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Did You Know? |
- Decongestant found in cold, allergy medicines doesn’t actually work; many popular over-the-counter drugs that use phenylephrine
to treat cough, sinus and flu symptoms, will be removed from U.S. store shelves.
- A study has found that Tylenol or generic acetaminophen, when taken at high doses or for extended periods by pregnant women, can put their child at a higher risk of developing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or
autism spectrum disorder. Children whose cord blood samples contained the highest levels of acetaminophen were roughly three times more likely to be diagnosed with autism later in childhood.
- The most common cholesterol lowering drugs are called statins, which help to lower cholesterol and maintain the integrity of arteries.
- Some drugs work together, complementing or backing up each other. Others compete or get in each other's way. Aspirin and Plavix (generic name: clopidogrel) make a good tag team, combining to prevent heart attacks and strokes. Stomach pain is not a common side effect of
Plavix or aspirin, which are used to prevent heart attacks and strokes in persons with heart disease (recent heart attack), recent stroke, or blood circulation disease (peripheral vascular disease). However, stomach pain with bleeding are a possible side effect of
Plavix and/or aspirin. Patients who have stomach pain or cramping while taking these drugs, there's a small chance they could have bleeding in your stomach. The H-2 Blocker family, which include Johnson & Johnson's Mylanta and Boehringer Ingelheim's Zantac
can reduce acid while taking Plavix and/or aspirin.
- Taking aspirin or anti-clotting medicines like Plavix
won't boost the risk of another stroke
if you have already survived a bleeding stroke, and they might even help guard against a second brain bleed.
Aspirin therapy reduces the clumping action of platelets — possibly preventing a heart attack or a stroke. However, aspirin therapy should not be
for the prevention of heart attacks in people who haven't already had a heart attack, stroke or another cardiovascular condition.
- Small doses of aspirin can lower the risk of heart attack, but it doesn't appear to cut the chances of dying from the disease.
- Aspirin is best known as a painkiller and is sometimes also taken to help bring down a fever. But daily low-dose (81mg) aspirin is used to make the
blood less sticky and can help to prevent heart attacks and stroke. Aspirin given shortly after a heart attack decreases the risk of death. Aspirin is often used long-term to help prevent further heart attacks,
ischaemic strokes, and blood clots in people at high risk. It may also decrease the risk of certain types of cancer, particularly colorectal cancer.
- Most strokes are caused by clots in the blood vessels of the brain but some are caused by bleeds. Because aspirin thins the blood, it can sometimes make the patient bleed more easily. Aspirin isn't safe for everyone. It can also cause indigestion and, more rarely, lead to stomach ulcers. Anybody who has been taking low-dose aspirin for a long time
is advised not to stop overnight as that may also cause problems. Elderly people in good health should not take an aspirin a day; a recent trial found no benefit for healthy people over
the age of 70, and the pills increased the risk of potentially fatal internal bleeding, and did not reduce their risk of heart problems or have any other benefits.
- Aspirin can prevents heart attacks in people with diabetes.
- People suffered from mild hypertension, which is a blood pressure reading of no higher than 160/100 mm Hg, took a 81-milligram tablet of aspirin in the evening had a significant reduction in their blood pressure. Those who took the aspirin in the morning had no reduction at all.
- Taking aspirin could increase cancer survival by 20 percent.
- Taking a baby aspirin or a cholesterol-lowering statin may be good options for people with rheumatoid arthritis.
- In addition to reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes, aspirin can also lower the risk of
colon cancer, which is the second most common form of cancer in developed countries after lung
cancer. Especially, aspirin benefits people who have the heart disease or high blood pressure, and people who already had a heart attack or a stroke.
- The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has seen almost 270 million confirmed cases and over 5.2 million reported deaths worldwide as of December 2021.
In November 2021, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommended authorization of the molnupiravir pill made by Merck. When the drug enters the bloodstream,
it blocks the ability of the SARS-CoV-2 virus to replicate. This new pill is similar—in function to Tamiflu, the antiviral medication that is used to prevent serious symptoms of
flu. Many patients with COVID-19 recover from their acute infection with no or minimal medical intervention. However, early treatment with molnupiravir reduced the risk of hospitalization or death in at-risk, unvaccinated adults with COVID-19.
