doctor, DON'T. First discuss it with your doctor who prescribed it for you in the first place. The two doctors will probably need to contact each other to make sure their treatments work in harmony. If you all decide that stopping Toprol-XL is right for you, your doctor will recommend a safe way to gradually stop. You must never stop taking Toprol-XL abruptly.



You can buy Toprol XL here

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HafhandBludson's weblog

Friday, June 27, 2008

How To Stay Safe When Taking High Blood Pressure Medication


High blood pressure is treated with many different groups of medicines. Each group affects the body in a different way. Depending on your full assessment, your doctor may decide you need a single medicine, or a combination of two or more.

Beta blockers are one group. They slow the heart down. They also reduce the force with which it pumps blood and therefore prevent the heart from working as hard. The end result of these actions is lower blood pressure.

What is Toprol-XL?

Toprol-XL is a beta blocker designed to give up medicine slowly in your body. Drip, drip, drip. This way, you can take your medicine less frequently. Also, this is a gentler way for your body to receive medication, rather than having a big hit with each dose.

Common Toprol-XL side effects

As with any medicine, you should be aware that side effects are a very real possibility.

Some commonly reported side effects you want to watch out for include: dizziness, tiredness, cold hands or feet, anxiety, disturbed sleep, disturbed bowels and dry eyes, mouth, and skin.
How to take Toprol-XL safely

  1. Double check your doctor's directions on how to take your medicine. Do you know the amount you should take? When you should take it? How you should take it - with or without food?
  2. Keep a record and tell your doctor every thing else that you take. Include other prescription drugs, supplements, alternative remedies, and over-the-counter meds.
  3. If you have any questions at all about side effects while taking Toprol-XL, the best people to talk to are your pharmacist and your doctor. Speak to them right away.
  4. If anyone recommends you stop taking Toprol-XL, for whatever reason, even if this person is another doctor, DON'T. First discuss it with your doctor who prescribed it for you in the first place. The two doctors will probably need to contact each other to make sure their treatments work in harmony. If you all decide that stopping Toprol-XL is right for you, your doctor will recommend a safe way to gradually stop. You must never stop taking Toprol-XL abruptly.



You can buy Toprol XL here

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mook's weblog

Allergic Rhinitis - Ayurvedic Concept


It is quite common in spring to see people sneezing. Allergic rhinitis commonly known as Hay fever is in full swing and you feel the urge to rub your nose, eyes and ears. Throat is constantly sore and itchy. This is all due to immune response to airborne pollens of different plants and flowers. In Ayurveda a disease is a state of imbalance in the three doshas present in the human body namely vata, pita and kapha.

Allergic rhinitis is also, one of those diseases. The most common cause of allergies is pollens of the grass, trees, weeds and molds. Rhinitis could range from mild nasal congestion to skin rashes. It can be extremely infectious, as in the case of the common cold and non-infectious when it comes to seasonal and allergies.

Signs and symptoms

The symptoms of vataja prathisyaya (Ayurvedic name for Rhinitis) are: Nasanaha is nothing but nose block, Kaphasruti is running nose, rhinorrhoea and Kshava is sneezing. Sneezing may include paroxysms of 10-20 sneezes. Rhinorrhea is profuse, thin and watery. Headaches and earache may accompany nasal congestion and prolonged congestion may lead to alteration or loss of smell and taste. The treatment for allergic rhinitis involves anti-histamines, decongestants and immunotherapy. The line of treatment in ayurveda is nasya and dhoomapana. Shamana drugs like lakshmivilas ras, panchamrutha, septilin tablet, amrutharishta etc can be used.

Ayurvedic approach

Certain foods are more mucous producing and Ayurvedic medicine recognizes those foods as Kapha foods. Dairy, wheat, sugar, night shade family like potatoes, tomatoes, bell peppers, peppers, and bananas, oranges, tangerines, grapefruits all are considered Kapha foods, thus aggravating allergies. Diet rich in lots of fruits and vegetable of different colors are recommended, as they provide photochemical, which reduce susceptibility to allergies. Neti is nasal douching with salt and baking soda of the nasal passages, which helps soothe the irritated mucous membranes. Ayurvedic herbs like Guggul, Shilajeet, Amla and Pippli also help tremendously. Shilajeet is a mineral pitch that helps boost the immune system.

You can buy Septilin here

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enderhelpme's weblog

Thursday, June 26, 2008

There is Hope for Myasthenia Gravis


Myasthenia Gravis is a chronic disorder characterized by weakness and rapid fatigue of any of the muscles under your voluntary control. Myasthenia Gravis is caused by a breakdown in the communication between nerves and muscles, usually because of an immunological problem where the cells cannot communicate and the immune system attacks cells it does not recognize. There are 86 autoimmune diseases that have been diagnosed today and Myasthenia Gravis is one of them.

Symptoms are:

Facial muscle weakness, including drooping eyelids

Double vision

Difficulty in breathing, talking, chewing or swallowing

Muscle weakness in your arms or legs

Fatigue brought on by repetitive motions.

