September 2007

Canadian Pharmacy » Archives for September 2007

Tramadol is prescribed to treat moderate to severe pain in adults. Unlike other pain relievers, Tramadol is not considered a controlled substance in many countries (U.S. and Canada, among others), and is available by prescription.

Use of Tramadol

Tramadol is used by people who suffer from chronic pain and require treatment for long periods of time. It is also used to treat surgery-induced pain and chronic conditions such as cancer and joint pain.
“Chronic pain affects a large segment of the U.S. population, with an estimated 45 percent of all Americans seeking care for persistent pain at least once during their lifetime,” said Dr. Warren A. Katz, clinical professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, director of the Osteoporosis Center and Rheumatology at the Rothman Institute. “Tramadol ER is an important new option for patients who suffer from moderate to moderately severe chronic pain, and for the physicians who treat them.”

What you should know before using Tramadol

Do not take Tramadol if you have ever been addicted to drugs or alcohol. Take Tramadol exactly as it was prescribed for you. Do not take it in larger doses or for longer than recommended by your doctor. Do not exceed 300 milligrams of Tramadol in one day. Talk to your doctor before stopping this medication.
Do not consume alcohol while taking Tramadol; it may cause breathing and liver problems. Before taking this medication tell your doctor if you have:

a brain tumor
a history of drug abuse or addiction
a head injury
heart disease
frequently drink alcohol-containing drinks
kidney disease or problems going to the bathroom
kyphoscoliosis
liver disease
lung disease, asthma, or breathing problems
seizures
stomach problems
taken isocarboxazid, phenelzine, tranylcypromine, or selegiline in the past 2 weeks
an unusual reaction to Tramadol, other medicines, foods, dyes, or preservatives

Tramadol may be habit-forming. Tell your doctor if you feel the medicine is not helping relieve your pain. Do not change your dose without talking to your doctor.
You may experience withdrawal symptoms when you stop using Tramadol. These symptoms include anxiety, sweating, nausea, diarrhea, tremors, chills, hallucinations, trouble sleeping, or breathing problems. Call your doctor immediately if you experience any of these symptoms.
Keep tramadol away from children. Store it at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

How do I take Tramadol?

Always take Tramadol exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Swallow each dose with a full glass of water. It can be taken with or without food, but take it the same way each time every day.
Do not crush, break, or chew the tablets. Tramadol is to be taken orally (by mouth). Powder from a crushed tablet should not be inhaled or diluted with liquid and injected into the body. Inhaling or injecting Tramadol can cause life-threatening side effects, overdose, or death.

What do I do if I miss a dose?

Take the dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take Tramadol at the next regularly scheduled time. Do not take more to make up for the missed dose.

Side effects of Tramadol

Side effects that you should report to your doctor or health care professional as soon as possible include:

allergic reactions like skin rash, itching or hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
anxiety
breathing difficulties, wheezing
changes in vision
confusion
dizziness or fainting spells
hallucinations
passing urine more frequently than usual, or not passing urine as often as usual
redness, blistering, peeling, or loosening of the skin, including inside the mouth
seizures

Less serious side effects include:

constipation
diarrhea
drowsiness
headache
insomnia
nausea, vomiting
sweating
slow or fast heartbeat
unusually weak or tired

If side effects persist or worsen while taking Tramadol, speak with your doctor or healthcare professional right away.

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DoctorSolve™ is ranked as one of the best Canadian pharmacies online. DoctorSolve™ has filled more than 200,000 U.S. prescriptions.

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Study shows Rasilez®, the first and only approved direct renin inhibitor, reduces a marker of heart failure severity and is well-tolerated.

Rasilez® (aliskiren), the first new type of high blood pressure medicine in more than a decade, is generally well-tolerated and can potentially reduce the severity of heart failure[1] based on new data showing significant reductions in BNP, a substance secreted by the heart and whose levels are viewed as an indicator of disease severity.