- Anticholinergic medications, which include those used for conditions, such as allergies (e.g.; Benadryl),
overactive bladder (e.g.; Ditropan),
depression (e.g.; doxepin) and
insomnia (e.g.; Sominex) may be associated with an
increased risk of pneumonia.
- The heartburn drug Nexium
cost $2,526,306,069 for 1,484,011 American Medicare patients, who filled 8,192,362 prescriptions and refills in 2013.
- Men who regularly take vitamin E supplements eventually have a higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
- Commonly used dietary supplements, including multivitamins, do not extend the life of older women and may increase their risk of death.
- Forty seven percentage of medications given by doctors to elderly people could be thrown away without any harm to their health.
- People who take the highest approved dose of the drug simvastatin to reduce cholesterol levels may have higher risk of dangerous muscle damage.
- More than 50% of all medicines are prescribed, dispensed or sold inappropriately, and half of all patients fail to take medicines correctly
- Taking calcium supplements increases the risk of having a heart attack. People who took
calcium supplements regularly were 86% more likely to have a heart attack than those who used no supplements.
- Omega-3 fatty acids may raise prostate cancer risk.
- Heart patients taking the popular blood-thinning drug
warfarin, which is an
anticoagulant, are risking potentially dangerous complications (e.g.; severe bleeding or a blood clot) by combining it with supplements, such as
fish oil,
coenzyme Q10,
glucosamine,
chondroitin, and
multivitamin.
- Regular use of painkiller ibuprofen may cut the risk of developing Parkinson's disease.
- Statins, a class of drugs widely used for lowering cholesterol,
help prevent heart attacks and strokes in older people with high blood pressure, and may also slow down the process of human aging.
- Certain Statins - also known as cholesterol-lowering medications - could increase your risk of developing type 2 diabetes;
however, cardiac benefits of taking statins are greater than the increased chance of developing diabetes.
- Blood-thinning drugs, such as aspirin and
warfarin (Coumadin) or medications such as clopidogrel
(Plavix), which reduce your blood's ability to clot, are commonly used in the prevention of strokes; however, these medications can make you bruise more easily.
- Plavix (which is used to prevent blood clots after a recent heart attack or stroke) plus aspirin (which is used lower the risk of forming a blood clot in the coronary arteries of the heart or brain) may be a risky combination.
- The drug tranexamic acid, or TXA, a low-cost drug that helps prevent hemorrhage,
may save the lives of as many as 100,000 trauma victims each year.
- Drugs, such as Nexium,
Prilosec, and
Prevacid, that are supposed to treat frequent heartburn could be increasing people's risk of hip, spine, and wrist fractures. These drugs will change the way their body absorbs calcium that leads to less-dense bones, which can increase
the risk of fractures.
- Fish oil pills may be able to
save some young people with signs of
mental illness from descending into
schizophrenia, which is a severe
mental illness that strikes adolescents and young adults. About 2.4 million Americans have the disorder, which is treated with
antipsychotic medication.
- About 4% of U.S. adults aged 20 and over used prescription sleep aids; of which only one in six adults with a diagnosed sleep disorder and one in eight adults with trouble sleeping reported using sleep aids.
- About 4% of U.S. adults aged 20 and over used prescription sleep aids. Of which only one in six adults with a diagnosed sleep disorder and one in eight adults with trouble sleeping reported using sleep aids.
- Statins, which are widely prescribed for lowering cholesterol, often cause muscle pain and joint aches.
- Patients taking Vioxx (also called rofecoxib) doubled their chances of having blood clots or dying in the first half-year after discontinuing treatment.
- Drugs commonly used to treat high
blood pressure and heart disease may reduce the risk of
dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
- Atorvastatin (Brand name: Lipitor) linked to increased risks of type 2 diabetes.
- For menopausal women who develop
breast cancer, drugs called
aromatase inhibitors, which are a class of drugs used in the treatment of breast cancer and ovarian cancer in
postmenopausal women, can prevent new or recurring breast cancer.
- People take tricycle antidepressants raise a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
- The controversial diabetes pill Avandia has caused as many as 100,000 heart attacks, strokes, deaths and cases of heart failure in the U.S. European regulators ordered it off the market. FDA announces major restrictions on which patients can get Avandia.
- Women of child-bearing age that the epilepsy drug Topamax can
increase the risk of birth defects around the mouth.
- Taking codeine,
hydrocodone, or other
opioid painkillers shortly before or early in pregnancy increases
the risk of congenital heart defects and other birth defects.