Treatments

The treatments of this disease focus on altering one’s immune system so that fewer antibodies are produced and therefore the muscle can rebuild its acetylcholine receptors. Perhaps the most commonly used initial medication is prednisone. In addition many patients will take a medication called mestinon or celcept. This does not treat the underlying problem but can improve the Myasthenia Gravis symptoms. Medications are basically to suppress the immune system to stop the production of antibodies that kill the cells.

An Alternative

Recent research in the field of glycobiology has brought about a discovery in cellular communication that has won several Nobel Prizes in medicine. A recent press release from Emory University School of Medicine announced the appointment of Dr. Richard Cummings, as the new chair of the Department of Biochemistry at Emory University. The article states that "the National Institutes of Health has identified the field of glycomics as a major new research focus. Glycomics is defined as the scientific pursuit of identifying and studying all of the carbohydrate molecules produced by an organism. Dr. Cummings' research focuses on glycoconjugates, the carbohydrate molecules and their associated proteins that permit cells to communicate with and adhere to each other -- transmitting and receiving chemical, electrical and mechanical messages that underlie all cellular and bodily functions."

The primary function of the glyconutrients is the communication between cells, which "underlies all bodily functions." There is a tremendous amount of research ongoing by many prestigious institutions. It is very exciting to see that Emory University School of Medicine has joined this endeavor. It is exciting that two major universities ("The Complex Carbohydrate Center" at UGA and Emory School of Medicine) are now at the forefront of this new frontier in medicine--the science of Glycobiology.

Due to green harvesting of fruits and vegetables, toxins in the air, food, and water, and the processing of our foods, the health of the world today is on a decline and we must supplement vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, amino acids, and now it has been shown that we also need the glyconutrients. If we do not receive the glyconutrients in our diet we will get sick either by the body leaving bad cells or not recognizing the good cells and attacking them.

A form of nutrition called glyconutrients has been shown to give the body what it needs to develop healthy cells that can communicate and therefore the body can respond as it was designed to do.

You can buy Mestinon here

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Birus's weblog

Caffeine Caused Anxiety Attacks


Since the dawning of the "Information Age" in the early 1980's the pace of change has accelerated in our society. To keep pace with the explosion of new information and this rapid rate of change, many people have adopted a new coping strategy of increasing their consumption of caffeine. Caffeine is a drug. It is a stimulant which increases many of same physiological responses as the survival response known as the "Flight-Fight" response. It is this reaction by the body to the stimulation from caffeine that can trigger an anxiety-type physical reaction. Many people are unsuspecting and naпve regarding the full extent of this response to which often includes a common, and even, celebrated "rush" of energy. Knowing about this response can keep you from being a victim to caffeine related anxiety attacks.

As a stimulant, the effect of caffeine can be different from one person to the next. The amount of caffeine consumed, and then the amount actually absorbed by the body, can contribute to the range of reactions. It is not uncommon for caffeine to cause an increase in brain wave activity that can arouse a tired mind. This is the most desired response for many sleep deprived people. This can backfire on many people who may have a daylong response to their morning coffee (or other caffeine source) because many people can not sleep well at bedtime as a response to this early caffeine consumption. This "vicious cycle" will then cause poor quality sleep/rest which requires more caffeine to get "up" for the next day's activities.

The stimulation caused by caffeine can also increase heart rate and for some people increase their blood pressure as it simulates the release of excitatory hormones like adrenaline (epinephrine.) This rapid heart rate, when severe, can scare people, triggering the hormonal release which can cause a greater anxiety reaction. The frightening response to the physical associations of an anxiety attack can cause fear and can even drive people to the emergency rooms with the concern that the patient believes that they going to die from a heart attack. We have enough anxiety in our society without pushing ourselves over the edge with the stimulation of caffeine.

Caffeine can cause an increase in skeletal muscle tension as it triggers the classic flight response. This muscle tension can be distracting (loss of focus), cause fatigue, and in many cases increase the likelihood of increased muscle spasms and so, muscle contraction pain. In this way, caffeine can contribute to muscle tension headaches from the tightness of muscles in the jaw, neck, and shoulders. For people suffering from chronic muscular tension pain, this can contribute to their tension and pain. It will often cause an increased anxiety driven response to their pain which can intensify their chronic pain complaints. This is especially true for lower back pain and neck/shoulder pain, as well as the peripheral pains in the arms and legs that can be associated with back pain.

For those of you who use caffeine regularly, you should also know that there are plenty of cases of physical and psychological addiction to this drug. Many people feel withdrawal symptoms that are not comfortable when they try to discontinue their caffeine habit. If you want to discontinue, the best way to do this would be gradually over time. Substituting Ѕ de-caf into your morning coffee and minimizing other caffeine laden products will be helpful. Be patient and drink extra water!