The ALOFT (Aliskiren Observation of Heart Failure Treatment) study results, presented today at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in Vienna, were the first to highlight the potential benefits of Rasilez beyond blood pressure lowering. Rasilez, which is the first in a new class of high blood pressure medicines called direct renin inhibitors, was launched in the US in March 2007 and received European Union approval in August.

Heart failure, also often referred to as congestive heart failure, may develop slowly over years and occurs when the heart’s ability to pump blood is weaker than normal. This condition is particularly seen in patients with high blood pressure[4] and is a growing cause of hospitalization and death. Most cases of heart failure lead to death within five years.

Unlike some other blood pressure medicines, such as calcium channel blockers and some beta-blockers that can worsen heart failure[2],[3], Rasilez demonstrated good safety and a tolerability profile similar to placebo (or sugar pill)[1] when used in this hard-to-treat patient population.

In the 12-week trial, Rasilez was added to existing standard-of-care therapies including ACE inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), which are other types of high blood pressure medicines. As expected, a slightly higher but non-significant number of patients receiving Rasilez experienced hyperkalemia (elevated potassium levels) compared to those receiving a placebo. This was usually mild and did not lead to an adverse outcome.

The results showed that the addition of Rasilez to standard heart failure treatments resulted in reductions in BNP (brain natriuretic peptide) nearly five times greater than the standard therapy alone (-61 pg/ml versus -12 pg/ml). This difference in BNP reductions was highly significant (p= 0.016)[1].
BNP is a substance released from the heart’s lower ventricles in response to increased wall tension. The level of BNP in the bloodstream increases when heart failure symptoms worsen and decreases when the heart failure condition is stable.

“Blocking the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor is of unequivocal benefit in heart failure,” said Professor John McMurray, British Heart Foundation Cardiovascular Research Centre, University of Glasgow, Scotland.

“The question we asked is whether adding aliskiren to an ACE inhibitor, to further block the RAAS, would be safe and have potentially greater benefit in heart failure. In our study, aliskiren, when added to standard therapy, was well-tolerated and reduced the plasma concentration of BNP, a blood test used as a marker of cardiac strain. Further research is needed to tell us whether this reduction in BNP might be associated with improvements in clinical outcomes,” Dr. McMurray said.

The ALOFT study is the first of a series of trials in ASPIRE HIGHER, an extensive ongoing clinical program studying the benefits of Rasilez beyond reducing blood pressure due to its direct inhibition of renin, an enzyme that triggers a process that can lead to high blood pressure. Additional data involving the use of Rasilez in patients with heart failure and new data in patients with kidney failure are expected to be presented later this year.

Rasilez is the first in a new class of high blood pressure medicines called direct renin inhibitors and has demonstrated significant blood pressure lowering when used alone[8],[9] or in combination with other blood pressure medicines[8],[10],[11],[12]. It is not currently indicated for use in treating patients with heart failure, and additional long-term studies are needed to assess its potential effects on heart failure.

“Rasilez has consistently shown good tolerability and strong blood pressure lowering across trials,” said James Shannon, MD, Global Head of Development at Novartis Pharma AG. “The ALOFT study highlights the potential benefits of Rasilez beyond blood pressure lowering in a vulnerable, hard-to-treat patient population.

Rasilez was approved in the European Union in August 2007 and in the US in March 2007 under the trade name Tekturna®. In July 2007, Novartis announced the Swiss approval of Rasilez. It was developed in collaboration with Speidel.

Article Source:

http://www.webwire.com/ Posted: (WebWire) 9/3/2007 11:45:42 AM

DoctorSolve™ is ranked as one of the best Canadian pharmacies online. DoctorSolve™ has filled more than 200,000 U.S. prescriptions.

For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit https://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.

Xenical is a prescription medication used to help people who are overweight lose weight. It may be right for you if your BMI (body mass index) is 30 or higher, or if you have a BMI of 27 or higher and have other risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, heart disease, or diabetes.

Excess weight is a problem facing an estimated 97 million adults in the U.S. Currently, about one-fifth of all U.S. adults are believed to be considerably overweight. Although people of all ages, races, and ethnicities can become overweight, there are some people who are at greater risk than others. For example, women are more likely to become considerably overweight than are men, particularly in certain ethnic groups such as African Americans and Mexican-Americans.
In studies of Xenical, almost two-thirds of people treated lost at least 5% of their body weight after 2 years. In comparison, only half of the people treated with diet alone managed to lose 5% of their weight.

