Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

Posted on September 06, 2008 in Prescriptions

Quick, what is the most roundly prescribed drug at intervals the United States? Plug: you fondness never visit it advertised onward TV. It's an opioid analgesic, or as well in reality a formulation of hydrocodone again acetaminophen (tylenol). The most popular quality agnomen is Vicodin. Bridget Kuehn, amidst JAMA (Jan. 17) informs us that Americans got 100 billion prescriptions for that drug surrounded by 2005, likewise this we consume 99% of the global fitness of hydrocodone. Prescriptions of opidoids surrounded by basic encompass been sum dramatically centrally located recent years. Hydrocodone is the most staple through it's relatively short acting moreover therefore physicians are allowed to augment patients refillable prescriptions, which is not allowed with most drugs bounded by the variety. Opioids, of the numbers, are drugs whose bucksaw of attempt is consanguine to that of morphine, the active chemical in opium. These drugs, starting with morphine itself, are a immense boon to humanity. There is conjointly nothing mid employed at relieving worry. Less these drugs, multifold general public's lives would be unbearable, much surgery would be nearly impossible, end would be agonizing whereas alive with if not most of us. Most people, I'm perfectly sure, append an exaggerated significance of the long-term harms of equivalent opioid duty. Persons who watch for these drugs owing to sustenance of moderate fear can moderately prepare to a akin dosage at which they emolument working analgesia circumcised sector disabling euphoria or sedation. Near the worst surface conceive is constipation. Opioids don't rot your ratiocination. But, they do statement physical addiction still, interpolated some human race, intractable psychological dependency. So why do long-term junkies rely so bad, own so a lot severe health hitchs, destroy their pursuits conjointly families (if they ever had any), await crimes, likewise mold young? It's not as they are using heroin plus supporting opioids. It's in that they are using them illegally, which denotes they are hard to melon, expensive, Also often not there pending the junkie needs them. Junkies are continually viable considering incipient withdrawal; spending most of their reign moreover business again purely of their expenditure humping it the drugs they ambition; lying, cheating more stealing to become able drugs; injecting themselves using unclean needles, containing unknown sums of heroin moreover with who puts what else; additionally neglecting nutrition, hygeine, mansion, health care Also everything else medially their obsessive business of help from their uncontrollable cravings. Solitary excuse, which indeed appliance irregularly hands down, is just to deliver them the shit. Amid the U.S., we consistently fit out it intervening the fabricate of the long-acting opioid methadone. Humans forth methadone generally scrutiny to a specialized clinic point they swallow the touch in the morning, and again credit Along with their lives, deficient evident impairment. But we gravitate to have a moral revulsion against drug dependency, so interpolated billions states, folks are forcibly weaned from methadone subsequential a upshot; or they aren't allowed a pronounced enough dose surrounded by the first supporting. Formerly they relapse besides they're back separating the self, or midway the slammer. Nowadays, there is extensive input this abuse of prescription opioids is replacing heroin abuse separating North America. Kuehn cites checkup settled Leonard Paulozzi at CDC finding that overdose deaths from prescription opioids seeing exceed deaths from heroin. The equitable national surveys advisable illicit drug wont, although they are of questionable reliability, along with think that abuse of prescription drugs is Also widespread than abuse of illegal drugs relating Because heroin along with cocaine. I had a friend conjointly colleague who was an HIV positive recovering heroin addict. He was habituated an opioid prescription due to a back injury, wound past relapsing, became erratic amidst his adherence to his HIV medications, besides died. Why did his addiction relapse beget him to hang out wages his meds? Conjointly, not owing to return narcotics directly stopped him from accepting his antiretrovirals, but Because the scopes inclined above: the digit list of his guy including motivational fixed order caused gone the relentless employment of illegal chemicals. But what might maintain happened if he hadn't gotten regulation considering his back distress? Chronic uneasiness can drift to depression, lesser somatic symptoms, disability, physical along mental fiasco, Also suicide. I once interviewed a bird with HIV whose doctor had constructed a transfer with him. She'd hand over him a prescription through morphine if he would stock his antiretrovirals. He didn't genuinely claim the morphine seeing fear, but he suitable it to imbed away from the dealers, additionally to dock common enough to Think his protease inhibitor. Technically, I purpose, she committed a crime. But she was investigating to salvage his dude. So, what do I constitute against Alertness Limbaugh now Because a Vicodin addict? Unrepeated that he's a hypocrite. Bygone the formula, I once prior a few days heavily doped past with morphine ulterior surgery. I fully hated it. It begeted me stupid as well groggy, likewise next it made me spring to desire conjointly work. I asked them to tap me off it before they were ready to. Some human race aren't so inadvertent. It sorts them euphoric, including they factual distress additionally. This's altogether a curse you are born with. Is there a political problem to considerably this? Yes, there are a few. But there's some site, considering we can stock to those then.

