Beta-Blockers For High Blood Pressure: Types, Side Effects, Drug Interactions
Conclusion In conclusion, beta-blockers serve as an indispensable tool in the realm of modern medical treatment, particularly in managing a broad range of cardiovascular conditions. Their unique mechanism of action, which includes decreasing heart rate and blood pressure, confers a significant cardio-protective effect. This, combined with their versatility and the extensive clinical experience with their use, has cemented beta-blockers as a first-line treatment for various conditions, from hypertension and heart failure to anxiety and migraines. Although beta-blockers present unique benefits, it’s crucial...
Source: The EMT Spot - July 24, 2023 Category: Emergency Medicine Authors: Michael Rotman, MD, FRCPC, PhD Tags: Blood Pressure Source Type: blogs

Prescription Drugs That Block Weight Loss
A number of drugs prescribed to treat common conditions, such as hypertension, allergies, depression, inflammation, and diabetes, block your ability to lose weight. Several of these drugs actually cause weight gain, and most doctors fail to inform their patients of such side effects. Among the drugs that block weight loss are: Beta-blockers: metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, and propranolol  Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin, paroxetine (Paxil), trazodone, and others Steroids: prednisone and hydrocortisone (but not inhaled or nasal steroids for allergies) Antihistamines: diphenhydr...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 7, 2019 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates blood sugar drugs failed weight loss fatigue weight loss hypertension insulin prescription drugs undoctored wheat belly Wheat Belly Total Health Source Type: blogs

Medications That Can Cause Depression
There is nothing more frustrating than when the cure is part of the problem. Because depression is prevalent in patients with physical disorders like cancer, stroke, and heart disease, medications often interact with each other, complicating treatment. To appropriately manage depression, you and your physician need to evaluate all medications involved and make sure they aren’t cancelling each other out. A review in the journal Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience a while back highlighted certain medications that can cause depression. The following are medications to watch out for. Medications to Treat Seizures and Parkinso...
Source: World of Psychology - March 31, 2019 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Therese J. Borchard Tags: Depression Medications Drug Interactions Mood Disorder Source Type: blogs

The 4 Physiologic Etiologies of Shock, and the 3 Etiologies of Cardiogenic Shock
A 60-something presented with hypotension, bradycardia, chest pain and back pain.She had a h/o aortic aneurysm, aortic insufficiency, peripheral vascular disease, and hypertension.  She had a mechanical aortic valve.  She was on anti-hypertensives including atenolol, and on coumadin, with an INR of 2.3. She was ill appearing.  BP was 70/49, pulse 60.A bedside echo showed good ejection fraction and normal right ventricle and no pericardial fluid. Here is the initial ECG:What do you think?This ECG actually looks like a left main occlusion (which rarely presents to the ED alive):  ST Elevation in...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - November 30, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs

Arrhythmia? Ischemia? Both? Electricity, drugs, lytics, cath lab? You decide.
Written by Pendell Meyers with edits by Steve SmithA male in his 60s presented with off and on shortness of breath and chest pressure over the past few days. He was hypertensive and tachycardic, with mildly increased work of breathing. Here is his initial ECG:What do you think? What will you do for this patient? How many problems does he have?When the team saw this ECG, we obviously noticed the large STE in the inferior leads, with STD in V1-V5, I, and aVL, and STE in V6. However we also noticed that the rhythm is rapid, regular, and narrow, with no P-waves, at a rate of approximately 200 bpm, and therefore not sinus ...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - November 26, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Pendell Source Type: blogs

Live the Wheat Belly lifestyle, get off prescription medications
Take a look at the list of medications people have been able to stop by following the Wheat Belly lifestyle. These represent medications prescribed by doctors to, in effect, “treat” the consequences of consuming wheat and grains. They prescribe drugs to treat inflammation, swelling, skin rashes, gastrointestinal irritation, high blood sugars, airway allergy, joint pain, high blood pressure, leg edema and other abnormal effects caused by wheat and grains. The list includes anti-inflammatory and pain medication, acid reflux drugs, injectable and oral drugs for diabetes, numerous anti-hypertensive agents, asthma i...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - October 27, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: News & Updates autoimmune blood sugar bowel flora cholesterol Gliadin gluten-free grain-free grains Inflammation undoctored Weight Loss wheat belly Source Type: blogs

Addiction Abuse
Hardly a day goes by without a report in the press about some new addiction. There are warnings about addiction to  coffee. Popular psychology publications talk of “extreme sports addiction. ” Some news reports even alert us to the perils of chocolate addiction. One gets the impression that life is awash in threats of addiction. People tend to equate the word “addiction” with “abuse.” Ironically, “addiction” is a subject of abuse.The American Society of Addiction Medicine  defines addiction as a “chronic disease of brain reward, motivation, memory and related circuitry…characterized by the inabilit...
Source: Cato-at-liberty - September 13, 2018 Category: American Health Authors: Jeffrey A. Singer Source Type: blogs

