Nitroglycerin Patches: Convenient and Effective Transdermal Treatment for Angina Pectoris

For about three years now, my aunt has been suffering from angina pectoris, more commonly known as "chest pain" or "heart pain." For those who do not understand what angina pectoris exactly is, it is a condition that is characterized by discomfort in the chest, with physical or emotional stress as the usual cause. Often, atherosclerosis - the accumulation of fatty deposits in the coronary arteries - is the precursor of the problem. As a result of the narrowing of the coronary arteries, the supply of blood to the heart becomes restricted.

Just recently, I asked my aunt what precisely does she feel whenever angina pectoris attacks? Her best description of the condition is that of a feeling of heaviness or tightness in the chest. While there may be a lot of people who live with angina pectoris for years, this condition may bring about susceptibility to heart attacks. As a matter of fact, some people who develop angina pectoris experience a heart attack within five years or even less.

In preventing or treating angina pectoris, doctors may recommend the application of nitroglycerin patches. While nitroglycerin medications may also come in ointments and in tablets that are placed under the tongue, nitroglycerin patches are more convenient to use and are equally effective as the other two forms.

Nitroglycerin patches, which look like adhesive dressings - as most other transdermal medications do -, are available in various sizes. They are designed in such a way as to slowly release nitroglycerin into the body over a period of twenty-four hours to prevent or treat angina pectoris. The best body parts to which nitroglycerin patches should be applied are the chest, abdomen, upper arm, and thigh. They may also be applied to other skin areas where there is very little or no hair. It isn't advisable to apply nitroglycerin patches to either the lower arms or legs as their effectiveness may just be put to naught in these areas.

Since nitroglycerin patches are convenient to use, less messy than the ointment form, and quite easy to apply, most people with angina pectoris - my aunt included - prefer them over the other forms of nitroglycerin medications; this inspite of their being more expensive than either the tablet or ointment form. If your particular condition requires treatment that will last all day, nitroglycerin patches can definitely meet this end much better than the under-the-tongue tablets can.

Whatever the form, nitroglycerin medications have the same side effects. These include headache (the most common one), nausea, vomiting, and lightheadedness. In some cases, the affected person may likewise experience rapid heart rate and low blood pressure. The good thing is that all of these side effects may be reduced or completely eliminated by reducing the measured quantity of the nitroglycerin medication to be taken. In case nitroglycerin patches cause irritation to a particular skin site, move them to other areas. [Read the Original Article]

Amantadine: Effective Antiviral Drug Against the Influenza A Virus

Influenza is a disease that is highly communicable by contact and lasts for a short period of time. It may be caused by any of the three types of influenza virus - A, B, or C. Some of the most common symptoms of this disease include fever, chills, aches and pains, loss of appetite, and general weakness. Persons suffering from influenza may also experience nose and pharynx inflammation.

The presence of the influenza virus in the body can weaken the vitality of the nose and pharynx membranes. Once this happens, bacteria - which always exist in both the mouth and pharynx - commonly attack tissues and bring about certain complications, including ear infection, sinusitis, and pneumonia. Of these three secondary conditions, pneumonia is the most serious and may even be fatal.

We know, of course, that antibiotics (such as erythromycin and penicillin) are ineffective against any viral infection, such as the common cold or flu; they are, however, prescribed by doctors for the treatment of post-flu secondary infections. It is the antiviral drugs that are effective against diseases that are caused by viruses. In treating respiratory infections caused by strains of the influenza A virus, the antiviral drug amantadine can be very effective.

Over the years, many antiviral agents - amantadine included - have been developed. Specifically, amantadine has been medically certified as an effective antiviral drug against influenza A, a form of flu. It must be made clear here, though, that the term "flu" is not necessarily the same as influenza. Note that while viral diseases are frequently referred to as flu, not all of these illnesses are necessarily the result of any of the known influenza viruses. Again, amantadine is specifically used in the prevention and treatment of influenza A.

