KIDNEY AND YOU - PART 2

Kidney and You - learn how kidney failure is diagnosed; how to manage chronic kidney disease; foods, drugs, herbs to avoid; dialysis and transplantation...

Wellness_201105_Kidney and You (Part 2)

site.damansaratimes.com

http://www.damansaratimes.com/

JUNK FOOD ADDICTION = DRUG ADDICTION? Parents, do read this report

http://www.naturalnews.com/032255_junk_food_drug_addiction.html

A Must Visit Site - Caloric Count? All you need to know about it.Introduced by Mr Khairul Anwar, Cameron Pharmacy

I was introduce to this site by my colleague, En. Khairul Anwar, Pharmascist from Cameron Highlands. It's a wonderful hands-on site, individualized and tailored to suit each individual's needs in burning calories. Detailing on even exercises much much more! Thanks En. Khairul for sharing this site!

http://caloriecount.about.com/

Is your cabinet Filled with unused drugs? How to dispose unused medicines?

I reckon just everyone of us has some kinds of medications at home, from the normal paracetamol and common cough and cold medications to long term chronic illness medications, such as hypertension, diabetic and asthmatic medications to name a few. So How do you handle them? I found this easy to read info for you..

http://www.fda.gov/downloads/Drugs/ResourcesForYou/Consumers/BuyingUsingMedicineSafely/UnderstandingOver-the-CounterMedicines/ucm107163.pdf

USFDA Pediatric labelling - A good knowledge for all,parents and proffesionals alike

This is a compact chart of all the Drugs and medications that the USFDA has compiled for Pediatrics - its safety profile and usage..


http://www.fda.gov/downloads/ScienceResearch/SpecialTopics/PediatricTherapeuticsResearch/UCM163159.pdf

PROBIOTICS SHORTEN ACUTE DIARRHOEA

From Medscape Medical News  

Probiotics May Shorten Acute Diarrheal Episodes; Laurie Barclay, MD

November 12, 2010 — Probiotics shorten diarrheal episodes, according to the results of a systematic review reported online in the November 10 issue of the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.
"A striking finding of this review is that most trials reported that probiotics reduced diarrhoea," said lead author Stephen J. Allen, from the School of Medicine at Swansea University, Swansea, United Kingdom, in a news release. "The beneficial effect was consistent and significant across many different types of trials."
To evaluate the impact of probiotics in proven or presumed acute infectious diarrhea, the investigators searched the Cochrane Infectious Diseases Group's trials register through July 2010, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (The Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2010), MEDLINE (1966 - July 2010), EMBASE (1988 - July 2010), and bibliographies of retrieved studies and reviews. They also contacted relevant organizations and experts, as well as pharmaceutical companies manufacturing probiotic agents.
Inclusion criteria were randomized and quasirandomized controlled trials in which a specified probiotic was compared vs a placebo or no probiotic in persons with acute diarrhea proven or presumed to be caused by an infectious agent. Two reviewers independently evaluated the methodologic quality of and extracted data from included trials. The main study endpoints, which were analyzed with use of a random-effects model, were mean duration of diarrhea, stool frequency on day 2 after treatment, and ongoing diarrhea on day 4.
Of 63 studies meeting inclusion criteria and enrolling a total of 8014 participants, 56 trials enrolled infants and young children. There was some heterogeneity among trials in the risk for bias in definitions used for acute diarrhea and for the end of the diarrheal illness, settings, organisms tested, dosage, and participants' characteristics.
Although the magnitude of the effect varied considerably among studies, probiotics significantly reduced the mean duration of diarrhea (mean difference, 24.76 hours; 95% confidence interval [CI], 15.9 - 33.6 hours; n = 4555; trials = 35). Probiotics also reduced diarrhea lasting at least 4 days (risk ratio, 0.41; 95% CI, 0.32 - 0.53; n = 2853; trials = 29) and stool frequency on day 2 (mean difference, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.45 - 1.14; n = 2751; trials = 20). In the trials reviewed, probiotics were not associated with any significant adverse effects.
Limitations of this review include great variability in the methodologic quality of the trials, persistence of statistical heterogeneity in subgroup analyses, marked clinical variability among studies, and lack of cost-effect analyses.
"The differences in effect size between studies was not explained by study quality, probiotic strain, the number of different strains, the viability of the organisms, dosage of organisms, the causes of diarrhoea, or the severity of the diarrhoea, or whether the studies were done in developed or developing countries," the study authors write. "Used alongside rehydration therapy, probiotics appear to be safe and have clear beneficial effects in shortening the duration and reducing stool frequency in acute infectious diarrhoea. However, more research is needed to guide the use of particular probiotic regimens in specific patient groups." The study authors also suggest that future research include evaluation of different probiotic strains to treat diarrhea and prevent the progression from acute to persistent diarrhea.
Swansea School of Medicine, United Kingdom, and Cochrane Infectious Disease Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, United Kingdom, supported this study. Some of the study authors have disclosed various financial relationships with Cultech Ltd, United Kingdo; Scientific Hospital Supplies, United Kingdom; Valio Ltd, Finland; and United Laboratories Inc, Philippines.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Published online November 10, 2010.