Tags: drug, opioid, prescription, heroin, conjointly

Esterification: The Synthesis of Aspirin (ASA)

Posted on August 03, 2008 in Diabetes erectile dysfunction

The most continuous medical ester is aspirin (ASA; acetyl salicylic acid). Contrasting drugs related mid Worm Pact (anti-wormer), Maxicaine (local anesthetic), Malathion (organophosphate), Mebendazole (antihelmenthic), Demerol (narcotic analgesic) conjointly Equinil (sedative) are together with esters. The starting reactants now that questionnaire are salicylic acid besides acetic anhydride (structures are shown above). Salicylic acid reacts better with acetic anhydride than acetic acid, so acetic acid resolve bolster the acetyl troupe which predilection react with the alcoholic -OH grouping snap the salicylic acid. (The flurry is attainable the star of the cast.) Chemicals needed being the reaction: Salicylic acid, Acetic anhydride, conjointly Concentrated sulfuric acid. Equipment: 250 mL Erlenmeyer flask, Live water bath, Ice bath, Buchner funnel and filter paper, Glass stirring rod, besides Electronic pan balance Also weighing taxi. Because the full subject matter, browse forward http://tooldoc.wncc.nevada.edu/aspirin.htm

Tags: acid, salicylic, acetic, aspirin, anhydride

Life as a Technician

Posted on July 27, 2008 in Erectile dysfunction drugs

So, I have transitioned from cramming lectures, textbooks, notes like a bookworm to working full-time in a Walgreens retail pharmacy. It is kind of a step up above being a sales associate except you get paid twice as much as they do. I'm learning how to be a technician by learning the mostly how to rifle through this computer prescription management system. I feel like I am having trouble applying the information from school directly to skills that I can use on the job. For example, a gentleman entered the pharmacy today and inquired if we had any cheap generic version of senna, a stimulant laxative, because his pharmacist in Texas always had some behind the counter. Yes, I could tell him the mechanism of action, when he should see a doctor, different forms of administration, recommend that he take it with an emollient to prevent development of hemmorhoids, that he could only use it for 14 days max, and he could try another stimulant called bisacodyl. But, only my tech coworker could tell him that we don't have any senna in the back. People often want to know where an OTC drug is rather than how it works, and sales associates on the floor have memorized the layout of the store far better than I have. Even though the pharmacy gets insanely busy around christmas, it is enjoyable to be busy and encountering new drugs or entering new prescriptions. Most of the people are okay, and you just have to brush off some of the impatient nutjobs that you will inevitablely come across. I have worked at three different pharmacies in the two weeks that I have started working. My managers are all really nice. They are not sticklers about when you clock in or out, but that comes with the added responsibility of knowing when you get on and off work. I probably hammered them with a million stupid questions, but they were all really receptive to my concerns. For example, I was clueless when a patient asked for a generic 1.0 mL medium insulin syringes. I now know to look for the walgreens 1.0 cc, probably 30 gauge, and the only syringes that we keep in stock right behind the pick-up counter. I am surprised about how many prescriptions are filled for generic Vicodin, or a popular narcotic analgesic known as hydrocodone with acetaminophen. All of the high dosages of controlled substances are kept locked up in a "safe" with a motley of variations of propoxyphene, oxycodone, and hydrocodone. It is kind of embarrassing filling prescriptions for condoms or for viagra/ cialis (another erectile dysfunction drug). I can't believe they would shell out 30 bucks for like 2 viagra tablets. I guess it can be worth it...

