Following the incessant health troubles evoked by pharmaceutical drugs, a major emphasis has been placed on ensuring drug safety. Pharmacovigilance has a major role to play in doing so. It helps in detection, assessment, research and prevention of adverse side effects by drugs. Since it has such an important function in ensuring drug safety, an effective methodology that optimally recognizes the damage causing factor in a particular drug and helps eliminate that factor should be designed. Different pharmaceutical firms use different Pharmacovigilance methods. The comprehensiveness of the system is very important in detecting the problem causing element in the drug quickly and most precisely.

Over the past decade there has been a shift in the drug safety standards, driven by the regulatory authorities. The policies on risk management and the standards of pre marketing and post marketing techniques have been made stringent. This has created a need to constantly document every detail of manufacture, pre marketing and post marketing aspects of each drug. It has become important for drug manufacturers to increase the transparency of their activities and maintain intra industry, inter industry and consumer communication about various aspects about the drug. While choosing a pharmacovigilance system, the following aspects should be borne in mind:

• Techno savvy: the system should use advanced software capabilities that is easy to use and elaborate enough to manage adverse drug event reaction reporting effectively.
• Global reporting compliance: since drugs are generally marketed globally, the system should adhere to international adverse drug event reporting obligations.
• Streamlined case processing: Since adverse event management involves a lot of data, an advanced workflow that is in sync with differing case processing and one that is complaint with the reporting of all major regulatory agencies is important.

Optimal risk management: Risk management should be at the core of the system. It should allow the companies to monitor their products regularly and provide early identification of product risks.

Generally, an antidepressant is used as a psychiatric medication and is prescribed to patients to decrease clinical depression, which is also known as Dysthymia. Some of the anti-depressants that are commonly used are MAOIs, tricycles and SSRIs.

Medications to treat depression are considered as stimulants and not pharmacology. These are also used in case anxiety disorders, eating disorders, bipolar disorder and chronic pain as well. That is the reason why some of them call these medications as lifestyle drugs and/or mood enhancers. That is one of the reasons for various examinations and claims about the disadvantages and benefits of antidepressants.

When a person discontinues an anti-depressant, he suffers from sleeping disorder, dizziness, stomach upsets, and also nervousness. This is what is known as antidepressant discontinuation syndrome. Apart from these symptoms, various other symptoms are also observed. This syndrome is not very harmful. It disappears if cured properly within a week.

Suppose a person has stopped taking anti-depressants without consulting his doctor, he has to follow regular schedule and start taking the drugs again. But in case he has stopped taking medication for any specific purpose, then he first needs to consult his doctor before stopping the medication. Accordingly, the doctor will increase or decrease the dosage of the medication.

In order to prevent antidepressant discontinuation syndrome, doctors usually taper the medication gradually. This ensures that the patient does not suffer from any withdrawal symptoms. In addition, the patient should follow the guidelines set by the doctor. In case the patient wants to discontinue the medication, he must consult the doctor first. This way the patient and the doctor can be certain that there is no problem of addiction whatsoever.

Every one is aware that there is some percentage of poison in every medication. Still at times, we smile and bear the side effects just to get the benefits. Similarly, antidepressants also have equal number of side effects and advantages.

One of the most well known side effects caused by anti-depressants is dry mouth. One should drink enough of water to quench the thirst, and also chew sugarless to stimulate saliva in the mouth. This will not only help to get rid of the dry mouth, but also help in preventing caries and gum infections.

Another very common side effect is constipation. This can be taken care of by eating bran cereals, drinking at least 6 to 8 glasses of water and eating fresh vegetables. Eating salads twice a day and exercising for a minimum of 30 minutes also prevents constipation.

Bladder problem is usually caused by Tricyclic drugs in case the man suffers from an enlarged prostate. In case of delayed urination, one needs to consult the doctor. Blurred vision is one of the other common side effects of tricyclics. However, this side effect disappears on its own in a couple of weeks after the body adjusts to the medication. In case it does not, then you might have to change your glasses.

Dizziness is another complication created by tricyclics. This symptom can be considered the most dangerous as the risk of falling and injuring yourself is quite high. If the dizziness persists, the only solution is to stop taking that particular medication. When a patient is taking tricyclics, he is usually advised to sit and stand up slowly to avoid any sudden changes in blood pressure. In addition, the patient should eat enough salt and drink sufficient fluids.