- In the U.S. the overdose epidemic continues to worsen, and it has grown increasingly complex by co-involvement of prescription and illicit drugs,
death rates involving opioids remained highest among whites, relatively large increases across several drug categories were observed among blacks. During 1999–2017 drug overdoses resulted in 702,568 deaths; in 2017 alone, drug overdoses resulted in 70,237 deaths;
among these, 47,600 (67.8%) involved opioids; in 2016 there were 63,632 drug overdose deaths.
- Patients taking Vioxx (also called rofecoxib) doubled their chances of having blood clots or dying in the first half-year after discontinuing treatment.
- People who take cholesterol-lowering statins for at least one to two years appear to
be less likely to develop gallstones.
- Zantac and its generic form, ranitidine, the heartburn pill that once ranked as the world’s best-selling drug,
contained a chemical N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) that
causes cancer. The Food and Drug Administration confirmed unacceptable levels of this chemical,
in Zantac. The agency’s testing suggests
Pepcid,
Tagamet,
Nexium,
Prevacid and
Prilosec do not contain this chemical. More than 40 other countries from Australia to
Vietnam have also either stopped sales of Zantac and its generic pills, launched investigations or otherwise stepped in to protect consumers from possible health risks.
- Zocor can cause muscle damage as well as severe and potentially lethal kidney damage.
- Zocor, a cholesterol drug, may cause serious side effects, such as muscle injury and kidney damage, when taken in high doses (80 mg).
- The drug Cisplatin when used with radiation, reduces the likelihood of dead among cervical cancer patients
by nearly 25 percent.
- The Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an
environmental contaminant found in water along with meat, dairy, and vegetables.
Exposure to high amounts of NDMA can increase the risk of bladder, stomach,
gastric or colorectal cancers. The
heartburn drug Zantac has high levels of NDMA above the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s acceptable daily limit, causing cancer danger.
The FDA issued the order to remove from the market all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) ranitidine medications sold under the brand name Zantac
(tablets or liquid) after concluding that the cancer-causing contaminant NDMA can build up in the drug when stored at higher than room temperatures for long periods. Many heartburn products (brand and generic forms) that do not contain NDMA, such as Pepcid,
Tagamet, Nexium, Prevacid and
Prilosec, can replace Zantac.
- A number of medications may cause or worsen Tinnitus. These include antibiotics (e.g.; Polymyxin B, Erythromycin, Vancomycin and Neomycin), cancer medications
(e.g.; Mechlorethamine and Vincristine), water pills (diuretics) (e.g.; Bumetanide, Ethacrynic acid or Furosemide), quinine medications (used for malaria or other health conditions), antidepressants medications, and high-dose aspirin.
- Avandia, a controversial diabetes
medicine, has been associated with the risk of
heart attacks, as well as an increased risk of congestive
heart failure, bone fractures and in some cases vision loss.
- Vaccines prevent diseases that can be dangerous, or even deadly. Vaccines greatly reduce the risk of infection
by working with the body’s natural defenses to safely develop immunity to disease. When germs, such as bacteria or viruses, invade the body, they attack and multiply. This invasion, called an infection, is what causes illness. The immune system uses several tools to fight infection.
Blood contains red blood cells, for carrying oxygen to tissues and organs, and white or immune cells, for fighting infection. The first time the body encounters a germ, it can take several days to make and use all the germ-fighting tools needed to get over the infection. After the infection,
the immune system remembers what it learned about how to protect the body against that disease. Vaccines help develop immunity by imitating an infection. Once the imitation infection goes away, the body is left with a supply of “memory” that will remember how to fight that disease in the future.
- Vaccination, the most effective method of preventing infectious diseases, is the administration of a vaccine to help the immune system
develop protection from a disease. Vaccines contain a microorganism or virus in a weakened, live or killed state, or proteins or toxins from the organism. In stimulating the body's
adaptive immunity, they help prevent sickness from an infectious disease. Vaccination can prevent certain deadly
diseases in infants, children, teens, adults and travelers of all ages, as of today, there are about 50 different types of popular vaccines.
- Adacel: Protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
- ADT Booster: Protects against tetanus and diphtheria.
- Adenovirus: Prevents healthcare-associated outbreaks of adenovirus infections, such as epidemic keratoconjunctivitis.
