Staying Healthy Archive

Many people need to take multiple medications for health and symptom control, but it requires extra attention to prevent risks for drug interactions, dosage errors, and other problems. Several strategies can help, such as learning the names of pills, what they do, and why they're necessary; writing down the day, time, and dose of each drug; using organization tools such as pillboxes and alarms; and scheduling a medication review with a doctor or pharmacist every 12 months, so that unnecessary pills—such as those no longer needed—can be omitted.

White-coat hypertension refers to blood pressure that's high only when measured in a medical setting. It's defined as a reading in the doctor's office of greater than 130/80 (but less than 160/100) and an average daytime blood pressure reading of less than 130/80. If home monitoring reveals mostly normal readings, treatment may not be needed. But intermittent blood pressure spikes might still damage the heart.

For millions of people, alcohol is a regular part of their lives. But there are many downsides to drinking — some familiar, others less well appreciated. And concerns about the risks of even moderate drinking are on the rise.

While men sometimes hold off urinating until absolutely necessary, waiting too long won't cause serious damage to their bladder. Still, over time, the practice could possibly raise the risk for urinary tract infections and make urinating difficult.