In its defense, caffeine can be helpful for some types of headaches such as migraine headaches which can be reduced by caffeine or associated cafergot. (Cafergot is a brand name of the combination of ergotamine and caffeine.) With its stimulating effects on the digestive system, caffeine may also work as a laxative to minimize problems with constipation. Historically, European coffee "salons" were places where intellectuals could meet and have lively discussions while drinking brewed coffee which was more healthful than the untreated available water which was often contaminated with deadly diseases of the Middle Ages. The other alternative beverage for most Middle Age Europeans was to drink beer or alcoholic drinks which did not encourage good discussion, thinking, or productivity.

Since the 1980's, our society has seen an explosion of coffee houses and Expresso stands. You can not get through any American city with being confronted by easily accessible purveyors of liquid coffee refreshments. Both young and old are caught in this "glamorous" habit with expanding zeal. A gift of choice is the insidious gift certificate for the expensive coffee houses. This has gotten to be big business.

Besides coffee or expresso drinks, caffeine is found in many products. Black teas, green tea, soft drinks, chocolate candy, and as an additive in many other products are but a few of these additional sources for caffeine. There are even a few products with commercial names like: Jolt, Red Bull, and RockStar that cater to the young caffeine crazed generation that seem to require higher concentrations of caffeine. I do not want to deprive people from indulging in these products, but people must be aware of what the effects of these products can do to their body's and to people who interact with caffeine saturated folks. Many cases of "road rage" may be traced to the negative effects of over-caffeinated, stressed drivers.

Let's have some common sense. Moderation is a great rule to follow, especially if you are one the people who are most sensitive to the effects of caffeine. Coffee businesses are not bad or the enemy, we just need to learn how use them in most appropriate ways.

If you are looking for wellness coaching, please investigate the Professional Stress Management Coaching Program

You can buy Cafergot here

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MadandAngry's weblog

Top 4 Diabetes Medications


These days, a variety of medicines are available to treat diabetes. When individuals find themselves diagnosed with Type II diabetes, they are generally given one or more of these medications, rather than insulin. Often, multiple drugs are used, rather than just one. The purpose of the medicines is to enable the body to make more insulin on its own, thereby allowing your body to process the blood sugar it needs to eliminate without putting your blood sugar levels out of balance.

Sulfonylureas are one of the most well respected drugs used to treat diabetes. There are several different types of this medication on the market, the most popular being Glucotrol. These drugs work by increasing the amount of insulin released from the pancreas. These medicines work well in lowering blood sugar levels but also run the risk of a person developing hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia occurs when your blood sugar level is too low. Because of this potentially dangerous side effect, sulfonylureas are often given with other medicines, most notably Glucophage, or more commonly known as Metformin. This drug works well with Glucotrol as it reduces the amount of blood sugar in the liver while the Glucotrol increases the amount of insulin in the pancreas. Both medications must be taken prior to meals. Most people who are first diagnosed with Type II diabetes are given this combination of medicines which, when taken as directed, are effective at maintaining a healthy blood sugar level.

Another drug that is showing promise in working well with Metformin is Prandin. Prandin also lowers blood sugar levels but at a slower rate than Metformin and has shown good results in studies. Like Glucotrol, Prandin increases the amount of insulin in the body and can also cause hypoglycemia. It is very important for a patient with diabetes to work with their doctor to get the right dosage of each medication and never double a dosage or cut one in half. Prandin cannot be used in women who are pregnant or nursing children.

Many of those with Type II diabetes will find that their doctors prescribe the new medication Starlix to treat their disease. Although Starlix works in a way that's similar to Prandin, people take the same dosage over time, rather than needing to adjust the doses as they would with Prandin. This fact, plus the fact that Starlix does not put the kidneys at risk, make it an extremely popular and promising new option on the diabetes medication market.

While most medicines that treat diabetics increase insulin developed in the pancreas and decrease the sugar in the liver, newer drugs are being marketed that decrease the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines. Precose did remarkably well in trial studies in breaking down the carbohydrates in the system, making it easier to eliminate. However, this medication has not done as well as the sulfonlureas, which are considered the best possible medicines that treat the disease at this time. However, for those who are allergic to sulfur, Precose is a good option.

A diagnosis of Type II diabetes may be frightening for an individual, but there are many different drugs available that can keep this disease at bay. It is very important, however, for a patient to be totally compliant in order for these medicines to work effectively. It may take increased dosages, lowered dosages or different combinations of medications in order to get the right balance to help you maintain a healthy blood sugar level. This is why it is so important for an individual to carefully monitor their levels throughout the day and keep a record for the physician.

You and your doctor, working together, can normalize your blood sugar levels and control your condition. To play your role in this teamwork, you must monitor your sugar and report the results, in addition to any symptoms you experience, to your doctor regularly. Doing this puts you, rather than your diabetes, in the driver's seat of your body and your life.

You can buy Prandin here

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Birus's weblog

Health Products for Men


God created man with special powers and strength so that he is able to face all the harsh conditions and has the energy to fight through them. Females are never the less are dependent on males and males depend on females. It’s a mutual relationship. Mutual understanding and a loving attitude is very essential in sustaining a relationship, in this world that is full of distracting. It’s very important to have good relationships so as to excel in professional life. More over, no matter what a man do, his ultimate aim is to give happiness to all his loved ones.

