Baby boomer women 'drinking heavily'

Problem drinking among the young may be declining, but those over 50 are drinking more - and taking more drugs. say researchers.

Baby boomers are suffering the effects of easy access to cheap alcohol, experts say

More and more women over 50 are drinking heavily, prompting fears for their health, experts have said.

While risky drinking is in decline among other age groups, there is a "strong upward trend for episodic heavy drinking" among baby boomers.

Rahul Rao, visiting researcher at the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Ann Roche, director of the National Centre for Training and Addiction at Flinders University in Australia, have published their research in The British Medical Journal.

They were particularly concerned about women whose drinking is prompted by retirement, bereavement, change in home situation or social isolation.

"Alcohol misuse in the older population may increase further as baby boomers get older because of their more liberal views towards, and higher use of, alcohol," the researchers wrote.

"A lack of sound alcohol screening to detect risky drinking may result in a greater need for treatment, longer duration of treatment, heavier use of ambulance services, and higher rates of hospital admission."

Professor Sir Ian Gilmore, chairman of the Alcohol Health Alliance UK, said that, while much had been made of a decline in youth drinking, not enough attention had been paid to the growing problem among older people.

He said: "The over 50s have seen a time when alcohol has become increasingly affordable and have been bombarded with sophisticated alcohol marketing messages telling them they can't live a fulfilling life unless alcohol is at the centre of it.

"What they haven't been told is that alcohol is linked to over 200 types of illness and injury, including seven types of cancer.

"If we are to turn the tide of alcohol harm we need measures which tackle the affordability, availability and promotion of alcohol, starting with the introduction of a minimum unit price which would reduce rates of death, illness and hospital admission numbers caused by alcohol."

Katherine Brown, director of the Institute of Alcohol Studies, said: "This is the first generation in living memory that has had easy access to cheap alcohol in shops and supermarkets and now we are seeing the consequences in later life.

"We need to take stock of this situation and prevent future generations from developing alcohol problems in older age through price increases and stricter controls on alcohol promotions."

Mr Rao and Ms Roche also warned that doctors will need extra skills to cope with a "rapidly growing problem" of drug misuse among baby boomers.

They said doctors would need "improved knowledge and skills" in assessing and treating older people at risk of misusing opiate prescription drugs, cannabis, and, increasingly, gabapentinoid drugs used to treat neuropathic pain and anxiety.

Is A Fitness Downside to Statin Drugs?

Taking ldl cholesterol-reducing statin pills appeared to make exercise more tough and much less beneficial, a new look at in mice shows. Mice aren't human beings, obviously, however the observe does improve interesting questions about whether or not and the way statins may affect physical health in anybody.

Inside the experiment, statins had been very powerful in lowering cholesterol levels. However animals moved less if they had been taking statins than if they were now not taking the medicine. And when they did move, mice on statins developed fewer wonderful bodily adjustments inside their muscles than animals that have been now not given the drugs.

Statins are already one of the most widely prescribed drugs on earth, and their use is possibly to grow still greater in coming years. Last november, in an article published in jama, a group of scientists proposed that any adult past the age of forty with even a single chance factor for cardiovascular ailment begin taking a statin that allows you to lessen his or her chance of eventually developing heart disorder.

However statins are not with out dangers. They have been observed to boom the hazard for kind 2 diabetes. They also can bring about muscle aches and fatigue. In a few studies of humans taking statins, as many as 20 percent record good sized muscle ache, with the incidence rising even higher among folks who exercise whilst taking statins.

Such muscular pain and fatigue may be specifically consequential if they result in human beings being much less active. Different research suggest that cardio fitness, which depends to a massive diploma on how a good deal human beings move, may be a better predictor of existence span and even of dangers for coronary heart disorder than levels of cholesterol.

However many questions stay unanswered about how statins affect someone’s willingness and capacity to workout and additionally whether or not workout whilst on statins exacerbates any muscular issues.

So for the new examine, which was published in december in plos one, researchers on the university of illinois at urbana-champaign got down to systematically examine what happens to mice, animals that evidently love to run, in the event that they commenced taking statins.

The mice they chose to use had been bred to develop extremely excessive levels of cholesterol. (they used only male mice in this test, because the girl reproductive cycle can have an effect on cholesterol and pastime ranges. The scientists desire to take a look at ladies in later research.)

At the start of the test, the scientists checked the animals’ modern cholesterol profiles, as well as their capability to dangle horizontally to a wall while being lightly tugged, a widespread way to decide muscular electricity and health. The scientists extensively utilized light electrical stimulation to measure how speedy the animals’ massive leg muscle tissues grew tired and not able to settlement, and that they executed tissue biopsies to gauge the underlying, mobile fitness of the muscle mass themselves.