- Anthrax, including AVA (BioThrax),: Protects people from anthrax, and prevents anthrax from developing in people who have been exposed to the bacteria but have not developed symptoms
- Avaxim: Protects against hepatitis A.
- BCG Vaccine SSI: Protects against severe tuberculosis.
- Bexsero: Protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis group B.
- Boostrix: Protects against tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough).
- COVID-19 Vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen, mRNA, and Viral Vector: Protects against COVID-19 virus.
- Cholera, including Vaxchora, reduces the chance of severe diarrhea in people by 90% at 10 days after vaccination and by 80% at 3 months after vaccination.
- Diphtheria, including DTaP (Daptacel, Infanrix), Td (Tenivac, generic), DT (-generic-), Tdap (Adacel, Boostrix), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix, Quadracel), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), and DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel): Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis.
- Engerix-B: Protects against hepatitis B.
- Gardasil 9: Protects against nine types of human papillomavirus.
- Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib), including Hib (ActHIB, PedvaxHIB, Hiberix), DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel): Prevents Hib disease, but not illness from other strains of H. influenzae bacteria.
- Havrix: Protects against hepatitis A.
- HBvaxPRO: Protects against hepatitis B.
- Hepatitis A, including HepA (Havrix, Vaqta) and HepA-HepB (Twinrix),: Protects against hepatitis A.
- Hepatitis B, including HepB (Engerix-B, Recombivax HB, Heplisav-B), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), and HepA-HepB (Twinrix),: Protects against hepatitis B.
- Hiberix: Protects against Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib) disease.
- Human Papillomavirus (HPV), including HPV9 (Gardasil 9) (for scientific papers, the preferred abbreviation is 9vHPV),: Protects against cancers caused by HPV infections
- Infanrix-hexa: Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough), polio, hepatitis B and Haemophilus influenzae type b (Hib).
- Infanrix-IPV: Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis (whooping cough) and polio.
- Influenza vaccines: Protects against influenza.
- (Seasonal) Influenza (Flu), including IIV (Afluria, Fluad, Flublok, Flucelvax, FluLaval, Fluarix, Fluvirin, Fluzone, Fluzone High-Dose, Fluzone Intradermal) and LAIV (FluMist),: Protects against influenza.
- IPOL: Protects against polio.
- Japanese Encephalitis (JE), including JE (Ixiaro),: Reduces the risk for JE virus, a mosquito-borne flavivirus, for expatriates and travelers who stay for prolonged periods in rural areas in Asia with active JE virus transmission.
- M-M-R II: Protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
- Menactra: Protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y and W (previously called W-135).
- NeisVac-C: Protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis group C.
- Measles, including MMR (M-M-R II)and MMRV (ProQuad),: Protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
- Meningococcal, including MenACWY (Menactra, Menveo) and MenB (Bexsero, Trumenba),: Protects against the most common causes of meningococcal disease, but they will not prevent all cases.
- Mumps, including MMR (M-M-R II) and MMRV (ProQuad),: Protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
- Nimenrix: Protects against meningococcal disease caused by Neisseria meningitidis groups A, C, Y and W (previously called W-135).
- Pneumovax23: Protects against pneumococcal disease caused by 23 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Prevenar 13: Protects against pneumococcal disease caused by 13 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Priorix: Protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
- Pertussis, including DTaP (Daptacel, Infanrix), Tdap (Adacel, Boostrix), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix, Quadracel), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), and DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel),: Protects against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, but they will not prevent all cases.
- Pneumococcal, including PCV13 (Prevnar13) and PPSV23 (Pneumovax 23),: Protects against some of the more than 90 serotypes of pneumococcal bacteria.
- Polio, including Polio (Ipol), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix, Quadracel), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), and DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel),: Reduces the risk for exposure to polioviruses, including children, international travelers, laboratory workers, and healthcare professionals.
- Rabies, including Rabies (Imovax Rabies, RabAvert),: Reduces the risk for rabies virus, which is a fatal, acute, progressive encephalomyelitis caused by neurotropic Rhabdoviridae or genus Lyssavirus viruses found in a wide variety of animal species throughout the world.
- Rotavirus, including RV1 (Rotarix) and RV5 (RotaTeq),: Protects against rotavirus disease for a child before he/she is 15 weeks of age.
- Rotarix: Protects against rotavirus.
- Rubella, including MMR (M-M-R II) and MMRV (ProQuad),: Protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella.