But in present scenario it has been come to notice that relationships are not that powerful that they used to be and fades away with a small breeze of tension and misunderstanding. You will be really surprised to know that reason behind it is lack of feeling of being loved.

No matter what relation you have, may be you are a boy friend or a girl friend or a husband or a wife, the feeling of love and mutual understanding is very essential to make that a relation a success. And all these feelings come from your performance in bed. If being a man, you are not able to perform like a man, you will definitely loose respect in the mind of your partner. If you are not able to satisfy her, you will surely loose her one day. It doesn’t mean that your partner is unfaithful to you, but it is the basic instinct of every individual and somewhat is a requirement that everybody wants to fulfill.

As high as 80% of males world wide suffers from some kind of male health related problems in some part of their lives. Hence be relaxed you are not the only one that is going through a bad phase in your life.

But what’s the solution to this trouble. I know you will yell out a sole solution to your problem i.e. Viagra, the blue pill. But do you think that is that an answer to your problem. If you ask me I will surely say a BIG NO. Then what’s the answer to this query.

Do you really want answer to your question……..read below

I have a great solution to your problems. You will be surprise to know that about 5000 years ago a great thing developed as the advent of human evolution. It was ayurveda. I strongly believe that ayurveda is world’s strongest and most powerful health science that exists on the face of this planet. Ayurveda has solution to all the problems that can creep into your life. Yes, you got it right; ayurveda has solution for enhancing your sexual life and also to save your relationships and that too without any side effects.

After never tiring efforts of ayurvedic experts and physician we were able to develop some of the herbal Viagra and male health products that are extremely beneficial to target you most effective tool to make your women happy. And to put the cherry on the cake, it doest not bears any side effects.

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Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Relafen Medication - Uses and Side Effects


Relafen Generic Name is nabumetone.

Relafen is in a group of drugs called nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).Relafen is used to treat pain or inflammation caused by arthritis. Relafen works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.RELAFEN (nabumetone) is a naphthylalkanone designated chemically as 4-(6-methoxy-2-naphthalenyl)-2-butanone. Nabumetone is a white to off-white crystalline substance with a molecular weight of 228.3. It is nonacidic and practically insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol and most organic solvents. It has an n-octanol:phosphate buffer partition coefficient of 2400 at pH 7.4. The parent compound is a prodrug, which undergoes hepatic biotransformation to the active component, 6-methoxy-2-naphthylacetic acid (6MNA), that is a potent inhibitor of prostaglandin synthesis.

Relafen is acidic and has an n-octanol:phosphate buffer partition coefficient of 0.5 at pH 7.4.Free fraction is dependent on total concentration of 6MNA and is proportional to dose over the range of 1,000 mg to 2,000 mg. It is 0.2% to 0.3% at concentrationsNabumetone itself is not detected in the plasma. Approximately 35% of a 1,000-mg oral dose of nabumetone is converted to 6MNA and 50% is converted into unidentified metabolites which are subsequently excreted in the urine. 6MNA is more than 99% bound to plasma proteins. 6MNA exhibits pharmacokinetic characteristics that generally follow a one-compartment model with first order input and elimination.

Relafen medication should not be used certain medical conditions. Relafen cause stomach bleeding. Daily use of alcohol and tobacco, mostly when combined with this medicine, may increase your risk for stomach bleeding. Before using Relafen tell your doctor or pharmacist your medical history, especially of: kidney disease, liver disease and poorly controlled diabetes. Check all prescription and nonprescription medicine labels carefully since many contain pain relievers/fever reducers (NSAIDs such as aspirin, ibuprofen or naproxen), which are similar to this drug. Before using Relafen consult your doctor or pharmacist if you have: aspirin-sensitive asthma, recent heart bypass surgery.

Uses of Relafen medication

Relafen can be taken with or without food. Take the forgotten dose as soon as you. Never take a double dose.It can be stored at room temperature and Keep this medication in the container it came in, tightly closed, and away from moist places and direct light.

Side Effects of Relafen medication

Side effects cannot be anticipated. Relafen medication more common serious side effects may include is abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, dizziness, fluid retention, gas, headache, indigestion, itching, nausea, rash and ringing in ears. These side effects are considered serious to Relafen.

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ZetaOrionis's weblog

Prom Dresses - The Contents of a Girl's Bag


Every girl attending her prom needs to carry a clutch bag. Here are 10 essentials that you need to include for a stress free and safe night.

1. Mobile Phone – Have important phone numbers remembered in your phone like the Car Company, Taxi Company, etc. If you have already arranged a time to be picked up ask them to phone you when they arrive so they don’t leave without you.

2. Money – It is always safer to carry some emergency money with you if your ‘pick up car’ doesn’t arrive or you need to leave early it is best to have the taxi fair with you. You may choose to move on from your prom to another party or go out for food so having extra cash in your purse will be helpful.