Then the animals were assigned to an expansion of businesses.

Some have been injected with a statin drug, whilst others, serving as controls, were given a shot of salt water.

Some of the animals in each of these groups then were given get entry to to strolling wheels and allowed to exercise as they selected. Typical in their species, they all started out out enthusiastically walking, at the same time as the researchers tracked their mileage.

Others had been not given jogging wheels and remained sedentary throughout the examine.

After a month, the researchers repeated the tests from the study’s begin.

As could be expected, the animals on statins had lower levels of cholesterol now, not like the unmedicated mice, whether or not they exercised or no longer.

However the animals on statins also had spoke back to workout pretty in a different way than the alternative mice.

Maximum distinctly, they had run far fewer miles, with their interest ranges consistently declining during the experiment.

In addition they had lost grip energy, which, in keeping with the observe authors, can suggest no longer only muscle weakness however also pain or tenderness; in impact, if muscle tissues ache, it hurts to try and keep on.

Their large leg muscle mass also fatigued plenty earlier than the muscular tissues of walking animals no longer on statins.

Curiously, those statin-associated muscular problems have been no greater among the runners than many of the sedentary animals taking statins, the researchers discovered. Exercise itself had not made the muscle aches and fatigue worse.

However the statins had blunted a number of the expected exercising effects under the pores and skin, it became out. The runners now not taking statins had advanced large muscle fibers, in addition to ideal modifications inner muscle cells that caused more green manufacturing of electricity. They were more fit, at a cell stage.

Inside the runners taking statins, in the meantime, muscle fiber length had now not improved as an awful lot and cells had been slightly more efficient than on the start.

Whether those medicated mice were much less muscularly healthful because they had run less than the other mice or due to the fact the statins had come what may without delay made their muscle mass less in shape is not possible to tell from this look at, says marni boppart, a professor of body structure at the college of illinois who oversaw the experiment.

The take a look at additionally manifestly involved mice, no longer people.

But the effects are well worth bearing in thoughts in case you are taking statins or are advised to begin taking them.

“the outcomes from this take a look at endorse that statins may additionally lessen the choice to take part in a voluntary or prescribed exercise training program,” dr. Boppart says.

So speak on your medical doctor at period about the probably blessings and disadvantages of statins, she says, and let your doctor realize in case your muscle mass hurt otherwise you discover your self skipping exercises after starting the drug.

Is it true that prolonged use of Lipitor-type drugs can cause diabetes?

It’s actual. All medicines have side results, and severa research have shown that cholesterol-lowering statin tablets are linked to a small boom in the threat of type 2 diabetes, while they reduce the threat of coronary heart attacks.

The higher the dose of a statin, the extra the diabetes threat, said dr. Eric topol, director of the scripps translational technological know-how institute and chief academic officer at scripps health. However many coronary heart docs, which includes dr. Mary norine walsh, president-go with of the yankee college of cardiology, say situation approximately diabetes ought to now not deter patients from taking statins “in case you fall into the higher danger class” for coronary heart sickness.

Then again, a person who has in no way had coronary heart ailment and who has high cholesterol but no other threat elements is less in all likelihood to derive gain from a statin drug at the same time as still facing the hazard of diabetes, dr. Topol said, adding, “there you've got a totally tight gain-to-threat ratio.”

The meals and drug administration up to date its advisory about statins in 2012 to encompass warnings approximately the marginally expanded chance of better blood sugars and type 2 diabetes, primarily based in element on two huge analyses of earlier studies that controlled for diabetes risk elements like being overweight or being older. One found a nine percent increase within the threat of diabetes amongst statin customers, and the other a 12 percent growth, with a extra risk for the ones on extensive as opposed to mild doses of the medication.

Can Statins Cause Diabetes?

The 2012 f.D.A. Advisory additionally warns of other aspect results of statins, along with muscle harm, rare instances of liver harm and reports of memory loss and confusion.

“you and your medical doctor want to be aware of dangers,” stated dr. Walsh, and you can need to be assessed for diabetes. But she said, “it isn't always a reason no longer to take a statin in case you fall into the higher hazard category. The general benefit of statins for individuals who want them because of their cardiovascular threat a ways exceeds the danger of diabetes.”

Do Statins Cause Erectile Dysfunction?

Erectile dysfunction (ed) is a situation marked by using the incapability to acquire or keep an erection. The threat increases with age, affecting 12 percentage of men beneath 60, 22 percentage of men among 60 and sixty nine, and 30 percent of men over 70, in line with the country wide institute of diabetes and digestive and kidney diseases (niddk).

Sure conditions, inclusive of melancholy and low testosterone, are feasible causes of ed. There has even been debate that statins — a popular type of ldl cholesterol medicinal drug — can every now and then be responsible.

