RE: Cycling and the use of anti-inflammatory triamcinolone
A certain well-known cyclist has been accused of crossing an ethical line, not of breaking any rules, just of not being as moralistic as politicians would expect. In the words of Mick Jagger back in the 1960s: “We do have morals, they’re just not the same as yours”.
The cyclist has been accused of being dosing up on triamcinolone. It’s a corticosteroid (which is an anti-inflammatory agent). This compound does not work like anabolic steroids which are more usually talked about as the bodybuilding drugs in the context of sport).
So, what is the supposed enhancement to sporting performance of this dru...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - March 5, 2018 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Science Source Type: blogs
Knowing when to screen … and when to quit
Follow me on Twitter @RobShmerling
Let us sing the praises of good medical screening tests.
These are the tests that can detect medical problems before they become untreatable and before they cause complications or even death. Even better are those screening tests that detect “predisease” — abnormalities that aren’t dangerous on their own but can lead to problems later.
According to the US Preventive Services Task Force, relatively few screening tests are considered good enough to routinely recommend for adults, including
mammography for breast cancer (women)
Pap smear for cervical cancer (women)
bone density test...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - March 1, 2018 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Robert H. Shmerling, MD Tags: Cancer Health Prevention Screening Source Type: blogs
Teva Releases First Breath Activated Asthma Inhaler in U.S.
Traditional corticosteroid inhalers for management of asthma symptoms require patients to squeeze and inhale in a coordinated maneuver. This is surprisingly difficult for many patients who end up receiving sub-optimal treatment. Teva Pharmaceutical, Israel’s big pharma firm, is now releasing in the RediHaler, the first breath-activated corticosteroid inhaler available in the U.S.
The RediHaler device doesn’t require any shaking or priming and comes with 120 doses per inhaler, the status of which can be checked via a visible counter. Two dosage strengths are available, 40 mcg and 80 mcg.
To use the device, the ...
Source: Medgadget - February 12, 2018 Category: Medical Devices Authors: Editors Tags: Cardiology Medicine Source Type: blogs
Does asthma drug boost athleticism?
If you’re an athlete taking the WADA allowed 1600 micrograms of salbumatol each day that’s the equivalent of 16 doses from a standard metered dose inhaler. If you’re taking so much that it leads to you failing a drug test, then you have serious problems. Most lay people take two doses at a time to relieve symptoms, such as chest tightness, coughing, wheezing and breathlessness, so that’s still using the stuff 8 times a day.
I wonder though, whether you are an athlete or not, if you need to take that much bronchodilator each day to get relief and a decent peak flow rate, then it’s odd that you...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - December 13, 2017 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Science Source Type: blogs
Does asthma drug even boost athleticism?
If you’re an athlete taking the WADA allowed 1600 micrograms of salbumatol each day that’s the equivalent of 16 doses from a standard metered dose inhaler. If you’re taking so much that it leads to you failing a drug test, then you have serious problems. Most lay people take two doses at a time to relieve symptoms, such as chest tightness, coughing, wheezing and breathlessness, so that’s still using the stuff 8 times a day.
I wonder though, whether you are an athlete or not, if you need to take that much bronchodilator each day to get relief and a decent peak flow rate, then it’s odd that you...
Source: David Bradley Sciencebase - Songs, Snaps, Science - December 13, 2017 Category: Science Authors: David Bradley Tags: Science Source Type: blogs
How Long Does Shingles Last In The Elderly?
View Original Article Here: How Long Does Shingles Last In The Elderly?
Shingles is a viral infection that follows a varicella-zoster infection, although it can take decades for symptoms of the secondary disease to emerge. The condition presents as a painful and blistering rash, but it is not life-threatening.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are nearly one million cases in the United States each year, and almost half of those cases are in older adults over age 60. Some people only see one instance of the illness, while others have recurring symptoms, but 30 percent of Americans will develop shingles at s...
Source: Shield My Senior - December 8, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Vin Tags: Senior Safety Source Type: blogs
How Long Does Shingles Last In The Elderly?
Shingles is a viral infection that follows a varicella-zoster infection, although it can take decades for symptoms of the secondary disease to emerge. The condition presents as a painful and blistering rash, but it is not life-threatening.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are nearly one million cases in the United States each year, and almost half of those cases are in older adults over age 60. Some people only see one instance of the illness, while others have recurring symptoms, but 30 percent of Americans will develop shingles at some point in their lifetime.
Duration of Shingles: Timeline of the Viru...
Source: Shield My Senior - December 8, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Vin Tags: Senior Safety Source Type: blogs
How Long Does Shingles Last In The Elderly?