3. Sewing Kit – Accidents can happen and you may need to do a running repair during your night. It is always better to do a repair than walk around with a tear in your beautiful dress. Some styles of dresses have long trains and these can get stepped on during the night.

4. Body Tape – Some dresses are very figure hugging and during the night they can start to gape, rather than worrying about how revealing your dress has become apply some strips of body tape to your dress and stick it to your skin. This will allow you to enjoy the rest of the night.

5. Tissue & Mirror – The British weather being what it is you may need to tidy up a few makeup smudges keep some tissue handy and a small mirror and you can keep an eye on your lippy wherever you are with out running to the girl’s room every five minutes.

6. Make up Touch up Kit – Extra lippy is always important; you can apply a perfect layer in the car before you arrive. Then after all the kisses on your arrival you will need to apply again. It is also important to remember you will be dancing most of the night and prom halls can get very hot, it is good to refresh your make up half way through the night.

7. Perfume – Every girl should smell her best and with all of that dancing a little spray of perfume will refresh you and keep you smelling perfect for the whole night. Don’t over due it, smelling too strong will make people think you are trying to cover up something.

8. House Keys – Very important, especially if Mum and Dad are not waiting up. The last thing you want to do is wake up the whole family when you get home. Although they will probably still be awake waiting for you any way.

9. Safety Pins – Anything can happen on your night so be prepared for everything. Safety pins can help you out of any crisis from a broken zipper to a tear in your dress. Safety pins can also help with shoe strap breakages.

10. Hairspray – No clutch bag would be complete with out a small can of hairspray. If you have styled your hair in a chic prom up-do there are a lot of conditions that can cause your hair to fall or look flat. The weather, dancing, the heat in the room can all effect your hair so it is always handy to put the life back in to it with the use of some hairspray.

The modern teenager has their own list of important essentials that need to be with them everywhere they go. Sometimes certain things can be forgotten in the rush and the excitement of their big night so make a list of what will be needed and prepare everything early.

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Findus's weblog

Tuesday, June 24, 2008

Medication Treatment of Hypertension - Which Drugs are Best?


Drugs used in the treatment of hypertension include thiazide diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers. The newer ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers were promoted as being better for the treatment of hypertension than the older thiazide diuretics and beta blockers, however this was mostly marketing hype since the newer drugs were on patent and made more money for the drug companies. However the studies showed that, at least compared to thiazide diuretics, the newer drugs weren't as good, even they cost much more.

Thiazide diuretic drugs work for hypertension by increasing urine output and decreasing the volume of fluid in your circulation, which they achieve by increasing sodium excretion from the kidney, which drags water along with it. Examples include hydrochlorothiazide (Esidrix, Hydrodiuril, Microzide) and chlorthalidone (Hygroton). Thiazides promote calcium retention and prevent bone loss and fractures. However, they can negatively interact with an extensive list of medications, which are listed in the Physicians Desk Reference.

Their main problem is that they cause is frequent urination, which is inconvenient to say the least. They can also be associated with a loss of potassium Low serum potassium, or hypokalemia, is a potentially fatal condition, that can be associated with symptoms of muscle weakness, confusion, dizziness that can lead to falls, and heart arrhythmias. For people with a healthy diet, this is not a problem. You can also possible to take potassium supplements by mouth every day, to avoid the problem of potassium depletion with diuretics. A sub-category of these drugs, the so-called thiazide-like diuretic indapamide (Lozol) can cause life-threatening drops of sodium in the blood. In 1992 the Australian authorities reported 164 cases of this potentially life threatening condition, which is associated with confusion, lethargy, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, loss of appetite, fatigue, fainting, sleepiness, and possible convulsions. Since it doesn't work better than hydrochlorothiazide, and is potentially dangerous, it should not be used.

ACE inhibitors are one of the newest types of hypertension drugs. They act on the renin-angiotensin system that regulates blood pressure and kidney function. Normally, the molecule angiotensin I is converted to angiotensin II by the angiotensin-converting enzyme. Angiotensin II is a potent vasoconstrictor that makes your blood vessels close down. By blocking the angiotensin-converting enzyme, you make the blood vessels relax, decreasing blood pressure. Examples of this type of drug include lisinopril (Prinivil), enalapril (Vasotec), ramipril (Altace), benazepril (Lotensin), fosinopril (Monopril), and captopril (Capoten). Side effects of ACE inhibitors include headache, flushing, diarrhea, rash, and more rarely dizziness, heart failure or stroke. One of the most annoying side effects is a dry persistent cough. Angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), like valsartan (Diovan), irbesartan (Avapro), olmesartan (Benicar), candesartan (Atacand), and losartan (Cozaar; Hyzaar when combined with hydrochlorothiazide) act on the angiotensin receptor to block its effects, thereby reducing blood pressure. Side effects include dizziness, diarrhea, rash, and more rarely anxiety, muscle pains, upper respiratory track infection, low blood pressure or elevations in potassium.