While researchers have regarded into the opportunity of statins as a motive for ed, different evidence has cautioned otherwise. The identical 2014 have a look at located that over the years, ed definitely stepped forward amongst men who were taking statins for high ldl cholesterol.

Moreover, the niddk says that clogged arteries can cause ed. If your medical doctor prescribes statins to take away plaque in the arteries, it is able to no longer be the medicine inflicting issues. Rather, the clogged arteries themselves can be the reason.

Blocked blood vessels (atherosclerosis) can also cause ed. It may be a sign of destiny coronary heart issues. In truth, a 2011 report found that ed is on occasion a warning signal that a patient may want to have a coronary heart assault or stroke inside the next five years.

Statins and Your Sex Life For Better Life

The technology on statins and sexual function is inconclusive, however it does seem that taking a statin may also occasionally have an effect on someone’s intercourse existence.

On the plus side, some men document progressed erections when their excessive ldl cholesterol became treated with statins, stated dr. Steven nissen, chairman of the department of cardiology on the cleveland clinic. It's far practicable that lowering ldl cholesterol improves the characteristic of the cells that line blood vessels, which can help erectile function, he stated.

But a 2008 report from the college of california, san diego, tells a unique story. Researchers looked at statin use and sexual characteristic in 1,000 males and females, 1/2 of whom have been given a statin and half of whom took a placebo. Over all, guys on statins were approximately two times as in all likelihood as those taking placebos to document that their ability to acquire orgasm had emerge as “truly worse” or “an awful lot worse.”

Dr. Beatrice golomb, a professor on the university of california, san diego, scientific college, who helped behavior that study, says docs don’t always take patients seriously after they communicate about aspect consequences, sexual or otherwise. In other studies, dr. Golomb observed that once patients complained approximately the maximum usually identified facet consequences of statins, their docs denied the possibility of a connection extra than 1/2 the time.

Clinical issues that lead to a statin prescription may also be in charge for adjustments in sexual function, stated dr. Natan bar-chama, director of male reproductive medicinal drug at mount sinai health center in big apple. Statins are typically prescribed for humans with ailments inclusive of diabetes or heart disease, which could motive erectile disorder. If the underlying sickness improves while a person takes statins, then erectile feature is possibly to enhance as properly, he said.

At the flip side, statins can motive side effects along with fatigue and muscle weak spot. All of us with the ones situations could be more likely to go through sexual problems, he said.

Due to the fact the technological know-how on statins and sexual function is so inconclusive, dr. Golomb stated, patients who do observe sexual problems have to speak to their medical doctors approximately whether the possibly advantages of statins are really worth the trade-off. Research has certainly shown that men under 70 with pre-existing coronary heart disorder live longer if they take statins, but the advantages are much less clear for girls, the ones without disorder and people over 70, she said.

“doctors want to be informed about and conscious of affected person issues,” dr. Golomb said. “make certain you've got a medical doctor who listens to you.”

A Fitness Downside to Statin Drugs?

Taking cholesterol-lowering statin pills appeared to make exercise extra tough and much less beneficial, a new examine in mice suggests. Mice are not human beings, glaringly, however the have a look at does boost exciting questions about whether and the way statins might affect bodily fitness in everybody.

In the experiment, statins had been very powerful in reducing levels of cholesterol. But animals moved much less in the event that they had been taking statins than if they have been not taking the drugs. And after they did circulate, mice on statins evolved fewer high-quality physical adjustments within their muscle tissue than animals that had been no longer given the drugs.

Statins are already one of the most extensively prescription drugs on the earth, and their use is in all likelihood to develop nevertheless extra in coming years. Ultimate november, in an editorial posted in jama, a collection of scientists proposed that any adult beyond the age of forty with even a single hazard factor for cardiovascular ailment start taking a statin for you to reduce his or her chance of sooner or later growing heart disorder.

If implemented widely, that advice could vastly increase the number of humans using the medication.

However statins aren't with out risks. They have been observed to increase the hazard for kind 2 diabetes. They also can bring about muscle aches and fatigue. In some research of human beings taking statins, as many as 20 percent document enormous muscle pain, with the incidence rising even higher among folks that exercise whilst taking statins.

Such muscular soreness and fatigue could be in particular consequential in the event that they result in people being less energetic. Other research suggest that cardio fitness, which depends to a huge diploma on how much humans circulate, may be a better predictor of life span and even of risks for coronary heart sickness than levels of cholesterol.

However many questions stay unanswered approximately how statins affect someone’s willingness and capability to exercising and also whether exercise at the same time as on statins exacerbates any muscular issues.

So for the brand new observe, which was published in december in plos one, researchers at the university of illinois at urbana-champaign got down to systematically look at what occurs to mice, animals that naturally love to run, if they began taking statins.