When Xenical is combined with a healthy diet it also improves a number of weight-related health risks. It can:

Decrease total and LDL cholesterol (level of low-density lipoprotein-also known as bad cholesterol)
Improve the ratio of bad to good cholesterol (LDL/HDL cholesterol)
Reduce blood pressure
Reduce levels of insulin (a hormone that allows glucose or sugar to enter the body’s cells), high levels of which are associated with coronary heart disease
Reduce the risk or delay the progression to type 2 diabetes in patients

How do I take Xenical?

Take one 120mg capsule orally with liquid at each main meal (that contains fat). Your meal should be nutritional and contain no more than about 30% of calories from fat. Try to evenly divide your intake of fat, carbs, and protein over your three main meals. You can take Xenical with meals or up to 1 hour after. If you miss a meal or eat one without fat, you can omit your dose of Xenical. Taking Xenical more than three times a day has not been shown to provide any additional weight-loss benefits.

How soon will I notice the results?

People begin losing weight within 2 weeks of starting and may continue to lose weight for 6 to 12 months, at which point weight loss usually begins to level off – even if you’re still taking Xenical. People who continue to take the medication are better able to maintain their weight loss.
The amount of weight you lose will depend on you sticking to a low-calorie diet, getting an appropriate amount of physical activity, and staying true to the prescribed Xenical regimen.

Xenical side effects

When taking Xenical you may experience some changes in bowel habits. These bowel changes are a natural effect of blocking the fat from being absorbed. You will notice these side effects during the first weeks of treatment, however, for some people, they may continue for 6 months or longer.

These changes may include gas with oily discharge, an increased number of bowel movements, an urgent need to have them, and an inability to control them, particularly after meals containing higher amounts of fat than are recommended.

DoctorSolve™ is ranked as one of the best Canadian pharmacies online. DoctorSolve™ has filled more than 200,000 U.S. prescriptions.

For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit https://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.

A lot of people love peanuts, but for an unfortunate few, eating peanuts and other foods that cause food allergies, and death.

An estimated 2% of adults and about 5% of infants and young children in the US suffer from food allergies. Allergic reactions to food vary in severity, but about 30,000 people require fast treatment in the ER, and 150 die each year as a result of them. The only means of preventing allergic reactions is to avoid the foods that cause them.

To help people avoid the risks food allergies pose, the FDA requires that the labels of all foods the FDA regulates (all foods except meat, poultry, and certain egg products) must clearly identify the source of all ingredients that are or are derived from, the 8 most common foods that cause bad reactions.
The 8 foods are:

Milk
Eggs
Fish (such as bass, flounder, cod)
Shellfish (such as crab, lobster, shrimp)
Tree nuts (such as almonds, walnuts, pecans)
Peanuts
Wheat
Soybeans

Symptoms of food allergies typically appear within a few minutes or up to 2 hours after a person has eaten the food to which he or she is allergic. An allergic reaction to food is a 911 emergency. Symptoms can include:

Hives
Flushed skin or rash
Tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth
Face, tongue, or lip swelling
Vomiting and/or diarrhea
Abdominal cramps
Coughing or wheezing
Dizziness and/or lightheadedness
Swelling of the throat and vocal cords
Difficulty breathing
Loss of consciousness

In case of emergency:

Carry an EpiPen – This medicine is an alpha and beta receptor stimulant used to treat severe allergic reactions to insect bites, foods, drugs, or other allergens. It may also be used to treat severe conditions that affect breathing.

DoctorSolve™ is ranked as one of the best Canadian pharmacies online. DoctorSolve™ has filled more than 200,000 U.S. prescriptions.

For more information on how to order Canada drugs safely and securely call 1-866-732-0305 or visit https://www.doctorsolve.com/ – a trusted and reliable Canadian online pharmacy since 1999.