Calcium channel blockers act on the lining of the blood vessels. When these channels let calcium in, the blood vessels constrict. By blocking the calcium channels, these drugs cause the vessels to relax, as a result blood pressure goes down. Examples of this type of drug include amlodipine (Norvasc), verapamil (Calan), nifedipine (Procardia, Adalat), and diltiazem (Tiazac). Side effects include constipation, dizziness, headache, nausea, and more rarely low blood pressure, heart failure or arrhythmias.

Calcium channel blockers have not been found to prevent heart attacks better than diuretics (ALLHAT 2002; Black et al 2003; Brown et al 2000; Hansson et al 2000). In fact, one study showed that calcium channel blockers (nifedipine) did not prevent heart attacks or chest pain (angina) any better than a placebo, or sugar pill (Poole-Wilson et al 2004). A meta analysis of all studies combined showed that treatment with calcium channel blockers did not improve mortality more than a placebo, although ACE inhibitors did (BPLTTC. 2000). Another meta analysis found that treatment with calcium channel blockers when compared to other medication treatments for high blood pressure was associated with a relative 26% increase in heart attacks, 25% increase in heart failure, and 10% increase in major cardiovascular events (Pahor et al 2000). Furthermore, for women calcium channel blockers increased the risk of heart attack or stroke by 18% (Poole-Wilson et al 2004). Calcium channel blockers have been found to increase the risk of heart failure relative to other antihypertension drugs in several studies,(Black et al 2003; BPLTTC. 2000; Pahor et al 2000; Pepine et al 2003) overall by about 20% (BPLTTC 2003). In spite of this, one of the calcium channel blockers, amlodipine, continues to be a blockbuster drug, with 2 billion dollars a year in sales reported in 2003, a year after the troubling reports of heart failure with calcium channel blockers was published.

In the NIH-sponsored Antihypertensive and Lipid Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT). In ALLHAT, the largest study of antihypertensive medications ever performed, different types of antihypertensive treatments were compared in 33,357 patients with high blood pressure and one other risk factor for heart disease were randomly assigned to the "old" drug chlorthalidone (diuretic), or the "new" drugs amlodipine (calcium channel blocker), or lisinopril (ACE inhibitor). Rates of fatal and nonfatal heart attacks were essentially the same between the three treatments (ALLHAT 2002). There was a 38% increase in heart failure with amlodipine compared to chlorthalidone. For lisinopril there were increased rates of total cardiovascular disease outcomes (10%), stroke (15%) and heart failure (19%) compared to chlorthalidone.

Since the time of ALLHAT other studies have not shown that ACE inhibitors and calcium channel blockers work better than diuretics, even though they cost more. And like ALLHAT, some of these studies show cause for concern.

As I mentioned above, many of the studies involved a comparison of "old" and "new" drugs, showing no difference in heart attacks and strokes for the two types of drugs. For the old drugs the studies often lumped together atenolol and a diuretic. However as I will explain later in more detail atenolol is probably not a very good drug, so these studies may have hid the fact that diuretics are better! In any case they show that there is no reason to spend more money on the new drugs. Follow along now while I spell out some of those studies.

For instance, in the NORdic DILtiazem (NORDIL) study, (Hansson et al 2000) which compared diltiazem (calcium channel blocker) to diuretics and/or beta blockers in 10,881 patients from Norway and Sweden, there were no differences in rates of fatal or non-fatal heart. Other studies which showed essentially identical rates of heart attack or stroke included The Controlled ONset Verapamil INvestigation of Cardiovascular End points (CONVINCE) Trial, a study of 16,602 patients who received verapamil (calcium channel blocker), or atenolol (beta blocker)/hydrochlorothiazide (diuretic) (Black et al 2003). The INternational VErapamil trandolapril STudy (INVEST), which compared the calcium channel blocker verapamil to the beta blocker atenolol in 22,576 patients (Pepine et al 2003). The Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension 2 (STOP-2) (Hansson et al 1999a) study, which randomised 6614 patients age 70-84 to either "new" drugs like calcium channel blockers or ACE inhibitors, or "old" drugs diuretics and beta blockers, and the CAptopril Prevention Project (CAPPP) as study of captopril (ACE inhibitor) versus diuretics and/or beta blocker in 10,985 patients (Hansson et al 1999b).

