ANGINA TREATMENT OVERVIEW Chest pain that originates from the heart is called “angina pectoris.” Angina is a signal that the heart muscle is not getting sufficient blood flow, specifically sufficient oxygen. Lack of oxygen is termed “ischemia.” Blood flow is most often reduced by coronary artery disease, which causes a narrowing of the arteries that […]

Antagonism – Interaction between two or more drugs that have opposite effects on the body. Drug antagonism may block or reduce the effectiveness of one or more of the drugs. Bolus –  A single dose of a drug or other substance given over a short period of time. It is usually given by infusion or […]

Pharmacodynamics in its simplest form asks, “How do drugs do what they do?” Drugs cannot make the body do anything that the body doesn’t normally do. All they do is change the rate of pre-existing physiological processes. The rate of physiological processes is controlled by the rate of neurotransmission. Drugs can alter physiological function by altering […]

Pharmacokinetics (PK) is the study of how the body interacts with administered substances for the entire duration of exposure (medications for the sake of this article). This is closely related to but distinctly different from pharmacodynamics, which examines the drug’s effect on the body more closely. The four main parameters generally examined by this field […]

In health care facilities, medications must be stored and monitored to prevent theft or diversion. Requirements for storage can often be found also on the medication’s label. Patients should be educated on how to safely store their medications at home to prevent theft or accidental poisoning. Security Medications, especially controlled substances, must be securely stored in accordance […]

Multivitamins, vitamin D, echinacea, and fish oil are among the many dietary supplements lining store shelves or available online. Perhaps you already take a supplement or are thinking about using one. Dietary supplements can be beneficial to your health, but they can also involve health risks. So, it’s important that you talk with a health […]

ACHES, PAINS, AND HEADACHES Over-the-counter pain medicines can help with headache, arthritis pain, sprains, and other minor joint and muscle problems. Acetaminophen — Try this medicine first for your pain. DO NOT take more than 3 grams (3,000 mg) on any one day. Large amounts can harm your liver. Remember that 3 grams is about the […]

What is a botanical? A botanical is a plant or plant part valued for its medicinal or therapeutic properties, flavor, and/or scent. Herbs are a subset of botanicals. Products made from botanicals that are used to maintain or improve health are sometimes called herbal products, botanical products, or phytomedicines. In naming botanicals, botanists use a Latin name made up of the plant’s genus and a term called the specific epithet. […]

Human Insulin and Insulin Analogs are available for insulin replacement therapy. Insulins also are classified by the timing of their action in your body – specifically, how quickly they start to act, when they have a maximal effect and how long they act. Insulin analogs have been developed because human insulins have limitations when injected […]

Antihyperglycemics – oral Antihyperglycemic medications are used for glycemic control. Maintaining appropriate blood glucose levels in patients with hyperglycemia is important for minimizing the risk of acute symptoms, long-term complications, and mortality. There are many physiological causes of hyperglycemia, so multi-drug regimens may be required to control blood glucose levels.  Biguanides:  metformin Metformin is considered first […]