Thursday, 28 July 2011

Avandia, a Diabetes Medicine Information You Should Know About

Avandia and its uses

Avandia is drug to treat non-insulin dependent diabetes or diabetes type 2. Rosiglitazone maleate is generic equivalent of avandia. Avandia lowers sugar level in blood. It is so far the most successful medicine to treat diabetes mellitus type 2 with lesser side effects as compare to other diabetes drugs. It enables the body to consume glucose by producing more insulin. By interfering process of glucose formation, avandia also lowers the production of glucose.

Avandia should be administered along with diet and exercise suggested by physician.

Avandia acts in two ways to maintain blood sugar level in body.

* Produces insulin so that glucose can be consumed by cells.
*Maintains good functionality of mast cells.

For overweight diabetic patients avandia may also be used with metformin (Avandamet). For patients allergic to metformin are given avandia in combination with sulphonylurea (Amaryl). In rare cases it may be given with metformin and sulphonylurea.

Working Mechanism

Avandia is used when mast cells of pancreas are unable to produce enough insulin. Insulin is key hormone helpfull to break down glucose and generate energy. Lack of insulins cause to increase glucose level in blood. Rosiglitazone maleate helps mast cells to produce more insulin. It also ensures good functionality of mast cells.

Contraindications

Avandia is contraindicated if....
  • Patient is allergic to any of its ingredients
  • Insulin treatment is going on
  • Recent history of heart failure
  • Pregnancy and breastfeeding

Interactions

Before start taking avandia you should know these.....

Avandia may increase weight. As stated earlier avandia should be taken with proper (calorie controlled) diet.
Patients with heart related problem in past should not take this medicine. Patients with no heart issue in past should consult doctor in case short breath and rapid weight gain.

Avandia may increase risk of fluid retention if taken with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen or diclofenac.

Below list of drugs may decrease efectiveness of avandia by lowring its presense in blood.
  • carbamazepine
  • rifampicin
  • phenobarbital
  • phenytoin

Side Effects

Avandia shows least side effects compare to other diabetes drugs.
  • Abnormal liver function
  • vision problem (blurred vision)
  • weight gain
  • Headache
  • Tiredness
  • Dizziness
  • Low blood glucose level (hypoglycaemia)
  • Swelling because of fluid retention
  • heart failure

Tuesday, 26 July 2011

An Introduction to Antihypertensive Drugs

Antihypertensive Drugs

Antihypertensive drug include:
  • Diuretics ("water pills")
  • Beta Blockers
  • Alpha Blockers
  • Alpha-Beta Blockers
  • Sympathetic Nerve Inhibitors
  • Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitors
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Angiotensin 2 Receptor Blocker
Calcium channel blockers prevent calcium from flowing into heart muscle cells and muscle cells of the blood vessel walls, resulting in slowing of heart rate and relaxation of blood vessels.
Angiotensin Receptor Blockers (formal medical name angiotensin 2 receptor antagonists, known as "sartans" for short). These agents are sometimes prescribed together, for instance an ACE inhibitor along with a calcium channel blocker.
Beta blockers lower high blood pressure by slowing down the heart rate and decreasing the force of contraction of the heart.
Common calcium channel blockers include:
  • Amlodipine (Amlodipine )
  • Diltiazem (Cardizem)
  • Felodipine (Plendil)
  • Isradipine (DynaCirc)
  • Nicardipine (Cardene)
  • Nifedipine (Procardia)
  • Verapamil (Calan, Covera-HS, Verelan)
Amlodipine Medication
Amlodipine (generic norvasc) is an antihypertensive type of medicine called a long-acting calcium channel blocker (CCB). Amlodipine medication is used to treat high blood pressure (also called "hypertension"). It is also used to treat a type of chest pain called angina. Angina is often a pain or pressure in your chest that keeps coming back when part of your heart does not get enough blood.
Amlodipine medication works to relax your blood vessels. This lets your blood flow more easily and helps lower your blood pressure. This means that blood pressure can be lower, and angina pain can be reduced or controlled.
In general, antihypertensives work through one or more of the following mechanisms:
  • By Decreasing Blood Volume
  • By Opening Up Blood Vessels, either by Inhibiting Constriction (narrowing) or Stimulating Dilation (widening), to make it easier for blood to flow through the arteries.
  • By Decreasing Rate and/or Force of Contraction of the Heart, thus decreasing the amount of blood pumped through the arteries.

Side Effects of Antihypertensives

Antihypertensives have in common that they can overcompensate for high blood pressure, leading to dangerously low blood pressure.

Lightheadedness, Dizziness, or Fainting would be an initial indication of inadequate blood pressure levels.
Note: Decreased blood pressure in a mother also has the potential to harm her developing baby. Since blood volume determines the amount of blood filtered/urine processed by the kidneys, antihypertensives have effects on that organ as well. Although in general blood-pressure-lowering medicines reduce strain on the kidney, some antihypertensives like sartans can nevertheless worsen kidney disease.

Another major concern with hypertensives is that they can aggravate congestive heart failure. As with most any drug, blood-pressure-lowering medications can have milder side-effects as well. While on an antihypertensive, report any changes in your condition to your health care provider.

Monday, 25 July 2011

Nexium, a Most Effective Heartburn Medicine

Information About Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

What is Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Working of Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium) Dosage or Administration

Precautions for Taking Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Interaction of Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium) with Other Drugs

Side effects of Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

 Esomeprazole Magnesium is generic equivalent of Nexium, it is used for treatment of (SGRD) Symptomatic Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease, and healing of Erosive Esophagitis.Generic nexium prevents or/and treat gastric ulcer, caused as a side-effects of NSAID (Non-steroidal anit-inflammatory) drugs like diclofenac for the treatment of arthritis.