Not only was it difficult to show that the new drugs were better than the old (the marketing goal that drove the design of the studies), it wasn't easy to show that taking the drugs was better than doing nothing. For instance, in the ACTION Study (A Coronary disease Trial Investigating Outcome with Nifedipine), 7665 patients with stable angina received the calcium channel blocker nifedipine or placebo in a randomized trial (Poole-Wilson et al 2004). There was no difference in a combined measure of fatal and non-fatal heart attack or stroke, revascularization, or heart failure. Death from heart disease was equal in the groups, and there was a 16% increase in non-cardiac deaths with nifedipine that was not statistically significant. Women on nifedipine had an 18% increase in this measure of cardiac events, although the difference was not statistically significant. In the Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation (HOPE) Study, 9297 patients at high risk for heart disease were randomized to the ACE inhibitor ramipril or placebo in addition to their usual treatment (HOPE 2000). A fatal or non-fatal heart attack or stroke was seen in 14.0% of the ramipril patients compared to 17.8% on placebo, a difference that was statistically significant. In the Prevention of Events with Angiotensin Converting Enzyme Inhibition (PEACE) Trial, a study of 8290 patients with heart disease, the addition of the ACE inhibitor Trandolapril had no effect on reducing heart attacks and coronary revascularization procedures compared to a placebo (PEACE 2004). These results led to an editorial called "ACE inhibitors in Patients with Stable Heart Disease-may they rest in Peace?"

The Valsartan Antihypertensive Long term Use Evaluation (VALUE) study compared the ARB valsartan to the calcium channel blocker amlodipine in 15,245 patients over age 50 with high blood pressure and a high risk of heart disease (Julius et al 2004). The study found no difference between the two drugs in fatal and non-fatal heart attacks and other cardiac events. More non-fatal heart attacks were seen with valsartan, but there was also less development of diabetes. This study led to an editorial called "Is there Value in Value?"

When new drugs were compared to diuretics alone, their performance was worse. For instance, the Multicenter Isradipine Diuretic Atherosclerosis Study (MIDAS) compared the calcium channel blocker isradipine to the diuretic chlorthalidone in 883 patients with high blood pressure. Twenty five patients on isradipine had a major cardiovascular event (heart attack, stroke, heart failure, death or angina) compared to 14 on diuretic, a difference which was statistically significant (Borhani et al 1996). In the International Nifedipine GITS Study: Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension Treatment (INSIGHT) study (Brown et al 2000) 6321 patients aged 55-80 with hypertension and one risk factor for heart disease were randomly assigned to nifedipine or co-amilozide (hydrochlorothiazide+amiloride, both diuretics). In the nifedipine group, 200 had cardiovascular death, heart attack, heart failure or stroke (combined) versus 182 in the diuretic group, which was not statistically significant. The nifedipine group did have significantly more fatal heart attacks (16 versus 5) and non-fatal heart failure (24 versus 11).

Dr. Bruce Psaty and colleagues from the University of Washington in Seattle looked at all of the data from trials that had been published up to 2003. Overall they found that diuretics were superior to all other treatments (Psaty et al 2003). Compared to placebo diuretics reduced the risk of heart disease by 21%, heart failure by 49%, stroke by 29% and total mortality by 10% (all significant). Diuretics compared to calcium channel blockers had 6% fewer cardiovascular disease events and 26% less heart failure; compared to ACE inhibitors there was 12% less heart failure, 6% less cardiovascular disease events and 14% less stroke. Diuretics compared to beta blockers had 11% less cardiovascular disease events. All treatments were similar in their ability to lower blood pressure. The authors concluded that diuretics (but not beta blockers, as was the recommendation at the time) should be the first line of treatment for high blood pressure.

Most of the studies of antihypertensive medications have been done in men. In the only study focused on women, 30,219 women with hypertension without heart disease were assessed for the relationship between anti-hypertensive therapy and outcome. Use of calcium channel blockers compared to diuretic was associated with a 55% increased risk of cardiovascular death, diuretic plus calcium channel blocker was associated with an 85% increased risk of cardiovascular death compared to diuretic plus beta-blocker. The risk increased to 2.16 when women with diabetes were excluded (Bhatt et al 2006; Wassertheil-Smoller et al 2004).

The alpha-blockers block the alpha noradrenergic receptor in the heart and blood vessels, and include doxazosin (Cardura), prazosin (Minipress) and terazosin (Hytrin). A related drug called Labetalol (Normodyne) blocks both alpha and beta-receptors. The Antihypertensive and Lipid Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT) Study showed that the alpha blocker Cardura doubled the risk of heart failure and increased the risk of stroke and all cardiovascular disease when compared to diuretic. This led to the study being stopped early; the authors of ALLHAT concluded that alpha-blockers should not be used in the treatment of hypertension (Davis 2000). Based on this I believe that there is no role for alpha-blockers in the treatment of patients with hypertension.

What is the bottom line for the treatment of hypertension? First things first. Cut sodium from your diet. That means making your own dinner whenever possible, since processed, canned and frozen foods are full of sodium, as food meals. Exercise by moderate walking for 30 minutes three times a week. Try stress reduction or meditation. Stop smoking. Do not drink alcohol in excessive amounts.

If these changes fail to lower your blood pressure, you may need medication. Work with your doctor to find out what works best for you. You may need to be started on the standard and least expensive treatment, diuretics. They work better than the newer drugs, based on the research I outlined earlier, and they have fewer side effects overall than the newer medications. This is especially true if you are African-American. You should definitely not take an ACE inhibitor or calcium channel blocker if you are not taking a diuretic.

