Medical Drug Interactions
When two or more drugs are taken at the same time a drug interaction can occur. These interactions can also occur between pharmaceutical drugs and herbal medications or even between drugs and foods. The greater the number of drugs and/or herbs taken the greater the possibility of interactions.
What are drug interactions?
An interaction is a generally unwanted result of combining two or more chemicals within the body. Sometimes it involves the result of direct chemical interactions (such as when two chemicals combine to create a third and unplanned chemical) and sometimes it relates to the impact on the body caused by treatment with more than one drug at a time, such as two drugs affecting the same system, even though the drugs don't themselves combine to create yet another drug. Drug interactions are very common and while many have only minor effects they can be quite dangerous, even lethal.
Drug interactions are usually characterised by one of two general effects. One involves the drugs enhancing their effects (that is potentiating or working together to have a stronger action). For example, drugs that are used to thin the blood and reduce the possibility that the blood will clot (anticoagulants) are commonly affected by this problem. Combined treatments will work together and the blood could become so thin that bleeding could occur and it would be difficult for the blood to form a clot to stop the bleeding. One example would be taking aspirin while being treated with heparin since both are known anticoagulants. There are also herbs that have an anticoagulant effect and these can interact with medical anticoagulants. These herbs include cayenne and ginger which are specific herbal anticoagulants. There are other herbs and vitamins that have an anticoagulant effect - these include ginkgo biloba, garlic and vitamin E. The other general effect of course is just the reverse. This involves the drugs working against each other causing them to be less effective.
How do the drug interactions occur?
There are many ways that the interactions can take place. The main ways are covered below.
Physical or chemical incompatibility - This usually occurs when drugs are mixed in the liquid form. If there is a physical incompatibility then there is often a precipitate - solid parts start forming in the mixture. An example is diazepam (Valium) - a common sedative. In the liquid form it will not mix well with water. This is a physical incompatibility. With a chemical incompatibility a chemical reaction can occur which alters the drug. For example, the liquid form of penicillin (an antibiotic) will be inactivated if it is mixed with aminoglycosides (another group of antibiotics) such as streptomycin.
However, this type of chemical incompatibility can be beneficial. For example, the drug action of the blood thinner heparin can be reversed by the drug protamine, a drug which binds to and inactivates the heparin. Protamine is therefore used as a specific antidote for a heparin overdose.
Interference with the absorption of nutrients in the digestive tract - The rate at which the stomach and intestines work can be affected by various drugs.
For example, when anti-nausea drugs such as metoclopramide (Maxolon, Pramin) are taken, they will speed up the rate at which the stomach empties. This is important to know if, for example, digitalis (a heart drug) is given as the time that it has to be absorbed in the stomach is reduced and the effective dose will therefore be lower. If the stomach emptying time is lowered, for example, with propantheline (an antispasmodic drug) the time spent in the stomach, and hence the absorption of digitalis, will be increased.
Changing of drug metabolism - Some drugs are able to stimulate the breaking down of other drugs in the liver.
For example, barbiturates (anti-anxiety sedatives) are known to do this. When barbiturates are given with oral anticoagulants (blood thinners) then the dose of the blood thinners needs to be increased because of the rate at which they will be broken down in the liver. There are many examples of where one drug will affect the rate at which another drug is broken down.
Drugs which affect the same body system - This is where two drugs have an effect, which may be intended or otherwise, on the same body system.
For example, drugs that dull the responses of the brain. These include: alcohol, antihistamines, sedatives and pain killers. The effects of one will tend to make the other stronger. This can also work by a drug reducing the effect of another drug. For example, drug doses of vitamin K works against the effects of oral blood thinners.
Drug and food interactions - The importance of these interactions should not be overlooked.
For example, Monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) (such as Phenelzine, Iproniazid, Tranylcypromine) are antidepressant drugs that interact with foods rich in tyramine. The result can be a rapid and prolonged rise in the blood pressure. Foods that have to be avoided include: avocados, cheese, spirits and wine, pickled herring, beef extracts and broad beans. Some over-the-counter drugs such as cold remedies and nasal decongestants can have a similar interaction with the MAOIs.
The Unknown
There are many ways that drugs can interact with each other to either enhance or decrease their effect. This means that the way a medical drug will work in the body is somewhat unknown - especially if more than one or two medical drugs are used at the same time. Medical drugs are toxic chemicals and contrary to popular opinion encouraged by drug prescribers and pharmaceutical companies alike, we generally do not know or understand the real impact of these drugs upon the body.