The mice they chose to apply have been bred to broaden extremely high cholesterol levels. (they used only male mice on this test, since the woman reproductive cycle can have an effect on cholesterol and pastime ranges. The scientists desire to take a look at girls in later studies.)

At the start of the experiment, the scientists checked the animals’ cutting-edge cholesterol profiles, as well as their capacity to dangle horizontally to a wall while being gently tugged, a fashionable manner to decide muscular electricity and health. The scientists extensively utilized light electrical stimulation to measure how quickly the animals’ large leg muscular tissues grew worn-out and unable to settlement, and they accomplished tissue biopsies to gauge the underlying, cell fitness of the muscle tissue themselves.

Then the animals were assigned to a selection of companies.

Some were injected with a statin drug, whilst others, serving as controls, were given a shot of salt water.

Some of the animals in each of these organizations then had been given access to running wheels and allowed to exercising as they selected. Common of their species, all of them commenced out enthusiastically running, even as the researchers tracked their mileage.

Others were no longer given running wheels and remained sedentary for the duration of the look at.

After a month, the researchers repeated the assessments from the take a look at’s start.

As might be predicted, the animals on statins had lower levels of cholesterol now, in contrast to the unmedicated mice, whether they exercised or now not.

However the animals on statins additionally had replied to exercise quite in a different way than the other mice.

Maximum pretty, that they had run a ways fewer miles, with their hobby levels consistently declining at some stage in the experiment.In addition they had lost grip energy, which, in step with the look at authors, can imply now not only muscle weakness but additionally pain or tenderness; in effect, if muscle mass ache, it hurts to try to keep on.

Their huge leg muscle tissues also fatigued a lot in advance than the muscular tissues of going for walks animals not on statins.

Curiously, these statin-associated muscular problems had been no extra a few of the runners than some of the sedentary animals taking statins, the researchers located. Exercise itself had now not made the muscle aches and fatigue worse.

But the statins had blunted some of the predicted exercise consequences underneath the skin, it became out. The runners not taking statins had evolved large muscle fibers, as well as desirable changes inside muscle cells that caused extra efficient production of power. They have been more healthy, at a mobile level.

Inside the runners taking statins, in the meantime, muscle fiber length had no longer extended as a great deal and cells had been barely greater efficient than on the begin.

Whether these medicated mice had been less muscularly healthful because they'd run much less than the opposite mice or because the statins had someway without delay made their muscle groups much less match is impossible to tell from this observe, says marni boppart, a professor of body structure at the college of illinois who oversaw the test.

The examine also glaringly worried mice, not humans.

However the results are well worth bearing in mind in case you are taking statins or are cautioned to begin taking them."the results from this examine propose that statins may reduce the preference to take part in a voluntary or prescribed exercising education software,” dr. Boppart says.

So talk in your medical doctor at length approximately the possibly benefits and drawbacks of statins, she says, and permit your doctor recognize in case your muscle tissues harm otherwise you find yourself skipping workout routines after beginning the drug. Read More

Hypothyroidism In Pregnancy

What's hypothyroidism?

Hypothyroidism is a condition that develops while the thyroid gland makes very little thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormones help manipulate body temperature, heart rate, increase, and how you benefit or shed pounds.
What reasons hypothyroidism?

The subsequent situations may purpose or boom your danger of hypothyroidism:

    autoimmune ailment: a trouble with the immune machine can also make your body assault your thyroid gland. Hashimoto's disorder is the most not unusual autoimmune sickness that causes hypothyroidism.
    Drugs: sure drug treatments can reason hypothyroidism. Ask your healthcare provider if any of the drug treatments you are taking can reason hypothyroidism.
    Remedies: radiation remedy used to treat cancers of the pinnacle and neck can wreck your thyroid gland. Thyroid surgical treatment also makes you more likely to develop hypothyroidism.
    Thyroid troubles: a past history of hypothyroidism or other thyroid problems can also growth your danger of hypothyroidism in the course of being pregnant. An enlarged or swollen thyroid, lumps because of infections, or thyroid cancer can have an effect on how your thyroid works.
    Own family history: your hazard is greater if a family member has hypothyroidism or an autoimmune disease.
    Low iodine stages: iodine is an critical mineral used by the thyroid gland to work efficaciously and make thyroid hormones. Low iodine degrees in the course of your pregnancy increases your toddler's hazard of hypothyroidism.

What are the signs and symptoms and signs of hypothyroidism all through pregnancy?

The signs and symptoms and symptoms of hypothyroidism may start slowly, and you may now not note any adjustments.