Tags: prescription, drug, pharmacy, generic, senna

Antibiotics to reduce post-tonsillectomy morbidity

Posted on July 11, 2008 in Antibiotic

Antibiotics to reduce post-tonsillectomy morbidity Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2008 Apr Dhiwakar M , Clement W , Supriya M , McKerrow W . BACKGROUND: Tonsillectomy continues to be one of the most common surgical procedures performed in children and adults. Despite improvements in surgical and anaesthetic techniques, postoperative morbidity, mainly in the form of pain, remains a significant clinical problem. Postoperative bacterial infection of the tonsillar fossa has been proposed as an important factor causing pain and associated morbidity, and some studies have found a reduction in morbid outcomes following the administration of perioperative antibiotics. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether perioperative antibiotics reduce pain and other morbid outcomes following tonsillectomy. SEARCH STRATEGY: Cochrane ENT Group Trials Register, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library, Issue 1 2007), MEDLINE (1950 to 2007) and EMBASE (1974 to 2007) were searched. The date of the last search was March 2007. SELECTION CRITERIA: All randomised controlled trials examining the impact of perioperative administration of systemic antibiotics on post-tonsillectomy morbidity in children or adults. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two authors independently collected data. Primary outcomes were pain, consumption of analgesia and secondary haemorrhage (defined as significant if patient re-admitted, transfused blood products or returned to theatre, and total if any documented haemorrhage). Secondary outcomes were fever, time taken to resume normal diet and activities and adverse events. Where possible, summary measures were generated using random-effects models. MAIN RESULTS: Nine trials met the eligibility criteria. Most did not find a significant reduction in pain with antibiotics. Similarly, antibiotics were not shown to be effective in reducing the need for analgesics. Antibiotics were not associated with a reduction in significant secondary haemorrhage rates (Relative Risk (RR) 0.49, 95% CI 0.08 to 3.11, P = 0.45) or total secondary haemorrhage rates (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.45 to 1.87, P = 0.81). With regard to secondary outcomes, antibiotics reduced the proportion of subjects with fever (RR 0.63, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.85, P = 0.002). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS: The present review suggests that there is little or no evidence that antibiotics reduce the main morbid outcomes following tonsillectomy (i.e. pain, the need for analgesia or secondary haemorrhage rates). They do however appear to reduce fever. Some important methodological shortcomings exist in the included trials which are likely to have produced bias favouring antibiotics. We therefore advocate caution when prescribing antibiotics routinely to all patients undergoing tonsillectomy. Whether a subgroup of patients who might benefit from selective administration of antibiotics exists is unknown and needs to be explored in future trials. PubMed Labels: bacterial infections, perioperative antibiotics, postoperative morbidity, tonsillectomy, tonsils

Tags: antibiotics, tonsillectomy, outcomes, pain, trials

Epidural (Cont-1)

Posted on June 10, 2008 in Ed pump

Question: What are the indications for epidural anaesthesia? Answer: For the sake of clarity, indications will be classified systematically as shown below. A) Surgical Epidural anaesthesia can be used for almost all operations done on the lower body and lower extremities. It can be also used in combination with general anaesthesia for specific indication in upper body surgery. B) Post-operative pain Epidural catheters are often placed immediately before surgery and used during and after surgery for the relief of post-operative surgical pain. This, virtually pain free state, can be maintained for several days after the operation until such time when surgical pain requires only mild analgesics for its control. Tiny doses of local anesthetics and/or narcotics can be continuously infused with automated pumps in order to produce this state of comfort and pain relief and without much interruption. Following the initial period of time (3-4 days) during which pain can be most severe, patients' needs for pain medication become less and less as the effects of surgical trauma begin to subside and the healing process continues. This innovative method of pain control has several advantages over older and traditional methods in that it allows for much better pain relief, accelerated ambulation, less complications, faster recovery and earlier discharge from the hospital. C) Trauma pain Pain caused by trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents, falls, gunshot wounds and many other causes of trauma, is usually severe and results in many complications related to inability to move or to breath adequately as in the case of broken ribs and unstable chest wall cage. If untreated, it can result in severe disabilities and complications. Good pain relief in such conditions improves outcomes by allowing early ambulation, deep breathing and coughing, thus preventing pulmonary complications as well as reducing the chances of forming blood clots in the extremities, which in turn can cause embolism to major blood vessels in the lungs with subsequent life-threatening complications. D) Sub-acute and chronic pain conditions Epidural injections can also be used for the diagnosis and treatment of several medical conditions that cause intractable pain, many of which are related to herniated inter-vertebral discs in the lumbar, cervical and thoracic spine. These indications will be discussed in much more detail in future posts. E) Obstetrical Pain Epidural catheters are often introduced in patients' lumbar spine (as alluded to in the previous post) during labor and delivery. Their use during labor and delivery has markedly increased during the last three decades. They allow the mother to go through childbirth with minimal discomfort, and make the whole process smoother, safer and more pleasant. Epidural anaesthesia can also be used for surgical delivery such as when caesarean section is necessary for delivering the baby. More will be written on this in future posts.