- Shingles, including ZVL (Zostavax) and RZV (Shingrix),: Prevents shingles.
- Tetanus, including DTaP (Daptacel, Infanrix), Td (Tenivac, generic), DT (-generic-), Tdap (Adacel, Boostrix), DTaP-IPV (Kinrix, Quadracel), DTaP-HepB-IPV (Pediarix), DTaP-IPV/Hib (Pentacel),: protect against diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis, but they will not prevent all cases.
- Tuberculosis: Protects against Tuberculosis (TB) disease.
- Typhoid Fever, including Typhoid Oral (Vivotif)and Typhoid Polysaccharide (Typhim Vi),: Reduces the risk for typhoid fever and paratyphoid fever, which are the bacteremic illnesses that have an insidious onset characterized by fever, headache, constipation or diarrhea, malaise, chills, and myalgias.
- Synflorix: Protects against pneumococcal disease caused by at least 10 types of Streptococcus pneumoniae.
- Varicella, including VAR (Varivax) and MMRV (ProQuad),: Protect against varicella (chickenpox).
- Varilrix: Protects against varicella (chickenpox).
- Varivax: Protects against varicella (chickenpox).
- Yellow Fever, including YF (YF-Vax),: Reduces the risk for yellow fever virus transmission found in South America and Africa.
- Zostavax: Protects against herpes zoster (shingles).
- FDA warned patients not to combine Plavix with
- Calcium tablets may raise risk of heart attack and are dud a safeguarding the skeleton.
Researchers reported that 30 percent more heart attacks occurred in people over age 40 who took
calcium pills.
- The Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) is an
environmental contaminant found in water along with meat, dairy, and vegetables.
Exposure to high amounts of NDMA can increase the risk of bladder, stomach,
gastric or colorectal cancers. The
heartburn drug Zantac has high levels of NDMA above the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s acceptable daily limit, causing cancer danger.
The FDA issued the order to remove from the market all prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) ranitidine medications sold under the brand name Zantac
(tablets or liquid) after concluding that the cancer-causing contaminant NDMA can build up in the drug when stored at higher than room temperatures for long periods. Many heartburn products (brand and generic forms) that do not contain NDMA, such as Pepcid,
Tagamet, Nexium, Prevacid and
Prilosec, can replace Zantac.
- Inhalers were developed from the late 1700s to deliver medication into the body through inhalation, or breathing through the mouth. Inhalers
were associated with lung complaints, but during the 20th century they became connected with asthma treatment.
Asthma inhalers are hand-held, portable devices that deliver medication to your lungs. Each consist of a pressurized
canister containing medication that fits into a boot-shaped plastic mouthpiece. With most metered dose inhalers, medication is released by pushing the canister into the boot.
- Medicines reduce aches and pains, fight infections, and control problems such as high blood pressure or diabetes; however, medicines can also cause unwanted reactions.
One problem is interactions, which may occur between
- Pregnant women with epilepsy, particularly those on anti-seizure medications, may have higher rates of cesarean section and heavy bleeding after delivery than other women.
- Benzocaine Topical, which is used for relieving itching, can cause a blue discoloration on the skin.
- The gel, called Caprisa, contains the aids drug Tenofovir. A two and a half year study showed it reduced HIV infections in women by 39%.
- Zantac and its generic form, ranitidine, the heartburn pill that once ranked as the world’s best-selling drug,
contained a chemical N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) that
causes cancer. The Food and Drug Administration confirmed unacceptable levels of this chemical,
in Zantac. The agency’s testing suggests
Pepcid,
Tagamet,
Nexium,
Prevacid and
Prilosec do not contain this chemical. More than 40 other countries from Australia to
Vietnam have also either stopped sales of Zantac and its generic pills, launched investigations or otherwise stepped in to protect consumers from possible health risks.
- Zolgensma, a new drug approved by the FDA in May 2019, costs more than $2.1 million. It's made by AveXis, a
drugmaker owned by pharmaceutical giant Novartis. This gene therapy medication used to treat rare spinal muscular atrophy in children less than two. This drug, which is given once by injection into a vein, is now the most
expensive drug on the market.
- Luxturna, an Spark Therapeutics' AAV vector-based one-time gene therapy, is used for the treatment of confirmed biallelic RPE65 mutation-associated retinal dystrophy,
an inherited retinal disorder that leads to vision loss. The gene therapy drug is priced at $425,000 per eye for a total cost of $850,000 per patient.
