Peptic ulcers

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Symptoms
• Complications
• Risk Factors
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Treatment for NSAID-Induced...
• Medications
• Treatment for Bleeding Ulce...
• Lifestyle Changes
• Resources
• References

• Spironolactone, a common diuretic used in heart failure
• Niacin, a drug used to lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol
• Vitamin K antagonists, commonly prescribed anticoagulants
• Dipyridamole, a drug for secondary stroke prevention
• Low-dose aspirin, prescribed for both heart attack and stroke prevention

Migraine headaches

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Prognosis
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Diagnosis
• Treatment Approaches
• Medications Used for Treatm...
• Prevention
• Medications Used for Preven...
• Resources
• References

• About 17.1% of women and 5.6% of men suffer migraines, according to the 2007 American Migraine Prevalence and Prevention survey. Nearly a third of respondents reported 3 or more migraine attacks per month. Over half were severely impaired or needed bed rest during attacks. - 1 Comment
  Read More ›

Bipolar disorder

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Risk Factors
• Causes
• Prognosis
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Medications
• Other Treatments
• Therapy and Lifestyle Chang...
• Resources
• References

• Olanzapine (Zyprexa, Symbex) causes a greater risk for high blood sugar than other atypical antipsychotics, according to updated information added to the drug’s warning label. - 1 Comment
  Read More ›

Cholesterol

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Cholesterol's Effect on the...
• Cholesterol's Effect on the...
• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Lifestyle Changes
• Treatment
• Resources
• References

• LDL (“bad") cholesterol goals for children should be 190 mg/dL or less for children without heart disease risk factors and 160 mg/dL or less for children with heart disease risk factors.
• Children who are overweight or obese, as well as those with a family history of high cholesterol and heart disease, should get their cholesterol levels checked.
• For overweight and obese children with cholesterol imbalances, diet changes and exercise should be tried before drug treatment. For children with cholesterol imbalances who have a family history of cholesterol and heart problems, statins are the best first-line drug therapy.

• Garlic, whether raw or in supplement form, does not help lower LDL in patients with moderately high LDL levels, according to a 2007 Archives of Internal Medicine Study.
• Policosanol, a dietary supplement derived from sugar cane, has no effect on cholesterol, indicates a 2006 Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) study.

• In a 2007 JAMA comparison study of four diet plans (Atkins, Ornish, Zone, and LEARN), the low-carbohydrate Atkins diet was best at raising HDL (“good cholesterol”) levels and lowering triglyceride levels, but did not affect LDL levels. - 0 Comments
  Read More ›

Parkinson's disease

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Symptoms
• Risk Factors
• Complications
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Levadopa (L-dopa)
• Other Medications
• Surgery
• Lifestyle Changes
• Resources
• References

• In 2007, the FDA approved the first skin patch drug for treatment of Parkinson’s disease. Transdermal rotigotine (Neupro) is a dopamine agonist drug that may help improve symptoms of early-stage Parkinson’s disease. The patch is applied daily.
• Rivastigimine (Exelon), an Alzheimer’s disease drug, was approved in 2006 for treatment of mild-to-moderate dementia associated with Parkinson’s disease.

Rheumatoid arthritis

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
• Complications
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Medications
• Surgery
• Lifestyle Changes
• Resources
• References

• Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who do not respond to single-drug therapy often do better when a combination of drugs is used, indicates a review of 23 clinical trials published in 2007 in the Annals of Internal Medicine. However, the researchers were unable to determine which combinations of drugs work best or which individual drugs are more effective than others.
• Combination drug treatment is now becoming a standard approach to treating rheumatoid arthritis while it is still in its early stages. Another 2007 Annals of Internal Medicine study indicated that initial combination therapies slow progression of joint damage more rapidly than single-drug therapy but, after several years, all treatment strategies produce benefits.

Alzheimer's disease

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Prevention
• Symptoms
• Diagnosis
• Medications
• Stages
• Resources
• References

Restless legs syndrome and related disorders

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Complications
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Medications
• Resources
• References

• The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends medications for restless legs syndrome (RLS) or periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD) only for persons who fulfill strict diagnostic criteria and experience too much daytime sleepiness as a result of these conditions. (Excessive daytime sleepiness results from nighttime sleeplessness due to RLS or PLMD symptoms).
• The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced in March 2007 that the dopamine agonist drug pergolide (Permax) has been voluntarily withdrawn from the market. - 2 Comments
  Read More ›

Schizophrenia

• Highlights
• Introduction
• Causes
• Risk Factors
• Symptoms
• Complications
• Diagnosis
• Treatment
• Medications
• Therapy
• Other Treatments
• Resources
• References

• In 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved risperidone (Risperdal) and aripiprazole (Abilify) for treatment schizophrenia in teenagers. These drugs are the first atypical antipsychotics approved specifically for children.
• Paliperidone (Invega) is the newest atypical antipsychotic drug approved for treatment of schizophrenia in adults. Paliperidone is chemically related to risperidone.

• In 2007, the manufacturer of olanzapine (Zyprexa, Symbex) added new warnings to the drug’s prescribing label. - 0 Comments
  Read More ›