Comments :It is a common practice to prescribe Metronodazole or Quinolone based antibiotics to treat acute diarrhea. Instead of prescribing antibiotics, we, healthcare providers should advocate and educate our patients on the usage of probiotics in treating acute diarrhea cases. Not only it balances and replenishes the normal flora in a patient’s gut, it is also safe and we don’t have to worry about resistance towards abuse of antibiotics.

Kidney and You

Do check my article at 
http://www.damansaratimes.com/  under the Wellness Section

Evening Primrose Oil {EPO} kalau kita konsumsi[makan] apakah akan merangsang pertumbuhan sel kanser?

Sebelum menjawab soalan ini, lebih baiklah kita mendalami sedikit tentang istilah – istilah ini. Asid Lemak Perlu; Linoleic Acid; GLA (gamma linolenic Acid); EPO  dan PGE1

Asid Lemak Perlu (essential fatty acids; EFA) adalah sejenis vitamin yang tidak boleh dibina oleh badan kita, oleh itu ia perlu diambil melalui pemakanan. Terdapat 2 jenis EFA, iaitu Linoleic Acid and alpha linolenic acid. EPO tergolong di dalam famili Linoleic Acid. Di dalam Badan kita, selepas kita mengambil EPO, Linoleic Acid ini akan melalui satu proses yang kompleks dan berubah kepada GLA(Gamma linolenic acid) dan seterusnya kepada Prostaglandin (PGE1)

PGE1 ini adalah amat penting dan bertindak sebagai anti inflamasi dan juga mempromosi system imun badan kita.

Terdapat banyak kajian, walaupun masih di dalam peringkat yang awal, yang samada melibatkan kajian di dalam makmal sahaja atau menggunakan populasi sample yang kecil, yang menunjukkan keberkesanan EPO (iaitu GLA dan PGE1) untuk mengurangkan inflamasi sel – sel, di mana ada kajian-kajian yang telah membuktikan radikel - radikel bebas dan proses inflamasi boleh menyebabkan kanser.

Terdapat juga kajian peringkat awal yang menunjukkan kebolehan EPO untuk mengurangkan progresi sel – sel kanser dan keupayaannya untuk membunuh sel – sel kanser apabila digunakan bersama rawatan kemoterapi.

Kajian kajian ini melibatkan kanser payudara, pancreas dan pundit kencing.

Jadi EPO sebenarnya tidak menyebabkan kanser!

Apakah perbezaan antara panadol; panadol actifast; panadol soluble; milidon; uphamol?

Ini adalah salah satu dari soalan yang selalu ditanya oleh pelanggan- pelanggan saya
Sebenarnya tiada perbezaan diantara mana - mana produk ini!
Kesemuanya mengandungi paracetamol sebagai bahan aktifnya. Cuma di dalam dos yang berbeza - beza dan bentuk dos yang berbeza.
Terdapat 3 persediaan Panadol berbentuk tablet, iaitu dos 500mg dan 650mg  dan Panadol Extend yang  mengandungi 665mg paracetamol.Panadol soluble mengandungi 500mg paractamol, tetapi di dalam bentuk "effervescent", di mana keberkesannya lebh cepat, kerana ia larut di dalam air, berbanding dengan panadol tablet. Tablet perlu dicernakan di dalam perut terlebih dahulu sebelum ia boleh diserap melalui usus kecil ke dalam darah.
Panadol Actifast ditambah dengan Sodium untuk meningkatkan penyerapannya ke dalam darah.
Manakala Uphamol 650 ialah versi generik (buatan Malaysia) Panadol 650mg.
Begitu juga Milidon 500mg, sebagai substitut Panadol 500mg.
Paracetamol digunakan untuk mengurangkan kesakitan, seperti sakit kepala, sakit – sakit urat; sakit urat dan demam.
Yang penting di sini adalah dosnya. Dos dewasa untuk mendapatkan kesannya ialah 1000mg  empat kali sehari. Untuk kanak - kanak 12 tahun ke bawah, dosnya selalunya bergantung kepada berat badan dalam kilogram
k

Nature's Healthy Foods.Simple but full of nutrition!