Alpha-blockers should not be taken under any circumstances. These drugs seem to cause more heart problems than conventional diuretic treatments. Potassium sparing diuretics are dangerous and should be avoided.

If your blood pressure is not controlled with a diuretic, you may need to add another medication. This means going to a beta blocker, ACE inhibitor or calcium channel blocker. I do not recommend atenolol; you can use another beta blocker like metoprolol. Women should not take a calcium channel blocker. ACE inhibitors or ARB drugs can help whites with left ventricular (heart pump) failure.

ALLHAT (2002): Major outcomes in high-risk hypertensive patients randomized to angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor or calcium channel blocker vs diuretic: The Antihypertensive and lipid-lowering treatment to prevent heart attack trial (ALLHAT). Journal of the American Medical Association 288:2981-2997.

Bhatt D, Fox KAa, Hacke W, et al (2006): Clopidogrel and aspirin versus aspirin alone for the prevention of atherothrombotic events. New England Journal of Medicine 354:1706-1717.

Black HR, Elliott WJ, Grandits G, et al (2003): Principal results of the Controlled Onset Verapamil Investigation of Cardiovascular End Points (CONVINCE) Trial. Journal of the American Medical Association 289:2073-2082.

Borhani N, Mercuir M, Borhani PA, et al (1996): Final outcome results of the Multicenter Isradipine Diuretic Atherosclerosis Study (MIDAS): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association 276:785-791.

BPLTTC (2003): Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists' Collaboration. Effects of different blood-pressure-lowering regimens on major cardiovascular events: results of prospectively-designed overviews of randomised trials. Lancet 362:1527-1535.

BPLTTC. (2000): Blood Pressure Lowering Treatment Trialists Collaboration. Effects of ACE inhibitors, calcium antagonists, and other blood-pressure-lowering drugs: results of prospectively designed overviews of randomised trials. Lancet 355:1955-1964.

Brown MJ, Palmer CR, Castaigne A, et al (2000): Morbidity and mortality in patients randomised to double-blind treatment with long-acting calcium-channel blocker or diuretic in the International Nifedipine GITS study: Intervention as a Goal in Hypertension Treatment (INSIGHT). Lancet 356:366-372.

Davis BR (2000): Major cardiovascular events in hypertensive patients randomized to doxazosin ver chlorthalidone: The Antihypertensive and Lipid-Lowering Treatment to Prevent Heart Attack Trial (ALLHAT). Journal of the American Medical Association 283:1967-1975.

Hansson L, Hedner T, Lund-Johansen P, et al (2000): Randomised trial of effects of calcium antagonists compared with diuretics and beta blockers on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertension: the Nordic Diltiazem (NORDIL) study. Lancet 356:359-365.

Hansson L, Lindholm LH, Ekborn T, et al (1999a): Randomised trial of old and new antihypertensive drugs in elderly patients: cardiovascular mortality and morbidity the Swedish Trial in Old Patients with Hypertension-2 study. Lancet 354:1751-1756.

Hansson L, Lindholm LH, Niskanen L, et al (1999b): Effect of angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibition compared with conventional therapy on cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in hypertension: the Captropril Prevention Project (CAPPP) randomised trial. Lancet 353:611-616.

HOPE (2000): Effects of an angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitor, ramipril, on cardiovascular events in high-risk patients. The Heart Outcomes Prevention Evaluation Study Investigators. New England Journal of Medicine 342:145-153.

Julius S, Kjeldsen SE, Weber B, et al (2004): Outcomes in hypertensive patients at high cardiovascular risk treated with regimens based on valsartan or amlodipine: the VALUE randomised trial. Lancet 363:2022-2031.

Pahor M, Psaty BM, Alderman MH, et al (2000): Health outcomes associated with calcium antagonists compared with other first-line antihypertensive therapies: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Lancet 356:1949-1954.

PEACE (2004): The PEACE Trial Investigators. Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme inhibition in stable coronary artery disease. New England Journal of Medicine 351:2058-2068.

Pepine CJ, Handberg EM, Cooper-DeHoff RM, et al (2003): A calcium antagonist vs a non-calcium antagonist hypertension treatment strategy for patients with coronary artery disease: The International Verapamil-Trandolapril Study (INVEST): A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association 21:2805-2816.

Poole-Wilson PA, Lubsen J, Kirwan B-A, et al (2004): Effect of long-acting nifedipine on mortality and cardiovascular morbidity in patients with stable angina requiring treatment (ACTION): randomised controlled trial. Lancet 364:849-857.

Psaty BM, Lumley T, Furberg CD, et al (2003): Health outcomes associated with various antihypertensive therapies used as first-line agents: A network meta-analysis. Journal of the American Medical Association 289:2534-2544.

Wassertheil-Smoller S, Psaty B, Greenland P, et al (2004): Association between cardiovascular outcomes and antihypertension drug treatment in older women. Journal of the American Medical Association 292:2849-2859.

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Drathuu's weblog