- Myalept is used to treat the complications of leptin deficiency, in addition to diet, in patients with congenital generalized or acquired generalized lipodystrophy. Patients typically
use 14 vials per month and each vial is priced at $4,633, the drug costs $778,344 per year.
- A new study raises fresh concerns about Zetia and its cousin, Vytorin.
Zetia failed to shrink buildups in artery walls, and Zetia users also suffered more heart attacks. Vytorin is a pill that combines Zetia with a
statin. It has been proven that neither Vytorin nor Zetia are any better at lowering cholesterol, reducing plaque buildup in the arteries, or prevent heart attacks or death than low grade niacin.
- Aurobindo Pharma USA's Folotyn is used for the treatment for peripheral T-cell lymphoma,
on the basis of a clinical trial demonstrating the ability to reduce tumor size, but not to prolong life. The drug costs $30,000 a month or more, which could reach a total of $126,000 during a course of treatment.
- Monthly costs for the drugs for patients with advanced cancer ranged from $5,454 to $45,004, and the average was $13,176;
between 2006 and 2015 the average monthly cost of oncology drugs increased from $7,103 to $15,535, and the incremental cost of new drugs increased from $30,447 to $161,141.
- Taking daily multivitamin may help prevent cancer in healthy middle-aged men.
- Poisoning is the leading cause of injury-related mortality in the United States, with more than 40,000 deaths annually. Drugs account for 90% of poisoning deaths, and the number of deaths from drug poisoning has increased
substantially. An estimated 1.1 million emergency department visits for drug poisoning were made each year, comprising 2.4% of total injury-related visits. Among persons aged 35–49, the emergency department visit rate for drug poisoning was higher among females
(51.2 per 10,000 persons) compared with males (31.9 per 10,000 persons).
- Drug overdoses killed 63,632 Americans in 2016. Nearly two-thirds of these deaths (66%) involved a prescription or illicit opioid. Overdose deaths increased in all categories of drugs examined for men and women,
people ages 15 and older, all races and ethnicities, and across all levels of urbanization. Some 32.4 million people - or 0.7 per cent of the world's adult population - are users of pharmaceutical opioids and opiates such as heroin and opium.
- From 1991 to 2011, there was a near tripling of opioid prescriptions dispensed by U.S. pharmacies
from 76 million to 219 million prescriptions;
Mexican heroin production increased from an estimated 8 metric tons in 2005 to 50 metric tons in 2009 - more than a six-fold increase in just 4 years.
Pooling data from 2002 to 2012,
the incidence of heroin initiation was 19 times higher among those who reported prior nonmedical pain reliever use than among those who did not.
- Ecstasy is a psychoactive drug used primarily as a recreational drug; it is often mixed with a variety of
substances such as LSD, cocaine, amphetamine, meth, heroin, rat poison, caffeine, dog deworming substances and more. Ecstasy increases the release and slows the reuptake of the neurotransmitters serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine in parts of the brain; it has stimulant and psychedelic effects; the initial increase is followed by a short-term decrease
in the neurotransmitters; Ecstasy is use is illegal, highly addictive and incredibly dangerous.
- Prescription drug misuse has become a large public health problem, because misuse can lead to addiction, and even overdose deaths
- Opioids:
Happy Pills,
Hillbilly Heroin,
OC,
Oxy,
Oxycotton,
Percs, and
Vikes.
- Depressants:
A-minus,
Barbs,
Candy,
Downers,
Phennies,
Reds,
Red Birds,
Seeping Pills,
Tooies,
Tranks,
Yellow Jackets,
Yellows, and
Zombie Pills.
- Stimulants:
Bennies,
Black Beauties,
Hearts,
Roses,
Skippy,
The Smart Drug,
Speed,
Vitamin R, and
Uppers (Cocaine, Amphetamines, and Methamphetamine).
- 90% of more than 100 drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.
Excluding certain prescription medicines such as nitroglycerin, insulin, and liquid antibiotics, most medicines stored
under reasonable conditions retain at least 70% to 80% of their original potency for at least 1 to 2 years after the expiration date, even after the container has been opened. The expiration date doesn't really indicate a point at which the medication
is no longer effective or has become unsafe to use; expired medicine is safe to take, even those that expired years ago.
- Women who take acetaminophen during pregnancy are more likely to have a hyperactive child.