Nearly every anti-depressant causes drowsiness except some of the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). It is suggested not to drive or operate any equipment that is dangerous when taking these medications.

What Chemical are you Eating?

Many many years ago the human race had very few cancers. You don’t have to go to the natural medicine college to figure that one out. Today however there is cancer after cancer after cancer. Is it the fact that humans are growing weaker, or are there more cancers suddenly popping up, or is it that we are slowing killing ourselves with chemicals, pesticides, heavy metals, artificial foods, enhancers and preservatives. I believe we all know the answer. We are consuming and surrounding ourselves with unnatural products and then wonder why things go wrong in the body.

On one’s sick bed, or if and when we get cancer, we say, if only there was something that I could have done to prevent it all. Well there is something that you can do, and it starts today. You can actually live a fun, full life - the healthy way and avoid ever getting these problems.

Eat healthy, whole foods that God intended for our bodies. Now this may surprise you, but natural foods grown from plants actually have sustaining, growth encouraging and healing properties. Choose the right combination of foods, and you can even avoid sickness. Sometimes we rely too heavily on medicine treatment.

Take note of the ingredients in foods (especially on the back of packaging). Look for preservatives, enhancers, un-natural salts and sugars / sweeteners. If they have numbers beside them, that is because the name is too big and too hard to explain. Examine each and every food ingredient to see if they put on big long names or number codes that don’t make any sense to the average person. Probably a good idea to avoid them, or at least make them foods that you eat once in a blue moon.

Consider your current status now. Are you on your way to have a major sickness or illness strike you in the not too distant future ? Try whole foods as natural medicines. You’ll be surprised, there is so much nutrition tied up in food that we are just not aware of. Most people make the mistake of thinking that if they ate a carrot last week, that they are perhaps eating healthy. It is not necessarily the foods you eat, but rather the combination of foods.

Coronary heart disease and its ensuing heart attacks have many risk factors identified by extensive research. Some of these factors are controllable, and some are not. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chances of suffering from a heart attack. Are you at risk? Below, read about five heart attack risk factors you can control.

Diabetes

Uncontrolled diabetes can lead to significant heart damage. If you have diabetes, make sure you eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and routinely take your medication prescribed by your doctor to control blood sugar levels.

Obesity/Physical inactivity

Get off the couch and move! A sedentary lifestyle lacking in sufficient exercise increases the chance for developing coronary heart disease. Regular exercise helps the heart and can also control obesity, blood cholesterol, and blood pressure, all of which add to your risk for having a heart attack. Studies have shown that high levels of body fat, especially around the waist, lead to an increased risk of developing heart disease. Extra weight increases the heart’s workload, so by losing as few as 10 pounds, you can lower your risk. Even just 30 minutes of exercise per day can be beneficial. Consult your doctor to ask about diet and exercise plans to help you reach a healthy weight.

Tobacco use

While stopping smoking is not easy, it is extremely important to your heart’s health, because cigarette smoking is a major cause of coronary heart disease. Indeed, smokers develop heart disease at two to four times the rate of nonsmokers. Cigarette smoking increases blood pressure and the blood’s tendency to clot and decreases good blood cholesterol. Exposure to other people’s tobacco smoke can also increase the risk, even in nonsmokers. More importantly, when smoking is combined with other factors, your chances of having a heart attack go up dramatically.

Psychosocial factors

Learning to control stress and the way you respond to it can be in important contributing factor to developing heart disease. Stress and anger may also influence other factors, because they may cause people to overeat, begin smoking or smoke more than usual, drink alcohol to excess, or turn to illegal drugs, all of which contribute to heart disease. While we all face stress in our daily lives, research shows that meditation, deep breathing exercises, massage, anger management, and other relaxation techniques can help you to better deal with those stresses.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol

High blood pressure overworks your heart, causing it to thicken and become stiffer. When combined with high blood cholesterol, obesity, smoking, or diabetes, the risk of heart attack increases. Animal fats (or saturated fats) found in red meat, dairy and fried foods can all contribute to high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Salt is another culprit. Look for healthier options. A low-sodium diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and grains along with medication can be useful in lowering high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. Also, incorporating foods containing plant sterols (for example, cholesterol-lowering margarine) can also help to lower blood cholesterol.

