Medications Archive

Staying Healthy

Is your medication making you lightheaded?

Published November 1, 2021

Many medications can cause lightheadedness, such as drugs to treat depression, high blood pressure, or bladder problems. It’s important to learn about a medication’s potential side effects and be on high alert if lightheadedness is a possibility. A person can jot down the day and time a drug is taken as well as any side effects that follow; those details can help a doctor determine if changes in medicines are required. Someone who continues to feel lightheaded after about a week should report it to the doctor.

Pain

Drug therapy needs time to treat heart-related chest pain

Published November 1, 2021

Chest pain with exertion affects about one-quarter of people with stable coronary artery disease. A 2021 study found that these individuals can often eliminate their symptoms by following conservative drug therapy, without needing a stent or bypass surgery.

Diseases & Conditions

Why are mRNA vaccines so exciting?

Updated November 1, 2021

The first vaccines approved in the US to prevent COVID-19 were an entirely new type: mRNA vaccines. Over the past year, they've proven unusually effective and safe. How do mRNA vaccines differ from traditional vaccines, and what makes them so exciting?

Mind & Mood

Some blood pressure drugs are linked with better memory

Published October 1, 2021

A 2021 analysis found that adults ages 50 and older who took an ACE inhibitor such as lisinopril or an ARB like candesartan that crosses the blood-brain barrier scored higher on memory recall tests after three years on the medication, when compared with those who took a different drug in the same class that doesn’t cross over.

Heart Health

Aspirin and bruising

Published October 1, 2021

Taking low-dose aspirin may increase bruising and minor bleeding from small cuts. Minor bleeding does not necessarily indicate a greater likelihood of experiencing major bleeding.

Mind & Mood

Stuck in a brain fog? Look in your medicine cabinet

Published October 1, 2021

Older adults may assume bouts of forgetfulness or "brain fog" are a natural part of aging. But one possible explanation is that the problem is a side effect from common medications, in particular sleep aids and pain killers. Older adults who have recently begun taking a new medication or increased their dosage should monitor their memory problems and then share the information with their doctor to see if adjustments should be made to their medication regimen.

Staying Healthy

Do statins increase the risk of dementia?

Published October 1, 2021

A study published June 29, 2021, by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology (JACC) found no link between statin use and a higher incidence of dementia in adults ages 65 and older, but other studies have described possible cognitive changes related to statin use. Experts say that the benefits of taking a statin for people who have risk factors for cardiovascular disease generally far outweigh the risks. Statin use can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke by 25% to 30%.

Staying Healthy

Looking past blood pressure numbers

Published October 1, 2021

For decades, blood pressure treatment was dictated by a person’s numbers, with a blood pressure less than 140/90 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) considered normal. But evidence has proved this to be an inadequate goal. Research now suggests an individualized approach to managing blood pressure that considers other heart health risks, lifestyle habits, and family history may be a better way to ward off heart attacks and strokes.

Mind & Mood

Can medication help us combat Alzheimer’s disease?

Published October 1, 2021

Aducanumab is a newly approved drug for Alzheimer’s disease with the potential to reduce amyloid-beta plaque buildup in the brain. There are other medications being studied to see if they can reduce amyloid-beta, such as a monoclonal antibody that targets amyloid-beta before it forms plaques, and a monoclonal antibody that takes aim at plaque that has already formed. Other experimental approaches try to prevent tau tangles in brain cells, reduce brain inflammation, or reduce the amount of amyloid-beta that is produced.

Healthcare Disparities

Poverty, homelessness, and social stigma make addiction more deadly

Published September 28, 2021

Addiction can affect anyone, but social determinants of health — the factors that influence a person's circumstances in life — can have a negative impact on a person's efforts to overcome addiction. Poverty, employment status, education level, and systemic racism can make it harder for people to reach and maintain recovery.

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Medications Archive

Articles

Is your medication making you lightheaded?

Drug therapy needs time to treat heart-related chest pain

Why are mRNA vaccines so exciting?

Some blood pressure drugs are linked with better memory

Aspirin and bruising

Stuck in a brain fog? Look in your medicine cabinet

Do statins increase the risk of dementia?

Looking past blood pressure numbers

Can medication help us combat Alzheimer’s disease?

Poverty, homelessness, and social stigma make addiction more deadly

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