Doctors may prescribe amantadine as a preventive medicine for any one of these subjects: persons who have not had influenza A vaccine and who are in frequent contact with a great number of diverse people (the unvaccinated persons especially referred to here are doctors, nurses, and other medical or hospital personnel); the elderly or those who suffer from certain chronic illnesses and have not received influenza A vaccine; or unvaccinated persons living in the same dwelling with someone who has been infected by influenza A. To ensure the efficacy of amantadine in the treatment of influenza A, it must be given within a couple of days of the onset of the illness.

Like most other drugs, amantadine is not without side effects. Giddiness, restlessness, and the inability to get sufficient sleep are some of the side reactions associated with the use of amantadine. These side effects usually occur within two days of using amantadine and vanish when the use of the drug is discontinued. In some instances, though, the side effects cease to exist even when the use of amantadine is continued. [Read the Original Article]

Acyclovir: Safe and Effective Antiviral Drug Against the Herpes Simplex Virus

Herpes simplex, also often referred to as fever blisters or cold sores, is a disease caused by a particular virus. The virus is known to remain latent in the nerves and then activates under any of these conditions: after an active episode of a recurring fever, when a cold is about to occur, or when the affected individual is physically or emotionally drained.

In a localized herpes simplex, small blisters may become manifest on any of these body parts: the mouth and gums, the tissues of one eye, or the external genital organs. The initial infection may pass unnoticed as it may not produce any symptom. What are produced here instead are antibodies, and these may result in succeeding manifestations of herpes simplex being different from those of the initial one.

There are several anti-inflammatory medications that are available over the counter which may be used to help reduce the severity of symptoms of herpes simplex in the affected individual. Note, however, that most of these medications provide mere alleviation from irritation and itching. One antiviral drug that has been proven to be effective against the virus that causes herpes simplex is acyclovir.

Doctors may prescribe a medication - specifically a cream - containing acyclovir for more frequent episodes of herpes simplex. This type of medication goes by the generic name "penciclovir cream," a specific example of which is the brand name Denavir. These acyclovir-containing medications work by stopping the virus that causes herpes simplex from undergoing reproduction, effectively preventing it from spreading as well. Acyclovir has likewise been proven to help in lessening the severity and duration of a herpes simplex outbreak.

Besides the cream or ointment form for topical or local application, acyclovir medications also come in vials (for administering intravenously) and in tablet form (prescription drug). Recognized for having a wide margin of safety, most people generally exhibit physiological tolerance for drugs or medications containing acyclovir. Of course, as in most other drugs or medications, there are some potential adverse reactions to acyclovir.

A person who has taken acyclovir orally for about three months may experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Persons who are unable to take the medication orally for some reasons, or those whose immune system has been depressed due to other drug treatments, may instead be given acyclovir intravenously. One potential adverse reaction to intravenous acyclovir is a decrease in kidney function. Fortunately, this problem is reversible. [Read the Original Article]

The Limitations of Streptomycin in the Treatment of Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis is a disease that is caused by the bacterium tubercle bacillus. This disease develops slowly and mainly affects the lungs. When a person with tuberculosis - who is not undergoing treatment - coughs or sneezes, mists teeming with tubercle bacilli are dispersed, and those in the vicinity are liable to breathe in sufficient quantities of the tuberculosis-causing bacteria.

Once these tubercle bacilli settle in the lungs' air sacs, they can cause a flu-like reaction. A few days later, they may spread into the bones, the other internal organs, and even the brain. As they multiply during a period of from three to ten weeks, the tubercle bacilli can cause an inflammatory reaction at the infected portions of the affected body parts. The reaction is marked by an accumulation of nodular, chronically inflamed tissues and white blood cells, or what is called granuloma.

A number of prescription drugs are being used to treat tuberculosis. Some examples are rifampin, ethambutol, isoniazid, and streptomycin. But how effective really are these prescription drugs in treating tuberculosis? Let's direct the spotlight on the last one - streptomycin.