Unfortunately, heart disease usually exhibits no symptoms before a heart attack occurs; therefore, preventive screening is extremely important. Mobile screening companies offer easy, non-invasive tests to identify your risk of heart disease through determining if you have developed peripheral arterial disease, which leaves you four to six times more likely to die from a heart attack. Mobile screenings, usually held in local gyms, churches, or community centers, are extremely convenient, usually only taking a few minutes out of your busy day, and they can save your life.

In 2008, the FDA approved the use of the Endeavor Drug-Eluting Stent; this stent that has been changing the way narrowing coronary arteries are treated ever since then. This new stent provides a way for patients to be treated for this condition one time and not have to continue undergoing angioplasties each year - a problem that no one should have to deal with.

The Endeavor Drug-Eluting Stent works very simply; it has been referred to as acting as a sort of scaffolding that enables the blood vessels to be held open. Patients desiring to have the stent implanted undergo an angioplasty as to allow for the implantation. A catheter is used to insert a small balloon surrounded by a metal tube. When the balloon reaches the correct place, it is inflated, and the mesh attaches to the wall of the blood vessel. This mesh allows for the coronary arteries to be expanded.

An important benefit of this new stent is that it is coated with Zotarolimus, a medication that helps to prevent the artery from shrinking again once the new tissue begins to form. Preventing the arteries from shrinking back to their previous size in turn prevents the patient from needing to have another angioplasty done. The only negative to this medication is that it can cause blood clots. However, to prevent blood clots from forming, patients are prescribed blood thinners to be used for six to 12 months after implantation.

If you are suffering from narrowing coronary arteries and are in need of a stent, contact your healthcare provider today to find out if the Endeavor Drug-Eluting Stent would be a good option for you.

Many people choose to get a tummy tuck, to improve their body contours. A tummy tuck is not a weight loss solution, but can tighten the abdominal muscles and eliminate skin and fat and help you regain your figure after pregnancy or weight loss.

A candidate for a tummy tuck should be in good physical condition before getting the procedure. If you are a smoker, you should stop months before undergoing the procedure. In addition, you should get a physical from your regular doctor, before even getting a tummy tuck to make sure your body can withstand the procedure.

You should also plan for the costs of getting a tummy tuck. The costs of the surgery can depend on factors such as the region you live in, the complexity of the procedure and the equipment that your doctor uses. Most patients either use money from their savings or a credit card to fund their surgery. There are also doctors who work with plastic surgery finance companies to help patients finance their surgery.

Ordinarily, the procedure is not covered by insurance, however in the case of a hernia your insurance may cover the procedure. Make sure you look at your insurance policy to see if the procedure is covered. In addition, many plastic surgeons may need a letter from your insurance company stating that they will cover the procedure.

After deciding to get a tummy tuck, make sure you take your time and choose a plastic surgeon you can trust. Ask your friends or relatives if they have any recommendations for a plastic surgeon. After deciding a few plastic surgeons, go to their office for a consultation and make sure you ask plenty of questions.

How long have they have been performing as a plastic surgeon? Do they have any references that you can contact? In addition, ask the doctor if they have any before and after pictures that they would like to share with you.

On the day of the surgery, a doctor may administer local or general medication to the patient. The surgeon will then make a horizontal incision above the pubic area. The length of the incision will depend on the amount of skin that needs to be removed. Most of the time, the doctor will keep incisions within the bathing suit lines so that they are not visible.

Once the doctor places the incision, the doctor will eliminate the fat and close the incision. After any tummy tuck, the patient may have to stay in the hospital for a day to recuperate. Afterwards, the patient may feel sore and have some slight bruising in the affected area.

Make sure you follow all the directions from the doctor to minimize the likelihood of complications. Realize that your body may take a few weeks for you to see the full results of your surgery.

Many individuals get a tummy tuck to eliminate excess fat in their tummy area. If you are interested in the procedure, make sure you take your time and choose a plastic surgeon that you can trust.

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Bone marrow transplantation is sometimes difficult to practice due to lack of donors. Faced with this problem, researchers are testing another method, i.e., the transplantation of stem cells extracted from the umbilical cord of newborns. These immature cells are able to regenerate the bone marrow, and it is best when HLA (Human Leucocyte Antigen) compatibility is observed.