Depression: Common medication side effect?
This study is especially thought-provoking, given that more and more people are taking medications with depression or suicidal thoughts as possible side effects. The CDC just released updated data showing a troubling recent rise in suicide rates, and that 54% of those who die from suicide do not have a known mental health disorder, so this is an important public health issue. That said, it is important to note: in this study, people who used these medications were more likely to be widowed and have chronic health problems, both of which are associated with a higher risk of depression. And many (but not all) of these medica...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 16, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Monique Tello, MD, MPH Tags: Anxiety and Depression Drugs and Supplements Health Source Type: blogs

Might Depression Be Linked to One of These Popular Medications?
If you’re taking beta blockers, certain kinds of anxiety drugs, certain types of painkillers (including ibuprofen), proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (used to treat acid reflux), ACE inhibitors (used to treat high blood pressure), or anti-convulsant drugs, you may be at greater risk for depression. That’s according to a new, large-scale study published earlier this week in JAMA. However, this was a correlational study, so it can’t say that these medications actually cause depression or not. It may be that people with greater health problems are more likely to take one of these medications and be depressed abo...
Source: World of Psychology - June 15, 2018 Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: John M. Grohol, Psy.D. Tags: Depression General Medications Psychiatry Research Drugs cause depression popular medications Source Type: blogs

Zero tolerance for low blood pressure
Just as we have zero tolerance for hypoglycemia in the Wheat Belly lifestyle, we also have zero tolerance for hypotension, or low blood pressure (BP). Follow the Wheat Belly lifestyle free of ciabattas, penne pasta, and tortellini, and blood sugars plummet. If you are injecting insulin or taking other diabetes drugs, hypoglycemia is a risk and can be dangerous, resulting in loss of consciousness and injury. We therefore urge everyone to talk to their doctor about discontinuing or reducing insulin and diabetes drugs immediately upon starting the Wheat Belly lifestyle. Unfortunately, the majority of doctors don’t under...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 8, 2018 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Wheat Belly Lifestyle blood pressure blood sugar BP gluten-free grain-free grains health hypertension hypertensive Source Type: blogs

MKSAP: 38-year-old woman with a HbA1c value of 9.1%
Test your medicine knowledge with the MKSAP challenge, in partnership with the American College of Physicians. A 38-year-old woman is evaluated after laboratory study results show an HbA1c value of 9.1%. Her HbA1c goal is less than 7% because she has high function, long life expectancy, few comorbidities, good support, health literacy, and access to care. Medical history is significant for morbid obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Family history is notable for her mother, sister, and brother with type 2 diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. Medications are insulin glargine ...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - September 2, 2017 Category: General Medicine Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/mksap" rel="tag" > mksap < /a > Tags: Conditions Diabetes Endocrinology Primary Care Source Type: blogs

Atrial fibrillation with RVR: use POCUS to assess volume; then sinus vs. SVT: use of Lewis leads
An elderly man with a history of diabetes and HTN presented with lethargy and weakness, decreased urine output, and hypotension. There was no history of any GI bleeding or other hemorrhage. There was no fever. He had no CP or SOB, and it was unknown if there was a previous history of atrial fib. He was on atenolol, but it was not known if this was simply for hypertension, or for atrial fib.He was not anti coagulated.Blood pressures ranged from 83/45 to 125/83, lower than usual. HR ranged from 110 to 145.He had an ECG recorded upon arrival:There is atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular respon...
Source: Dr. Smith's ECG Blog - August 9, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Steve Smith Source Type: blogs

The need for pharmacy electives in the medical school curriculum
I spent one year working full-time as a pharmacy technician at a high-volume community pharmacy prior to entering medical school. Besides learning the intricacies of billing and the dispensing process, I was granted personal access into a world nearly all patients, but few providers are aware of.  At the time my job was just that: a job. There were fun perks like counting pills in multiples of five and visualizing the different colors and sizes of capsules and tablets I had never come across before. But it wasn’t until medical school that I began to fully appreciate my pharmacy knowledge. Our school has a free student-r...
Source: Kevin, M.D. - Medical Weblog - December 21, 2016 Category: Journals (General) Authors: < a href="http://www.kevinmd.com/blog/post-author/sarayna-schock" rel="tag" > Sarayna Schock < /a > Tags: Meds Medical school Medications Source Type: blogs

Are these prescription drugs preventing your weight loss?
A number of drugs prescribed to treat common conditions, such as hypertension, allergies, depression, inflammation, and diabetes, block your ability to lose weight. Several of these drugs actually cause weight gain, and most doctors fail to inform their patients of such side effects. Among the drugs that block weight loss are: Beta-blockers: metoprolol, atenolol, carvedilol, and propranolol  Antidepressants: amitriptyline (Elavil), nortriptyline (Pamelor), doxepin, paroxetine (Paxil), trazodone, and others Steroids: prednisone and hydrocortisone (but not inhaled or nasal steroids for allergies) Antihistamines: diphenhydr...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - September 13, 2016 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Depression Dr. Davis Drugs and wheat Nutritional supplements Weight loss Wheat Belly Wheat Belly Lifestyle Wheat Belly Total Health Wheat-Free Lifestyle anxiety Source Type: blogs