What is Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Generic Nexium belong to calss Proton Pump Inhibitor. Generic Nexium is proton pump inhibitor (PPI). Generic nexium (Esomeprazole) reduces descretion of acid in the gastric parietal peritoneumme called H+/K+-ATPase. Although it is the combination R- isomers and S-isomer it is called S-isomer omeprazole. As it inhibits excessive descrtion of acid in stomach it is also indecated for condition Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.

How Generic Nexium Works?

Excess production is the most common reason for Erosive Esophagitis, peptic ulcer and Symptomatic Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease.Generic nexium is type of PPIs(Proton pump inhibitor) called vacuolar-type which highly inhibits Acid-generating ATPase found in lysosomes of leukocytes and osteoclasts and its activities. Human body produces acid that helps digestive system to digest food. In excessive decrestion of acid condition like Zollinger-Ellison syndrome, acid enters and flows through food pipe which results in heartburn. Nexium produces achiral sulphenamide in acidic compartment which stops formation of such acids. Excess of acid also cause inflamation on lining of oesophagus (Food pipe). Helicobacter pylori bacteria causes unnecessary acid production in stomach which finally results in peptic ulcer. Nexium along with amoxicillin and clarithromycin have found to be very effective on ulcer in stomch caused when infacted with helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) bacteria.

Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium) Dosage or Administration

Generic Nezium is avialable in two strengths, 20mh and 40mg. Daily dose of 20 to 40 mg and can prevent formation of gastric acid.

Overdose

Look for immediate emergency medical aid incase of any side effects listed below...
  • Intense or low itching on skin anywhere on body (hives)
  • Short breathing
  • seizures
  • Swelling of face
  • Loosing coordination

Precautions for Taking Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Generic nexium should not be taken if the person is hypersensitive to the any of the ingredients chemical compound of generic nexium. Hypersensitive person may get Angioedema and anaphylactic shock.It is prudent for preganant women not to take generic nexium as no study have been conducted to observe its effects on pregenant women.

Interaction of Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium) with Other Drugs


Side effects of Generic Nexium (Esomeprazole Magnesium)

Other comparatively less harmful side effects may caused by Nexium are...
  • drowsiness
  • diarrhea
  • Dry mouth.
  • Headsche
  • nausea
  • constipation, vomiting or abdominal pain
generic nexium buy

Sunday, 24 July 2011

Types Of Drug For HeartBurn Gastroesophageal Reflux

Gastroesophageal reflux disease

Cells located in stomach of human body secrets acid and makes food digestion easy. Secreted acid is damaging in nature. To prevent damage of stomach from acid, stomach is internally covered by mucosal membrane. Entire gastrointestinal tract is covered with mucosal membrane. This mucosal membrane lining in gastrointestinal tract prevents erosion may caused by acid. In some people such protection covers gets damaged for number of reasons. Acid comes in contact with stomach muscles and causes ulcer.

What is Acid Reflux?

Since sole purpose of secreted acid is to help food digestion it should not go to other organs. Sphincter, a part between the oesophagus and the stomach works as barrier to prevent acid coming into oesophagus. Damaged sphincter allows acid to go to oesophagus and cause irritation. This is called 'Acid Reflux' which is more commonly known as acidity.

Types of Drugs to Treat Gastroesophageal reflux disease

There are seven types of drugs being used to treat Gastroesophagel reflux disease. Depending upon action and mechanism drugs are divided into seven different categories.

Proton pump inhibitors

Proton pump inhibitors blocks the proton pumping process. The process that secrets acid is called gastric H+/K+ ATPase or gastric hydrogen potassium ATPase or Proton pumping. Proton pump inhibitor drugs blocks that process and stops excess of acid production. Drugs that fall in this category are.....
  • Prilosec (Omeprazole)
  • Nexium (Esomeprazole)
  • Protonix (Pantoprazole)
  • Prevacid (Lansoprazole)
  • Aciphex (Rabeprazole)
  • Kapidex (Dexlansoprazole)
These five drugs are the most effective for the treatment of acid reflux and ulcer.

Gastric H2 receptor blockers

  • Ranitidine
  • Famotidine
  • Cimetidine
These drugs decrease acid secretion by competitively antagonizing histamines to its parietal cells receptors. Mechanism of working of these drugs is similar to antihistamine. More powerful effect of proton pump inhibitor drugs suppressed its popularity.

Antacids

Antacids are quite different in mechanism. Antacids work by increasing hydrogen ions in acidic solution. Hydrogen ions decrease acidity.

Alginic acid Gaviscon

This drug works by coating mucosal membrane and also, like antacids, increases pH. Alginat creates barrier and stops acid from refluxing.

Prokinetics

These drugs increase contractions of small intestine, strengthen the lower part of and accelerates gastric emptying.
Cisapride (this drugs has been withdrawn from market)
Reglan (metoclopramide) is also a prokinetic drug.

Sucralfate

  • Carafate
This drug works in three ways. Sucralfate.....
  • Reacts with hydrochloric acid in stomach and forms gell like substance that keeps buffering acid
  • Forms protective layer on ulcer to prevent further damage. Protective layer formed by sucralfate also help to heal and prevent esophageal damage.
  • Blocks diffusion of hydrogen ions.

Mosapride

Mosapride is an agonist that inhibits 5-HT4. It is used to treat acid reflux and dyspepsia.