•     Excessive fatigue
•     sensitivity to cold
•     constipation
•     dry, flaky pores and skin, or brittle fingernails
•     thin hair
•     muscle ache or weak point
•     swollen thyroid gland
•     despair or irritability

How is hypothyroidism identified?

Your healthcare issuer will ask about your symptoms and look at you. He'll ask what medicines you are taking. He'll ask about your scientific records and if all of us on your circle of relatives has hypothyroidism. You may have blood tests to check your thyroid hormone level.
How is hypothyroidism treated?

Thyroid medicinal drug will deliver your thyroid hormone level lower back to everyday. Ask your healthcare provider for extra statistics on other medicines you could want.
What are the risks of hypothyroidism at some point of pregnancy?

Pregnancy causes an multiplied want for thyroid hormone and iodine inside the frame. Low thyroid hormone stages might also motive serious fitness troubles. You could preserve to benefit weight. You could have body pains, and suppose, circulate, and speak slowly. You may additionally expand myxedema, that is a dangerous situation. Myxedema can also purpose swelling on your legs, ankles, lungs, or around your coronary heart. You could have seizures, or pass right into a deep coma and die if you do no longer get hospital treatment quickly. You may have multiplied blood stress and have vomiting, blurring of imaginative and prescient, and really awful bleeding in your womb. Your infant may be born with delivery defects, have a low start weight, or even die inside the womb. You could additionally give beginning in advance than expected.

Whilst must i touch my healthcare provider?

•     You are losing weight with out attempting.
•     You've got a fever.
•     You have got chills, a cough, or experience susceptible and achy.
•     You've got ache, redness, and swelling to your muscle groups and joints.
•     Your pores and skin is itchy, swollen, or has a rash.
•     You do now not have any extra thyroid medicine, otherwise you stopped taking it with out your healthcare provider's advice.

When ought to i seek instantaneous care or call 911?

•     You faint or have a seizure.
•     You sense your toddler is stressed and always kicking, or is very still and now not shifting in any respect.
•     You have surprising chest pains or trouble breathing, or swelling to your legs, ankles, or feet.
•     You have got diarrhea, tremors, or problem sleeping.
•     Your water breaks, or you're bleeding out of your vagina.
•     Your signs and symptoms and symptoms go back or come to be worse.

Care agreement
You have got the right to assist plan your care. Find out about your health condition and how it may be treated. Speak treatment alternatives together with your caregivers to determine what care you need to acquire. You usually have the proper to refuse treatment. The above information is an educational useful resource simplest. It isn't always intended as scientific recommendation for individual situations or remedies. Talk to your medical doctor, nurse or pharmacist earlier than following any scientific routine to peer if it's far secure and powerful for you.

Medroxyprogesterone injection for contraception

Type of medicine	Used for	Also called	Available as
A progestogen (female hormone)	Contraception	Depo-Provera®; SAYANA PRESS®	Intramuscular injection (Depo-Provera®), and subcutaneous injection (SAYANA PRESS®)

Medroxyprogesterone is a progestogen, which is a female hormone. It is used to prevent pregnancy. It is a very effective and safe form of contraception. Medroxyprogesterone is either injected into a muscle (Depo-Provera®) or under the skin (SAYANA PRESS®). It is then slowly released into your body. The injection will provide contraception for three months. Its advantages are that it is very effective as a contraceptive and you do not have to remember to take tablets. Also, it can be used when breast-feeding. The downsides are that your periods may become irregular and there may be a delay in your return to normal fertility after you finish using it. Also, the injection cannot be removed once it has been given so any side-effects can last for 2-3 months. Medroxyprogesterone works mainly by stopping the release of an egg from the ovary (ovulation). It also changes the lining of your womb (uterus) to make it less likely that an egg would attach to it, even if an egg were to fertilise. In addition, the mucus which forms a plug in the neck of the womb (your cervix) becomes thicker. This stops sperm getting through to the uterus to fertilise an egg. 

Before having a medroxyprogesterone injection

Some medicines are not suitable for people with certain conditions, and sometimes a medicine may only be used if extra care is taken. For these reasons, before you have a medroxyprogesterone injection it is important that your doctor or nurse knows:

• If you think you could already be pregnant.
• If you have any vaginal bleeding other than your normal monthly period.
• If you have any problems with the way your liver works.
• If you have a problem with your arteries, called arterial disease.
• If you have an inflammatory condition called systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
• If you have developed yellowing of your skin or the whites of your eyes (jaundice), severe itching, or a skin condition called pemphigoid gestationis during a pregnancy.
• If you have had breast cancer or a cancer that you have been told is dependent on a sex hormone.
• If you have a rare inherited blood disorder called porphyria.
• If you have ever had an allergic reaction to a medicine.
• If you are taking any other medicines. This includes any medicines you are taking which are available to buy without a prescription, such as herbal and complementary medicines.

