Harvard Medical School Commentaries: Highlight on Drugs
Aug22010
Getting the Best Value for Hypertension Medications
Controlling your blood pressure is one of the best ways to ensure yourself a long and productive life. The longer your blood pressure is too high, the more damage is done to your heart and blood... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Aug22010
Hidden Dangers of Over-the-Counter Cold and Allergy Medications
Most of us assume that nonprescription items, also known as over-the-counter medications, are safe and have almost no risk of serious side effects. And when taken as directed, the vast majority of... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Aug22010
Drug Therapy And Your Genes (Part 1 of 2)
Part 1 of 2 ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Aug22010
Drug Therapy and Your Genes (Part 2 of 2)
The science of pharmacogenetics is rapidly advancing, but its full potential is likely to be years away. The results of some of the clinical trials have been very encouraging. Several recent clinical... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec82009
Clinical Trials: What Are They, And Are They Right for You? (Part 1)
Enrolling in a clinical trial is not something that should be done lightly or without a good deal of thought. While there may be advantages to you, your family and to society, there are likely to be... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec82009
Depression, Genetics and the Drug Ecstasy
Ecstasy, a popular street drug used to create a sense of euphoria, has unexpectedly given scientists a better understanding of how much genetics can influence our reaction to medications. ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec82009
Clinical Trials: What Are They, and Are They Right for You? (Part 2)
In Part 1 I wrote about clinical trials — what they are and how they are run. In this column I will discuss making the decision to participate in a trial and what you should know going in. ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Return Of The Maggots
Maggots have joined leeches as God's less-than-cuddly creatures that are making a comeback in medicine. ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet (Part 1)
A visit to a drugstore or supermarket can be a frustrating and confusing trip if you are trying to find the right over-the-counter medicine. Regardless of what ails you there are likely to be dozens... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Combating The Fungus Among Us
What Causes Nail Infections ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet (Part 2)
Drug stores carry a dizzying array of over-the-counter products for what ails you. Choosing among the dozens of brands and types of medicine can be confusing and frustrating.
Last month I... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Stocking Your Medicine Cabinet (Part 3)
Choosing among the dozens of brands and types of medicine on drug-store shelves can be confusing and frustrating. In this series I am giving you my recommendations for what belongs in a properly... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
The Arguments Against Dietary Supplements
The Dietary Supplement and Health Education Act of 1994 (DSHEA) was intended to meet the concerns of consumers and manufacturers to help ensure that safe and appropriately labeled products, including... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Leeches: An Ancient Therapy Is Revived
In the classic film The African Queen, Humphrey Bogart noted, "If there's anything in the world I hate, it's leeches — filthy little devils!" Why has the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec22009
Human Growth Hormone And The Search For The Fountain Of Youth
"Do you want to look and feel 10 years younger?" ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Nov182009
Heartburn Relief
Heartburn (technically known as gastroesophageal reflux disease, or GERD) is a relatively commonly malady, with about one in five American adults experiencing symptoms of GERD on a weekly basis.... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Sep202009
What You Can Do About the Flu
There's a chill in the air, and schoolchildren are beginning to come home with the first colds of the year. Any time now, we will be into the thick of flu season. It is inevitable that some of us... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec302008
Birth-Control Pills 101
An Overview of Oral Contraceptives ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec142008
Over-the-Counter Drug Labels
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) guidelines for over-the-counter drug labels help protect people with kidney disease or other chronic conditions. More than 20 million Americans suffer... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec12008
Cautions About Reflux Relief
Acid reflux can be a lasting problem, and medications that block acid can bring continuing relief. For their comfort, many adults choose long-term use of these drugs. ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Aug112008
Seven Ways To Get the Most From Your Health Care Dollar
Drug therapy has become a significant part of health care costs for all of us. Although many of us have health insurance that "pays" for the majority of prescription drug costs, we all pay higher... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
May272008
Safe Use of Over-the-Counter Pain Relievers
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) wants consumers to know the risks of commonly used pain relievers. The federal agency launched an advertising campaign in 2004 based on a recommendation... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
May272008
Protecting Yourself Against Drug Cost-Shifting
Many health insurance companies and drug benefit plans use a step system for determining out-of-pocket prices that subscribers pay for prescription drugs. Commonly the out-of-pocket expense is $5 to... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
May262008
Relief From Hay Fever
For most of us, spring is an eagerly anticipated part of the year. But for up to 35 million Americans, spring represents the beginning of the dreaded allergy season. Rather than looking forward to... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
Dec162006
Debating The Use Of Growth Hormone In Healthy But Short Children
Synthetic growth hormone is manufactured by several companies and is used as a replacement therapy for children who have a deficiency of the hormone. ... read more
Category: Highlight on Drugs
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