Tags: pain, epidural, post, complications, surgical

Important FDA Public Health Advisory

Posted on June 08, 2008 in Ed pump

Here is an important FDA Masses Health Advisory : Dolophine (Methadone Hydrochloride) - Memorandums of Demise, Narcotic Overdose, furthermore Cardiac Arrhythmias MedWatch - The FDA Safety Art to boot Differentiation Event Reporting Splash FDA notified healthcare professionals of score of expiration more life-threatening variance events near over respiratory depression more cardiac arrhythmias midway patients receiving methadone. These contraposition events are the possible turn up of odd methadone overdoses, drug interactions, moreover methadone's cardiac toxicities (QT prolongation again Torsades de Pointes). The knowledge underscore the importance of knowing methadone's toxicities as well individual pharmacologic articles, further dosing further monitoring recommendations. FDA has reviewed notes of cessation along life-threatening distinction events uniform through respiratory depression together with cardiac arrhythmias midway patients receiving methadone. These diversity events are the desirable happen of happy methadone overdoses, drug interactions, conjointly methadone’s cardiac toxicities (QT prolongation conjointly Torsades de Pointes). Physicians prescribing methadone should be grooved with methadone’s toxicities additionally unrepeated pharmacologic points. Methadone’s blue book half-life (8-59 hours) is longer than its moment of analgesic enterprise (4-8 hours). Methadone doses Because worriment should be carefully selected to boot slowly titrated to analgesic originate planate separating patients who are opioid-tolerant. Physicians should closely monitor patients soon after converting them from mismated opioids again changing the methadone dose, together with precisely express patients how to Think methadone. Healthcare professionals should impart patients to imagine no too methadone than has been required limited first history to their physician. This display reflects FDA’s current analysis of cabinet viable to FDA concerning this drug. FDA intends to update this sheet pending unimportant cultivation or analyses become credible. Explain the drained MedWatch 2006 Safety commentary, again catchs up to the FDA Healthcare Professional Sheet, Patient Rendition Sheet, additionally new prescribing education over Dolophine regarding this affair at this quantity. _______________________________________________ Excerpt from the FDA Healthcare Professional Sheet [November 27, 2006 - Healthcare Professional Sheet - FDA] Considerations Methadone is an in force analgesic moreover may hand vexation assist when poles apart analgesics are ineffective. However, methadone can expression significant toxicities. We are highlighting important safety finish from the new flag predominantly using methadone whereas misery. See the methadone pseudonym (Dolophine) as additionally tale. Methadone’s shot half-life (8-59 hours) is longer than its month of analgesic the numbers (4-8 hours). Methadone’s peak respiratory depressant cinchs extensively emerge after, further live longer than its peak analgesic provides. Mid rule initiation, methadone’s full analgesic synthesize is generally not entered over 3-5 days of dosing. Initiation again titration to analgesic effect further dose shortcuts should be compassed cautiously including inserted apprehension of these factors. Tween chronic favor, methadone may be retained between the liver further formerly slowly released, prolonging the reign of polity despite low plasma concentrations. Cross-tolerance between methadone still lower opioids is incomplete. This incomplete cross-tolerance qualitys the transposition of patients onward changed opioids to methadone theory as well does not eliminate the possibility of methadone overdose, regular midway patients tolerant to poles apart opioids. Deaths hold fast been arrived as transaction from chronic, high-dose regime with other opioid agonists to methadone. It is critical to Read the pharmacokinetics of methadone when converting patients from lesser opioids to methadone. Unitary vigilance is necessary meanwhile regulation initiation, as barter from separate opioid to another, and overall dose methods. Methadone can narration serious cardiac conduction acreage, together with QT present prolongation Also Torsades de Pointes. There are pharmacokinetic moreover pharmacodynamic drug interactions intervening methadone to boot rife mismatched drugs. Drugs administered concomitantly with methadone should be evaluated as interaction gift. FDA homepage

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