Here's one site that i find interesting

http://www.prevention.com/25healthyfoods/index.html

Know your disease

Here's a complete and easy to read website for you

http://www.merckmanuals.com/

A Practical Guide to Safe Use of Pain Medicine

I found and this easy to read guide and would like to share with you

http://www.drugs.com/fda-consumer/a-guide-to-safe-use-of-pain-medicine-77.html 

Bahaya!! Adakah anda mengambil ubat mengurangkan selera makan benfluorex?

Benfluorex, sejenis ubat diabetic, telah digunakan meluas di sesetengah negara, telah dikatikan dengan lebih 500 kematian dan sekurang-kurangnya 3500 kes admisi hospital akibat penyakit injap jantung di Perancis. Makluman ini didedahkan oleh organisasi insurans kesihatan kebangsaan Perancis, CNAM. Pada November 2009, ubat ini ditarik daripada pasaran dan Suruhanjaya Eropah telah mengeluarkan keputusan yang sama pada Jun 2010. Di Malaysia pula, Benfluorex atau nama dagangnya Mediaxal telah ditarik balik pada lewat 2010. Versi generiknya (buatan Malaysia), Axal pun telah ditarik balik. Sekiranya anda masih mengambil ubat ini, sila berhenti segera!!

Benfluorex, a diabetic drug, which has been used widely to treat obesity in some countries has been linked to over 500 deaths and a minimum of 3500 hospitalizations for valvular heart diseases in France. This report was recently exposed by the French national health-insurance organization CNAM. Translated and adapted from theheart.org French edition) Saint-Denis, France. The report also warned that a significant correlation existed between an increase in  daily doses of the drug with a greater likelihood of valvular disease or death. In November 2009, the drug was pulled off the market due to its grave effects on the heart.This drug, with its trade name Mediaxal,  has also been widely used as an appetite suppressant to counter obesity.The European Commission issued a decision on 14/06/2010. A local company in Malaysia, Duopharma, manufactured its generic version, Axal and has withdrawn it from the local market, in response to a Health Ministry circular. From my observation, this drug is still available in our local market.

ISU SEMASA

CURRENT ISSUES

This forum is for us to discuss current health issues, such as the current radioactive scare in Japan and the panic and rush to ingest Pottasium Iodide, alarming rate of dengue fever in Malaysia among others.
Your comments and feedbacks are very much welcomed.

COMMUNITY PHARMACISTS - WHO ARE WE?

We are based at pharmacies, retail or chain, in many parts of the country, rural, suburban and urban areas.

Liasing with relevant health institutions, health professionals and health educators, our proffession is to serve and provide you with reliable, up-to-date and unbiased informations about medications, educate you on self care and self -medication through our patient education programme, caring for your drug-related needs, promoting safe and effective drug and non-drug therap,
We provide you with knowledge on rehabilitation items and aids, the proper usage of devises and apparatus.

We also provide you with preventive care services in relation to chronic conditions such as eczema, asthma, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, high blood pressure, to name a few.

We provide you with informations about fitness, nutritions, supplements, and health food for your wellness and better health

We are "Community Pharmacists!" 

KNOW YOUR MEDICINES

The Name of your medication – what it is supposed to do?

When and How should I take my medication?

            What is my dosage?

-         On empty stomach? After food?

-         How Often should I consume it?

-         How Long should I take it?

-         Can I take it with alcohol? Other Medications? Herbs? Foods?

-         Should I change my activities?

-         Are there any side effects of this medication?

-         How do I store my medication?

-         Any Contra indications?

-         What are the special precautions that I must take when taking this medicines?

SELFMEDICATION & SELF CARE

What are the common ailments that I can practice self medication?

Acne; acute pain; chronic pain; allergic rhinitis; atopic dermatitis and eczema; cough, cold, flu, fever; constipation; contraception;diarrhea; eyes, ears, nose and throat; dysmenorrheal (period pains); feminine hygiene, fungal, bacterial and viral infections; hair loss; headaches and migraine; heartburn and gastrointestinal symptoms; kidney stones; arthritis and rheumatism; memory decline; nutritional care, health supplements and healthfoods, obesity, allergies;deworming, head lice management; ; Oral health ; Skin Diseases;