These immature cells decrease the graft rejection phenomenon. Moreover, their ability to proliferation is superior to adult bone marrow cells. Finally, it is a very important source because, until this, the umbilical cord was just a “waste”.

Many therapeutic advances, have been noted in children with leukemia, in the field of cord blood transplantation. In adults, this kind of transplant is also possible in some cases. Thousands have been done in the world until 2004, and even more currently.

This transplant which does not require absolute histocompatibility, allows to shorten the waiting time for transplantation, which may be very important in case of emergency (e.g., acute leukemias requiring immediate intervention), because often no compatible bone marrow samples are available readily.

Some studies are continuing in this field, because it would seem that perfect compatibility is not essential for a successful transplant, which gives great hope especially for patients with leukemia waiting for a compatible marrow.

Most diseases benefiting from the therapeutic input of stem cells are treated using bone marrow transplantation or cord blood stem cell transplant (i.e., placental blood). Transplants of Hematopoietic stem cells derived from umbilical cord blood are growing, because of the quite interesting properties characterizing this type of cells, i.e., their immunological immaturity and the advantage of providing a readily available source of cells.

BABINGTON’S DISEASE

Babington’s Disease is an autosomal dominant vascular dysplasia leading to telangiectases and arteriovenous malformations of skin, mucosa, and viscera. Epistaxis and gastrointestinal bleeding are frequent complications. Visceral involvement includes that of the lung, liver, and brain. It is commonly known today as hereditary hemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT Syndrome) or Osler-Rendu-Weber disease.

History of the name of the disease.

The syndrome was first described in 1864 by B.G. Babington who reported a family who had a tendency toward nosebleeds and gastrointestinal bleeding. A comprehensive report of the syndrome was made by Rendu in 1896. Two other physicians, Sir William Osier and Professor Weber were responsible for recognising the syndrome (thus the name Osler-Weber-Rendu Syndrome). The only previous report that Osler could find in 1901 was that of Rendu dated 1896. Because of his prominence as a physician and author of a textbook, Osler became associated with the disease. Weber described cases later as part of a life-long interest in angiomas and other vascular lesions. The name, although not chronologically accurate, is perhaps justified by the contribution to the nosology of the entity. In the interests of accuracy, my personal pride in the origins of Anglo-Irish medicine and the outstanding contribution of Guy’s past persona towards progress, I prefer for the interests of this column to remember all the disease after the physician who discovered it and whom it was first called after.

B.G Babington was born in 1794, the same year that Antoine Lavoisier, the father of modern chemistry was executed by guillotine by the leaders of the French Revolution. He was first educated at Charterhouse, later joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman. After he left the Navy, he joined the Indian Service and moved to the subcontinent where he became ill with cholera and had to return home. He studied medicine at Guy’s Hospital where his father William, was already a well-known physician and pharmacological lecturer. Of passing interest is the fact that on Sir Astley Cooper’s recommendation, the next lecturer was William Allen, a man obsessed with the purity and quality of the supplies he used for teaching the chemical aspects of medicine. He later became founder of the drug firm of Allen and Hanburys and one of his first products was improved sources of quinine-containing Peruvian bark used to treat intractable fevers.

Babington became interested in clotting problems and suggested in the 1820’s that fibrin had to be formed in the blood from a soluble precursor. In 1820, as Danish physicist Hans Oersted was busy discovering that a wire conducting an electric current produces a magnetic field, Babington was occupied inventing the glottiscope, an instrument to examine the larynx. He is remembered as the first person to perform indirect laryngoscpopy. In 1834, he was appointed physician at Guy’s, ahead of Thomas Hodgkin’s (Hodgkins Disease). Although it was widely reported at the time that Hodgkins was disfavoured because of his liberal tendencies towards immigrants and native aboriginals there is certainly another explanation. Babington’s father was a physician in the hospital and his sister was married to Richard Bright, (Bright’s Disease) the first physician to describe nephritis. In the end it didn’t matter, as it was a period of acrimony between Guy’s and St. Thomas’s resulting in the transfer of many famous people including Sir Astley Cooper and in 1854, Babington became frustrated and resigned his post.

He was annoyed that medical students were not allowed to have full access to the patients in the hospital. He died in 1866, from the complications of renal disease. It was the same year that the Fenian Brotherhood, an organization of Irish-Americans, planned to capture Canada and hold it until Britain agreed to free Ireland.