When two or more drugs are taken, complex chemicals comprised of each drug plus the resulting effects of their combination are introduced to the body - this means that the body has a lot of toxicity to eliminate. The best advice is to only take medical drugs if they are absolutely essential and then only take them for as short a period of time as possible. In many/most cases alternatives to medical drugs are available. Alarmingly, many people are prescribed multiple drugs over time and end up taking many more than two drugs every day. The truth is, no one knows the real effects this situation will cause but we do know that avoidable illness and death are common outcomes.
Conclusion
It is best to work on improving your health and preventing the onset of disease. Ensure that your body is as free of toxins as you can. Having said these things though it is important that if you are currently taking medical drugs you need to discuss possible changes with your health professional. You may be wise to seek a second opinion but do not just stop your medication without specific professional advice.
References
Goyen, M. 2000, Guide to Medications: Including Prescription and Non-prescription Drugs. Watermark Press.
Iversen, L. 2001, Drugs. Oxford Press.
Society of Hospital Pharmacists of Australia. 2002, Pharmacology and Drug Information for Nurses. Saunders.
Comments (0) 20.03.2008. 00:14
Osteoporosis: Natural Prevention and Treatment
Osteoporosis is the loss of bony tissue resulting in deformed and brittle bones. In osteoporosis the bones literally waste away as their mineral density is gradually lost, making them increasingly weak and fragile. This is a common cause of fractures in the elderly. Thinning of the bones leads to increased risk of fractures, particularly of the lumbar vertebrae, wrist, hip, shoulder and the femur, or thigh bone. It is possible to prevent and to treat osteoporosis. However, you must take action.
It is estimated that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 12 men over the age of 50 worldwide have osteoporosis. To appreciate who is at risk of developing osteoporosis, consider the following factors that are associated with the disease.
Older age
Caucasian or Asian race
Low levels of estrogen (for women)
Low levels of testosterone (for men)
Early menopause - before 45 years (either natural or surgical)
In young women, later menstruation and menstruation that has stopped for more than six months
Family history of hip replacements
Low body weight and thin to small build
A loss of height or stooped posture
Unexplained back pain
Lack of exercise now or as a child
Disabilities
Long-term bed rest
Excessive exercise
Cigarette smoking
Previous bone fracture
Long term medication, including:
corticosteroids
heparin
thyroxin
antacids
antibiotics and antifungals
aspirin
cholesterol lowering drugs
ulcer medications
High alcohol intake
Diet that is low in calcium, zinc, vitamin D and magnesium
High caffeine intake
Eating disorders
Chronic diseases of the kidney, lung, stomach and intestines, particularly malabsorption related conditions such as celiac disease.
What can you do to help prevent or treat osteoporosis?
An increased intake of magnesium, calcium and zinc may help prevent the worst effects of osteoporosis. These can be taken as a part of a good vitamin and mineral supplement (use the Muscle, Joint and Bone link to the left of the page for recommended supplements) as well as increasing the intake of foods that are high in these minerals. In particular it is important to have sufficient zinc.
Vitamin D is essential because it helps the body absorb calcium. You may have a vitamin D deficiency, perhaps because of inadequate exposure to sunlight, and this should be rectified by allowing 10 to 15 minutes of sunlight onto arms, legs or back daily, although the exact exposure requirements do vary depending on geographic latitude, darkness of skin and even air quality. You should take care never to burn. Do not take too much vitamin D. Taking high doses of vitamin D (10,000 to 50,000 IUs daily) may be harmful and a dose of 400 IUs per day is adequate for housebound elderly people.
Vitamin K is just as important as vitamin D for the absorption calcium. Many supplements designed to help treat osteoporosis fail to include vitamin K while others include an inappropriate form or simply provide too little or an improperly balanced amount, having regard for the total effect of the supplement.
Foods containing boron, which reduces the body's excretion of calcium and magnesium, and increases the production of estrogen, should be eaten. These foods include pears, prunes, raisins and apples.
Take plenty of antioxidants such as vitamin C, vitamin E and vitamin A (as beta carotene). The antioxidants will help to slow degeneration. Vitamin C is also important for the absorption of minerals such as zinc.
Take essential fatty acids such as Omega 3 oils to slow down the loss of calcium in the urine.
Eat a diet that is low in or has eliminated dairy products and has reduced amounts of meat (once or twice per week for animal protein). Animal protein increase the rate at which calcium is withdrawn from the bones.
You need to cleanse your body of toxic material so that everything, including your bones and joints are able to work effectively.
Get as much weight bearing exercise as you can. Placing demands on the bones by using the muscles that are attached to them will encourage the body to build bone than to loose it.
Doing all the above is important. Equally important is not doing things that will undermine your positive efforts. So it is important to avoid salt, sugar and refined carbohydrates, coffee and alcohol.
Of course, if you smoke you are destroying your health in many ways. It is essential that you stop smoking. Join a quit smoking program such as Growerz and gain support and assistance to quit for good.