View Original Article Here: How Long Does Shingles Last In The Elderly?
Shingles is a viral infection that follows a varicella-zoster infection, although it can take decades for symptoms of the secondary disease to emerge. The condition presents as a painful and blistering rash, but it is not life-threatening.
According to the Center for Disease Control, there are nearly one million cases in the United States each year, and almost half of those cases are in older adults over age 60. Some people only see one instance of the illness, while others have recurring symptoms, but 30 percent of Americans will develop shingles at s...
Source: Shield My Senior - December 8, 2017 Category: Geriatrics Authors: Vin Tags: Senior Safety Source Type: blogs
Losing (and Regaining) Your Grip
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful and persistent problem that can be transient or chronic. The syndrome is caused by overuse of the elbow, although not always caused by one too many games of tennis.Lateral epicondylitis is an inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow. Overused and abused tendons can be damaged or even destroyed. Performing the same repetitive motions over and over again can irritate and annoy the tendons, resulting in severe pain, tenderness, and even inability to use the affected extremity.Many treatments are available for latera...
Source: The Procedural Pause - August 1, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
Losing (and Regaining) Your Grip
Tennis elbow, also known as lateral epicondylitis, is a painful and persistent problem that can be transient or chronic. The syndrome is caused by overuse of the elbow, although not always caused by one too many games of tennis.Lateral epicondylitis is an inflammation of the tendons that join the forearm muscles to the outside of the elbow. Overused and abused tendons can be damaged or even destroyed. Performing the same repetitive motions over and over again can irritate and annoy the tendons, resulting in severe pain, tenderness, and even inability to use the affected extremity.Many treatments are available for latera...
Source: The Procedural Pause - August 1, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
Taming the pain of sciatica: For most people, time heals and less is more
Despite being a less common cause of low back pain, sciatica is still something I regularly see as a general internist. Primary care doctors can and should manage sciatica, because for most individuals the body can fix the problem. My job is to help manage the pain while the body does its job. When a person’s symptoms don’t improve, I discuss the role of surgery or an injection to speed things up.
What is sciatica?
Sciatica refers to pain caused by the sciatic nerve that carries messages from the brain down the spinal cord to the legs. The pain of sciatica typically radiates down one side from the lower back into the l...
Source: Harvard Health Blog - July 12, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Steven J. Atlas, MD, MPH Tags: Back Pain Health Pain Management Source Type: blogs
‘Out-the-Door’ v. ‘Kitchen-Sink’ Asthma Management
Are you one of those clinicians who frequently finds himself frustrated with asthma patients who improve to a point but not enough to discharge home? Even though this has to be a common problem, no one seems to talk or write much about it. I was feeling deeply frustrated about these patients, and it led me to serious clinical introspection. Why does everyone write about the crashing asthma patient, but hardly anyone addresses the problematic patient with improving but recalcitrant bronchospasm?Most articles typically cover every available therapeutic option, including the proverbial “kitchen sink” for managing sever...
Source: M2E Too! Mellick's Multimedia EduBlog - June 1, 2017 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
DIY Healthcare
Through my new book, Undoctored: Why Health Care Has Failed You and How You Can Become Smarter Than Your Doctor, I am launching a movement I call “DIY Healthcare”–health you regain on your own using natural and inexpensive efforts. And you do so WITHOUT the doctor, without the hospital, without the predatory, profit-seeking tactics of the healthcare industry.
Doctors will warn you that DIY Healthcare is dangerous. But, as you get acquainted with this concept and the details provided in the Undoctored book, you will come to realize that not only is DIY Healthcare not dangerous, but you can achieve a level...
Source: Wheat Belly Blog - May 15, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Dr. Davis Tags: Undoctored doctors drugs health healthcare natural procedures Source Type: blogs
Even short term use of oral steroids (less than 30 days) linked to increased risk of severe infection (sepsis), blood clots and fracture
One in five American adults in a commercially insured plan were given prescriptions for short term use of oral corticosteroids during a three year period, with an associated increased risk of adverse events. Of 1.5 million adults, 21% received at least 1 prescription for oral corticosteroids over 3 period.The most commonindications for use were:- upper respiratory tract infections- spinal conditions- allergies.Within 30 days of drug initiation, there wasan increase in rates of:- sepsis- venous thromboembolism- fractureRisk over the subsequent 31 –90 days.The increased risk persisted at prednisone equivalent doses of less...
Source: Clinical Cases and Images - Blog - May 8, 2017 Category: Universities & Medical Training Tags: Allergy Infectious Diseases Pulmonology Source Type: blogs