Hyperactive behavior (called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder - ADHD) usually refers to constant activity, being easily distracted, impulsiveness, inability to concentrate, aggressiveness, and similar behaviors.
Kids with ADHD have problems paying attention and sitting still in their seats, and they do things without thinking about the results. Hundreds of over-the-counter and prescription medications contain acetaminophen
- Popular heartburn drugs called Proton Pump Inhibitors (PPIs) tied to a variety of health problems, including serious kidney damage, bone fractures and dementia.
- Statins may raise risk for nuclear sclerotic cataract,
and may also raise risk for type 2 diabetes.
The statins affected include:
Altoprev (lovastatin extended-release),
Crestor (rosuvastatin),
Lescol (fluvastatin),
Lipitor (atorvastatin),
Livalo (pitavastatin),
Mevacor (lovastatin),
Pravachol (pravastatin), and
Zocor (simvastatin).
Products containing statins in combination with other drugs include:
Advicor (lovastatin/niacin extended-release),
Simcor (simvastatin/niacin extended-release), and
Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe).
- According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH), an estimated 20 million Americans aged 12 or older used an illegal drug in the past 30 days.
The estimated cost of drug abuse exceeds $190 Billion: $130 Billion in lost productivity, $20 Billion in healthcare costs, and $40 Billion in legal costs including efforts to stem the flow of drugs.
The most commonly used and abused drug, after alcohol, is marijuana, cocaine,
heroin, inhalants, LSD (acid),
MDMA (ecstasy), methamphetamine, phencyclidine (PCP),
steroids (anabolic), Vicodin, OxyContin and other prescription drugs.
- In 2014, 576,000 Americans annually spent over $50,000 each for medication.
- Between 1998 and 2014, there were 78 investigational brain tumor drugs that entered the clinical trial evaluation process; 75 failed. There are 13 approved cancer drugs for use in
treatment of brain tumors; of which only 4 drugs and one device were approved by FDA in the past 30 years.
- Around 500,000 Americans take $50,000 in prescription drugs per year, and more than 100,000 Americans spend more than $100,000 on prescription medicine annually.
- Taking prescription drugs not prescribed for you by a doctor or in a way that hasn't been recommended by a doctor, can be more dangerous than you think. In fact, it can be fatal.
Prescription drugs are the third most commonly abused category of drugs, behind alcohol and marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine. An estimated 48 million people have abused prescription drugs, representing nearly 20% of the U.S. population.
- Every day in the U.S, 2,500 youth (12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time;
more than 15 million Americans abuse prescription drugs at any given time, and 120,000 + Americans are hospitalized each year for overdosing on painkillers.
Rural America is a target for prescription drug abuse because of easy access. Unlike larger, metropolitan cities, where access to drugs like cocaine and heroin are prevalent, rural towns don’t have these options.
Depressants, opioids and antidepressants are responsible for more overdose deaths (45%) than cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine and amphetamines (39%) combined.
- FDA warns about the risk of hepatitis B reactivating in some patients treated with direct-acting antivirals for hepatitis C.
- FDA warns about serious risks and death when combining opioid pain or cough medicines with benzodiazepines; requires its strongest warning.
- Wells Pharmacy Network issues voluntary nationwide recall of Sterile products due to concern for lack of Sterility Assurance.
- The prices of cold-sore cream Denavir,
cancer drug Nilandron, beta blocker Dutoprol, and osteoporosis treatment
Miacalcin jumped 372 percent, 989 percent, 1,057 percent, and 3,259 percent, in January 2013, August 2014, May 2015, and September 2015, respectively.
- In the U.S. there are one device and 16 FDA approved drugs to treat brain tumors:
- In the U.S. there are 6 FDA approved drugs to prevent breast cancer (below) and many FDA approved drugs to treat breast cancer:
- Sleeping pills, such as
Lunesta,
Ambien,
Restoril and
Sonata, increased risk of death. Sleep-deprived patients who turn to prescriptions sleeping pills are four times more likely to die earlier than people who don’t use the drugs.
- Daily doses of a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease significantly
improved function in severely brain-injured people thought to be beyond the reach of treatment.
- Cholesterol-reducing statin drugs, such as
Lipitor (atorvastatin),
Crestor (rosuvastatin),
Vytorin (simvastatin/ezetimibe), and
Zocor (simvastatin)
increased risks of Type 2 diabetes and memory loss for patients who take the medications.