If you have caffeine, alcohol, antacids, drugs, sugar, or refined food it won't matter how good the rest of the diet is. When the body's pH balance becomes acidic, calcium is pulled from the bones to buffer this acidic state, thereby weakening the bones. A study at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine at La Jolla reports that as little as two drinks of alcohol in a day could cut the benefits of calcium in one's diet.
This brings us to the fact that you need to eat plenty of calcium rich food such as collard and turnip greens, dried figs, spinach, kale and broccoli. You will note that dairy products and animal proteins are not a part of this list. Indeed eating large amounts of dairy and other animal proteins can undermine all your other efforts and can increase the loss of calcium from your bones - but how this occurs is another story.
If you have osteoporosis or are at risk of developing osteoporosis there are many things that you can do to reverse the bone loss trend - but you need to take action. The longer you delay in making positive changes the harder it will be to improve your health later.
Comments (0) 15.03.2008. 21:43
How Are You Sitting- Do You Have a Problem With Your Posture?
Stand up straight or sit upright, hold your shoulders back. These are all commands that we were told to do as children so that we would have good posture. Yet we were seldom shown ways to accomplish this and nor do we really know what good posture actually is. The consequences of this problem can be seen all around us: stiff necks, shoulders hunched forward or pulled tightly back, restricted breathing, and tightness in the thighs, legs and ankles. Backaches, headaches, and other painful symptoms are often the unfortunate result.
Good posture is generally considered to be the natural and comfortable bearing of a health person. In the standing position this means the body is natural - but not rigid and straight. In the sitting it means the back is comfortably straight. How you stand, sit and move have a profound influence on how well your body functions. Good sitting and standing positions help to promote normal functioning of the body's organs and increases the efficiency of muscles. One of the problems with being able to do this is that as we start to grow older and tense ourselves in reaction to life's worries and concerns, our posture deteriorates, often quite seriously.
There are many disciplines that work with the structural alignment of your body. Some of these include chiropractic, osteopathy, yoga, Alexander technique, tai chi, cranio-sacral therapy, physical therapy, Feldenkrais method and Rolfing - they can all help to correct structural alignment. There are differences in the way various disciplines view influence between bodily structure and function, however they all work to correct structural or postural problems so that the body is able to work at its best.
In the following section I provide a brief outline of the approach to structural alignment from the perspectives of chiropractic, osteopathy, Alexander technique, yoga and cranio-sacral therapy.
Chiropractic considers that spinal subluxations impinge on structures, such as nerves, blood vessels and lymphatics, passing through spinal column resulting is disease. ‘Adjustment' of a subluxated vertebra removes the problem - thus allowing normal ‘flow' to the diseased parts.
Osteopathy is concerned with the affect structural and mechanical faults will have on physiological processes. They are interested in the impaired mobility in intervertebral joints and work to restore proper mobility - this can be done by working on soft tissue and connective tissue structures rather than actual spinal manipulation used by chiropractors.
The Alexander technique is another way of looking at the body posture. It is a method that works to change movement patterns or habits in our everyday activities. It works to improving the ease and freedom of movement, balance, support and coordination. It is not a series of treatments or exercises, but rather a re-education of the mind and body and a releasing of unnecessary body tension. It can be applied to sitting, lying down, standing, walking, lifting, and other daily activities.
There are many forms of yoga but they all aim to use postures to improve body functioning. Yoga has an overall tonic effect for the entire body as it strengthens the spine, upper back, arms, shoulders, wrists, buttocks, thighs and abdomen. It also stretches the chest and the lungs and spine. It stimulates the cardiovascular system, thyroid and pituitary glands. These measures mean that yoga facilitates the development of a good posture with flexibility and strength.
Cranio-sacral therapy considers postural alignment to be dependent on a free and open connective tissue system throughout the body. Connective tissue surrounds and supports all of the structures of our body and when it is restricted it can cause tension on these structures which can result in postural malalignment. The connective tissue restrictions can be caused by trauma - physical and emotional, or by habitual body patterns due to stress. Cranio-sacral therapy helps in releasing these connective tissue restrictions, freeing the trauma or holding patterns and therefore allowing for free movement.
Each of these approach and others that are similar, work on establishing a harmonious alignment in the structure and therefore also the function of the body. They all have different approaches and techniques - with the common theme of working to improve posture and wellbeing.
If you have a problem with your posture you will experience pain and dysfunction of various joints and muscles. There will also be a corresponding reduction in the function of any underlying organs - such as the lungs or the digestive system and so forth. A well aligned bony structure is an important consideration when you want to improve your overall health and wellbeing. I recommend finding a reputable practitioner of one of the therapies outlined above having any structural problems corrected.
Comments (0) 10.03.2008. 18:58
Top