How medroxyprogesterone injection is given

• Before you are given the injection you will be asked to read a printed information leaflet from the manufacturer. The manufacturer's leaflet will give you important information about the injection and will provide a full list of the side-effects which you may experience from having it. Before you have the injection, please discuss with your doctor/nurse any questions you have as a result of reading the leaflet. You will be given the leaflet to take home.
• The injection will be given to you by your doctor or nurse. The first injection will usually be given during the first five days after the beginning of a normal menstrual period and when given in this way, you will be protected from pregnancy straightaway. If you are having medroxyprogesterone injection after recently giving birth, your doctor will advise you on the best time to have the injection.
• Depo-Provera® is usually given as a single injection into the muscle in your buttock. It can sometimes be given into the upper arm.
• SAYANA PRESS® is given as an injection under the skin of your outer thigh or your tummy (abdomen).

Getting the most from your treatment

• The timing of the injections is important, so remember to keep your scheduled clinic appointments. Your next injection will be due in 12 weeks time if you have had Depo-Provera® and it will be due in 13 weeks time if you have had SAYANA PRESS®. If you are more than five days late for your next Depo-Provera® injection, or more than seven days late for your next SAYANA PRESS® injection, you may be at risk of getting pregnant. If this happens, your doctor will want to be sure that you are not pregnant before giving you another injection. You also may need to use an additional form of contraception such as a condom for 14 days until this next injection takes effect.
• Your periods are likely to change. Spotting, breakthrough bleeding and delayed periods may occur. Some women have irregular bleeding which can be heavier and longer than normal.
• You may gain a little weight. Eating a well-balanced diet and taking regular exercise can help to keep this to a minimum but if this is a concern to you, you should discuss it with your doctor.
• Regularly check your breasts for any lumps or bumps. Speak with your doctor if you notice any changes.
• Please note: the injection will not protect you against HIV (AIDS) or any other sexually transmitted infections.
• If you are having any medical tests you should tell the person doing the test that you are using medroxyprogesterone as a contraceptive. This is because this form of contraception may affect the results of some tests, including cervical smears.
• If you have diabetes you may need to check your blood glucose more frequently, as medroxyprogesterone can affect the levels of sugar in your blood. Your doctor will be able to advise you about this.
• If you wish to use medroxyprogesterone injection for more than two years, your doctor will want to discuss this with you, as there may be other options more suitable for you. This is because using medroxyprogesterone can lead to a gradual loss of bone mineral density.
• If you wish to try for a baby you may find that it can take up to a year after stopping using medroxyprogesterone injection before you are able to conceive, although this takes different times in different women. Some women have become pregnant within one month of stopping the injection; for others, it takes longer.

Ibuprofen, Uses, Dosage & Side Effect

What is ibuprofen?

Ibuprofen is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID). It works by reducing hormones that cause inflammation and pain in the body.

Ibuprofen is used to reduce fever and treat pain or inflammation caused by many conditions such as headache, toothache, back pain, arthritis, menstrual cramps, or minor injury.

Ibuprofen is used in adults and children who are at least 6 months old.

Important information

Ibuprofen can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke, especially if you use it long term or take high doses, or if you have heart disease. Do not use this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).
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Ibuprofen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using ibuprofen, especially in older adults.

Do not take more than your recommended dose. An ibuprofen overdose can damage your stomach or intestines. Use only the smallest amount of medication needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever.

Before taking this medicine

Ibuprofen can increase your risk of fatal heart attack or stroke, especially if you use it long term or take high doses, or if you have heart disease. Even people without heart disease or risk factors could have a stroke or heart attack while taking this medicine.

Do not use this medicine just before or after heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG).

Ibuprofen may also cause stomach or intestinal bleeding, which can be fatal. These conditions can occur without warning while you are using ibuprofen, especially in older adults.

You should not use ibuprofen if you are allergic to it, or if you have ever had an asthma attack or severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or an NSAID.

Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take this medicine if you have:

    heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, or if you smoke;

    a history of heart attack, stroke, or blood clot;

    a history of stomach ulcers or bleeding;

    asthma;

    liver or kidney disease;

    fluid retention; or

    a connective tissue disease such as Marfan syndrome, Sjogren's syndrome, or lupus.
Taking ibuprofen during the last 3 months of pregnancy may harm the unborn baby.Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are pregnant.

It is not known whether ibuprofen passes into breast milk or if it could harm a nursing baby. Do not use this medicine without a doctor's advice if you are breast-feeding a baby.

Do not give ibuprofen to a child younger than 2 years old without the advice of a doctor.

How should I take ibuprofen?

Use ibuprofen exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. Do not use in larger amounts or for longer than recommended. Use the lowest dose that is effective in treating your condition.