Probably one of the most discouraging findings in the areas of medical investigation and experimentation is the repeated observations that a drug initially very effective in fighting an infection fails to sustain its effectiveness in the long run. Such is the case in streptomycin.

A soil actinomycete (mold) product, streptomycin is, to an extreme extent, damaging to tubercle bacilli and is relatively innocuous to man. This makes its use initially effective in preventing the advance of tuberculosis. But continued use of streptomycin has proven to gradually decrease its effectiveness, even reaching the point where it may become totally useless. In the end, it is observed that tubercle bacilli in the treated individual exhibit extreme resistance to streptomycin which was earlier capable of destroying them.

What can perhaps explain the foregoing circumstance is that, at the onset, only a few tubercle bacilli are so formed as to withstand the injurious effect of streptomycin. The use of streptomycin at this point, therefore, results to something strikingly beneficial to the affected individual. But these few bacteria later increase rapidly in number, yielding a great number of resistant progenies, taking the place of the few streptomycin-resistant ones that were initially involved. At this point, streptomycin, for all practical purposes, has become ineffective; but the disease remains to be tuberculosis.

It may be appropriate to conclude that using streptomycin for minor infections without a doctor's prescription exposes the individual to certain dangers. The importunate problem may be seemingly settled, but the growth of strains of bacteria that are resistant to the drug may be promoted in the process. Subsequent treatment of more serious infections in this regard may be perilously impaired. [Read the Original Article]

From Transient Ischemic Attack to Full Stroke: Don't Just Shrug the Symptoms Off

What's the difference between a partial stroke and a full stroke? The adjectives "partial" and "full" should serve as indications - they differ in the extent and severity of the harm or injury they do to the brain. Specifically in a partial stroke, a small artery, which supplies blood to the brain, either hemorrhages or becomes blocked. The consequent break in the continuity of blood flow damages a small part of the brain, causing symptoms that are less severe than in a full stroke. But in a full stroke, a major artery to the brain is involved, and the resulting damage is quite extensive. If there is any similarity between these two kinds of stroke, it is that their symptoms last for about a day, and often continue to exist much longer.

There is another condition that can cause symptoms much like those of stroke, except that its symptoms persist for only a few seconds or minutes. This condition is called transient ischemic attack, or TIA. Its symptoms occur as a result of a momentary loss of blood supply to a part of the nervous system. Although the symptoms of a transient ischemic attack may exist briefly, they may be signs that a full stroke is imminent.

The symptoms of a transient ischemic attack pass quickly, usually in a matter of minutes or even just a few seconds. At worst, they may last for an entire day. Some of the signs of a transient ischemic attack that you have to watch out for include a feeling of weakness or numbness in some part of your body and difficulty in seeing, hearing, or uttering words. Inasmuch as, again, these symptoms quickly come and go, you might be lured into thinking that they are inconsequential. Be warned that if you simply brush aside the symptoms of a transient ischemic attack, you may be putting yourself at risk to an impending full stroke.

A sudden, albeit temporary, deficiency of blood supply to a part of the brain causes transient ischemic attack. Statistics indicate that about a third of all people who experience a brief episode of transient ischemic attack suffer a more serious stroke, as a full stroke, at some later time. If you feel that you have sustained the symptoms of a transient ischemic attack, notify your doctor at once in order that you can receive immediate treatment or timely advice on how best to reduce your risks of suffering a full stroke.

You have to remember that an elevated blood pressure is a threat to the stability of the arterial walls and it can increase the possibility of the breaking apart of an artery. Your doctor, in this regard, may advise you to lower your blood pressure, in case it is too high, by asking you to reduce your intake of foods high in fats, salt, and cholesterol. These substances are notorious for contributing to the occurrence of atherosclerosis, a condition that debilitates the walls of the arteries and causes the development of clots.

Those who are overweight may be asked to shed some poundage as this can also help in reducing blood pressure. Your doctor may also prescribe certain drugs, or suggest regular small dose of aspirin, which may help to lessen the risks of suffering a full stroke. [Read the Original Article]