However, in addition to lower cholesterol levels, statins may reduce the risk of death for patients who have been hospitalized for influenza.
- Since the year 2000 more Americans died from overdoses of prescription painkillers than from a combination of heroin and cocaine use.
- Every day in the US, 2,500 youth (12 to 17) abuse a prescription pain reliever for the first time.
Most of the prescription drugs abused by teens come from family medicine cabinets and from friends
- After marijuana, prescription and over-the-counter medicines account for most of the top drugs abused by 12th graders.
- Of the 1.4 million drug-related emergency room admissions in 2005, 598,542 were associated with abuse of pharmaceuticals alone or with other drugs.
- The U.S. spent a combined $271.1 billion on prescription drugs in 2013, which comes to almost $1 for every $10 the country spends on health care.
- Prescription drugs are the third most commonly abused category of drugs, behind alcohol and marijuana and ahead of cocaine, heroin, and methamphetamine.
Overall, an estimated 48 million people have abused prescription drugs, representing nearly 20% of the U.S. population.
- Three kinds of prescription drugs that are commonly abused are:
- Opioids—painkillers like Vicodin, OxyContin, or codeine
- Depressants—like those used to relieve anxiety or help a person sleep, such as Valium or Xanax
- Stimulants—like those used for treating attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), such as Adderall and Ritalin
- About 16 million people in the U.S. abuse prescription medications; an estimated 20% of high school students admit to taking a prescription drug without a doctor's prescription.
Prescription drug abuse rates are highest during the teens and 20s, although rates are increasing among those in their 50s ("baby boomers").
- There were 35 new drugs approved by the FDA in 2011.
- After marijuana and alcohol, the most common drugs teens are misusing or abusing are prescription medications; more than 1,600 teens begin abusing prescription drugs each day.
- In the U.S. the number of new drugs under development continues to shrink. During the past 3 years FDA approved 68 new drugs: 17 approvals in 2010, 25 in 2009 and 26 in 2008.
- In 2008, the top 5 generic drugs sold in the US are
Hydrocodone/APAP ($1.78B),
Simvastatin ($1.45B),
Azithromycin ($1.3B),
Omeprazole ($1.15B), and
Metoprolol Succinate ($1.12B).
The rest...
- Drug patent expirations (2008 & 2009):
Acular (used for treat Eye pain),
Arimidex (Breast cancer),
Avandia (Diabetes),
Avelox (Antibiotic),
Cellcept (Organ rejection),
Flomax (BPH),
Glyset (Diabetes),
Imitrex (Migraine),
Keppra (Epilepsy),
Prevacid (Heartburn),
Valtrex (Herpes),
Xenical (Obesity),
Advair (Asthma),
Camptosar (Colon and rectum cancers),
Casodex (Prostate cancer),
Depakote (Epilepsy),
Effexor XR (Depression),
Fosamax (Osteoporosis),
Lamictal (Epilepsy),
Prograf (Organ rejection),
Risperdal (Schizophrenia),
Serevent (Asthma),
Sonata (Insomnia),
Topamax (Migraine),
Trusopt (Glaucoma), and
Zerit (HIV).
- In 2008, the top 5 branded drugs sold in the US are
Lipitor ($5.88B),
Nexium ($4.80B),
Plavix ($3.80B),
Advair Diskus ($3.57B), and
Prevacid ($3.3B).
The rest...
- In 2007, the top 5 generic drugs used in hospitals in the US are
Lovenox ($1.44B),
Aranesp ($1.2B),
Procrit ($1.2B),
Revlimid ($1.15B), and
Neulasta ($978M).
The rest...
- There were a number of drug companies that paid billions of dollars
to the U.S. government to settle their bad practices on drugs, such as providing wrong advertisements, illegally encouraging doctors to prescribe unapproved drugs to patients, and manipulating prices to overcharge state and federal programs. Between 2006 and 2011, over 130 settlements were made, in which the most well-known ones were
Glaxo-SmithKline paid $3 billion in 2011, and
Pfizer and
Eli Lilly paid $2.3 billion and $1.4 billion, respectively, in 2009.
- Drugs approved for different types of cancer:
- Cancer deaths are less common in people taking aspirin daily.
Taking high doses of aspirin daily for at least 2 years substantially reduces the risk of colorectal cancer among people at increased risk of the disease.
- Drugs approved for childhood cancers:
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