Do not take more than your recommended dose. An ibuprofen overdose can damage your stomach or intestines. The maximum amount of ibuprofen for adults is 800 milligrams per dose or 3200 mg per day (4 maximum doses). Use only the smallest amount needed to get relief from your pain, swelling, or fever.

A child's dose of ibuprofen is based on the age and weight of the child. Carefully follow the dosing instructions provided with your child's medicine for the age and weight of your child. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if you have questions.

Take ibuprofen with food or milk to lessen stomach upset.

Shake the oral suspension (liquid) well just before you measure a dose. Measure liquid medicine with the dosing syringe provided, or with a special dose-measuring spoon or medicine cup. If you do not have a dose-measuring device, ask your pharmacist for one.

The ibuprofen chewable tablet must be chewed before you swallow it.

If you use this medicine long-term, you may need frequent medical tests.

Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat. Do not allow the liquid medicine to freeze.

Read all patient information, medication guides, and instruction sheets provided to you. Ask your doctor or pharmacist if you have any questions.

See also: Dosage Information (in more detail)
What happens if I miss a dose?

Since ibuprofen is used when needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are on a schedule, use the missed dose as soon as you remember. Skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next scheduled dose. Do not use extra medicine to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. Overdose symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, drowsiness, black or bloody stools, coughing up blood, shallow breathing, fainting, or coma.

What should I avoid while taking ibuprofen?

Avoid drinking alcohol. It may increase your risk of stomach bleeding.

Avoid taking aspirin while you are taking ibuprofen.

Avoid taking ibuprofen if you are taking aspirin to prevent stroke or heart attack. Ibuprofen can make aspirin less effective in protecting your heart and blood vessels. If you must use both medications, take the ibuprofen at least 8 hours before or 30 minutes after you take the aspirin (non-enteric coated form).

Ask a doctor or pharmacist before using any cold, allergy, or pain medicine. Many medicines available over the counter contain aspirin or other medicines similar to ibuprofen. Taking certain products together can cause you to get too much of this type of medication. Check the label to see if a medicine contains aspirin, ibuprofen, ketoprofen, or naproxen.

Ibuprofen side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to ibuprofen: sneezing, runny or stuffy nose; wheezing or trouble breathing; hives; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of a heart attack or stroke: chest pain spreading to your jaw or shoulder, sudden numbness or weakness on one side of the body, slurred speech, feeling short of breath.

Stop using ibuprofen and call your doctor at once if you have:

•     changes in your vision;
•     shortness of breath (even with mild exertion);
•     swelling or rapid weight gain;
•     the first sign of any skin rash, no matter how mild;
•     signs of stomach bleeding - bloody or tarry stools, coughing up blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds;
•     liver problems - nausea, upper stomach pain, itching, tired feeling, flu-like symptoms, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes);
•     kidney problems - little or no urinating, painful or difficult urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath;
•     low red blood cells (anemia) - pale skin, feeling light-headed or short of breath, rapid heart rate, trouble concentrating; or
•     severe skin reaction - fever, sore throat, swelling in your face or tongue, burning in your eyes, skin pain followed by a red or purple skin rash that spreads (especially in the face or upper body) and causes blistering and peeling.

Common ibuprofen side effects may include:

•     upset stomach, mild heartburn, nausea, vomiting;
•     bloating, gas, diarrhea, constipation;
•     dizziness, headache, nervousness;
•     mild itching or rash; or
•     ringing in your ears.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Ibuprofen could reduce smokers' risk of death from lung cancer

Ibuprofen is a medication commonly used to reduce pain and inflammation, but a new study suggests its benefits do not stop there. Researchers have found that the drug may also reduce the risk of death from lung cancer among former and current smokers.

Study co-author Dr. Marisa Bittoni, of The Ohio State University, and colleagues recently presented their findings at the IASLC 17th World Conference on Lung Cancer (WCLC) in Vienna, Austria.


Lung cancer is one of the most common cancers in the United States, accounting for around 14 percent of new cancer cases.


This year, it is estimated that around 224,390 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer, and more than 158,000 Americans will die from the disease, making it the leading cause of cancer death in both men and women.


Smoking is the primary cause of lung cancer, associated with around 80-90 percent of lung cancer cases in the U.S.


According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), people who smoke are 15-30 times more likely to develop lung cancer or die from the disease than nonsmokers.


Previous studies have shown that chronic inflammation is associated with increased risk of lung cancer. Since ibuprofen is a medication that reduces inflammation, Dr. Bittoni and colleagues set out to investigate whether the drug might benefit people with a history of smoking

Ibuprofen reduced lung cancer death risk by 48 percent

To reach their findings, the team analyzed the data of 10,735 adults who were part of the Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES III), enrolling between 1988-1994.

Subjects' smoking status, use of ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and information on other lifestyle factors were gathered at study baseline.


Participants were followed-up for an average of 18 years, and the researchers pinpointed their cause-specific mortality status using data from the National Death Index up until 2006.


The researchers used Cox proportional hazards regression models to estimate how NSAID use was associated with the risk of lung cancer death.


During follow-up, 269 of the participants died from lung cancer, of whom 252 had a history of smoking.


Because the vast majority of lung cancer cases were among past or current smokers, the team also calculated the effects of NSAIDs in a further sample of 5,882 adults with a history of smoking.

Overall, the team found that former or current smokers who regularly used ibuprofen were 48 percent less likely to die from lung cancer than those who did not use the drug.

The link between lung cancer death risk and the use of aspirin - another common NSAID - was not statistically significant, the authors report.


Quitting smoking and adopting a healthy lifestyle remain the best ways to lower lung cancer risk. However, Dr. Bittoni and colleagues believe their findings suggest regular ibuprofen use might be valuable for some people.

ACE Inhibitors

For what conditions are ACE inhibitors used?

    ACE inhibitors are used for
        controlling acute and chronic high blood pressure,
        treating left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure,
        preventing strokes, and
        preventing and treating kidney disease (nephropathy) in people with hypertension or diabetes.
    ACE inhibitors also improve survival after heart attacks. In studies, individuals with hypertension, heart failure, or prior heart attacks who were treated with an ACE inhibitor lived longer than patients who did not take an ACE inhibitor.
    ACE inhibitors are an important group of drugs because they prevent early death resulting from hypertension, heart failure or heart attacks.
    Some individuals with hypertension do not respond sufficiently to ACE inhibitors alone. In these cases, other drugs often are used in combination with ACE inhibitors.

Are there any differences among the different types of ACE inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors are very similar. However, they differ in how they are eliminated from the body and their doses. Some ACE inhibitors remain in the body longer than others, and are given once a day. Some ACE inhibitors need to be converted into an active form in the body before they work. In addition, some ACE inhibitors may work more on ACE that is found in tissues than on ACE that is present in the blood. The importance of this difference or whether one ACE inhibitor is better than another has not been determined.

ACE Inhibitors

What are the side effects of ACE inhibitors?

ACE inhibitors are well-tolerated by most individuals. Nevertheless, they are not free of side effects, and some patients should not use ACE inhibitors.

ACE inhibitors usually are not prescribed for pregnant women because they may cause birth defects.

Individuals with bilateral renal artery stenosis (narrowing of the arteries that supply the kidneys) may experience worsening of kidney function, and people who have had a severe reaction to ACE inhibitors probably should avoid them.

The most common side effects are:

    Cough
    Elevated blood potassium levels
    Low blood pressure,
    dizziness
    Headache
    Drowsiness
    Weakness
    Abnormal taste (metallic or salty taste)
    Rash
    Chest pain
    Increased uric acid levels
    Sun sensitivity
    Increased BUN and creatinine levels

It may take up to a month for coughing to subside, and if one ACE inhibitor causes cough it is likely that the others will too.

The most serious, but rare, side effects of ACE inhibitors are:

    kidney failure,
    allergic reactions,
    pancreatitis
    liver dysfunction
    a decrease in white blood cells, and
    swelling of tissues (angioedema).

ACE Inhibitors

What are ACE inhibitors, and how do they work?

Angiotensin II is a very potent chemical produced by the body that primarily circulates in the blood. It causes the muscles surrounding blood vessels to contract, thereby narrowing the vessels. The narrowing of the
vessels increases the pressure within the vessels causing increases in blood pressure (hypertension). Angiotensin II is formed from angiotensin I in the blood by the enzyme angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE). (Angiotensin I in the blood is itself formed from angiotensinogen, a protein produced by the liver and released into the blood..) angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACE inhibitors) are medications that slow (inhibit) the activity of the enzyme ACE, which decreases the production of angiotensin II. As a result, blood vessels enlarge or dilate, and blood pressure is reduced. This lower blood pressure makes it easier for the heart to pump blood and can improve the function of a failing heart. In addition, the progression of kidney disease due to high blood pressure or diabetes is slowed.

What are some examples of ACE inhibitors?

The following is a list of the ACE inhibitors that are available in the United States:

    benazepril (Lotensin)
    captopril (Capoten)
    enalapril (Vasotec, Epaned)
    fosinopril (Monopril)
    lisinopril (Prinivil, Zestril)
    moexipril (Univasc)
    perindopril (Aceon)
    quinapril (Accupril)
    ramipril (Altace)
    trandolapril (Mavik)