Emergency Contraceptive

For people in need of emergency contraceptive (also known as EC), you are in luck! The FDA has just approved a new emergency contraceptive, ulipristal tablets by Watson Pharma. If these tablets are taken within two hours of unprotected sex, they will prevent pregnancy. Through two clinical trials, these tablets were tested for safety and effectiveness.

Study 1: "A prospective, multicenter, open-label, single-arm trial conducted in the United States."
Study 2: "A randomized, multicenter, single-blind comparator-controlled trial conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, and Ireland."

Side effects for this drug include "headache, nausea, abdominal pain, dysmenorrhea, fatigue, and dizziness." These side effects can also be noted in other emergency contraceptive tablets. It's advised to inform oneself on the emergency contraceptive before ingesting it.

[Source: http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=24070]

Pills for Weight Loss

It has almost been a month since my last post! I've been so busy since I've been back in Berkeley for summer school. With organic chemistry, doing research in a lab, and now working part time as a clerk in a pharmacy, it's hard to even get a full night's sleep these days. I'm so excited to be working at Abbott's Compounding Pharmacy! I've recently been training for my position as a clerk. I get to help out with deliveries and call patients and work as the cashier as well. I love this job so much already because I'm going to have the opportunity to learn so much more about pharmacy! The pharmacists/clerks/technicians at Abbott's are so sweet as well, I already feel as though I'm part of the family. I'll give regular updates on how that's going! (:

Que She is an herbal weight loss supplement, and like many other similar to it on the market, it is not entirely healthy. The FDA has just learned that Que She has ingredients that could be dangerous to consumers taking it, especially ones who already have cardiovascular conditions.

"The agency’s analysis of Que She found that it contains fenfluramine, propranolol, sibutramine, and ephedrine. Fenfluramine is a stimulant that was withdrawn from the U.S. market in 1997 after studies demonstrated that it caused serious heart valve damage. Propranolol is a prescription beta blocker that can cause adverse effects in patients with bronchial asthma and certain heart conditions. Sibutramine is a controlled substance and prescription weight loss drug. Ephedrine is a stimulant that is legally available OTC for temporary asthma relief but can pose a risk to those with certain cardiovascular conditions."

Many times people think that just because something is herbal or natural, it is healthy. But it's so important to research what you put in your body before you start taking pills like Que She. It's probably much better to just play it safe and go to the gym and eat healthy, instead of taking supplemental weight loss pills.

[Source: http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=23790]

Prostate Cancer

Unfortunately, one of my friend's fathers was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer. I learned that prostate cancer is a malignant mutation that begins in a small structure called the prostate gland, a part of the male reproductive system. Two of the major symptoms of prostate cancer are painful urination and lower back/abdominal pain. In the past, prostate cancer has been treated through radiation, surgery, medications, and frequent monitoring.

Luckily, for those unlucky few who suffer from prostate cancer, the FDA has approved a new treatment. It's a "chemotherapy drug Jevtana (cabazitaxel), developed by Sanofi-aventis, for use in combination with the steroid prednisone to treat men with prostate cancer." Jevtana was tested in a wide case study, and it proved to increase the life span of men more than other drugs like mitoxantrone. As with most other drugs, the newly released Jevtana does have side effects that include, "neutropenia, anemia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, diarrhea, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, constipation, asthenia, and renal failure."

[Source: http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=23628]

Aspirin Therapy Dangers

I remember learning about Aspirin in my Nutritional Science class this past spring. Aspirin was synthesized in 1853 and was marketed by Bayer Company beginning in 1879. Aspirin is the most widely used analgesic, antipyretic, and antiimflammatory agent. It also reduces the risk of stroke and heart attack. Aspirin is amazing because it has the ability to decrease elevated body temperature and increase oxygen consumption and metabolic rate. You also cannot get addicted to Aspirin.

Recent data has shown that people with "moderate cardiovascular risk factors, peripheral arterial disease, or diabetes" who are given aspirin daily are prone to increased bleeding instead of a reduction of cardiovascular mortality. Sometimes the cardioprotective effects of aspirin are falsely advertised so aspirin therapy is dangerous, rather than beneficial for people with moderate heart disease.

The solution to this issue is for patients to be educated on methods of lowering heart disease such as "reductions in lipid levels and blood pressure, smoking cessation, and weight control through diet and exercise." Studies to test aspirin therapy are ongoing.

[Source: http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=23157]

Dangers of Numbing Products

Many of my friends have gone in for laser hair removal over the past few years. When I think of laser hair removal, I can't help but to think of immense prolonged sharp pains. Everyone always reassures me that with numbing cream, there is basically no pain and laser hair removal is simple. I don't really buy that. As with all good things in life, there is always a catch. I decided to read up on some numbing products to see what the deal was. Here's what I found!

Skin numbing products can have severe side effects, as recently stated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). The mode of action of skin numbing products like anesthetics is to "desensitize nerve endings." While the patient may feel better because they are not exposed to the pain, when too much of the product is put on the skin, it absorbs in blood stream of the human body. The severe side effects include "irregular heartbeat, seizures, breathing difficulties, coma, or even death."

Interestingly enough, the article touched upon laser hair removal. The dangers of numbing creams can be decreased with proper use of the products. This includes have minimal skin contact with the numbing cream or topical anesthetic and using a cream with a low level of numbness. Additionally, if you're going to use the numbing cream, it is advised that you place it on sensitive parts of the skin, where the laser will hurt more, than on large portions of the skin. Moreover, while many people wrap skin with saran wrap after applying the numbing cream, this is considered dangerous and advised against by the FDA. This is all such useful information to know because I realize that some of my friends have been incorporating these techniques during laser hair removal.

[Source: http://www.uspharmacist.com/content/d/fda_fast_facts/c/12649/]

Post Menopause

As many already know, women going through menopause experience a lot of changes in their body. I know this because my mom is going through menopause right now. Some of the symptoms one may experience going through menopause are hot/cold flashes, irregular periods, mood swings, sleeping disorders, weight gain, and depression. A few years after menopause is finished, a woman may experience osteoporosis, a bone disorder where bones are weakens and may eventually give out all together. This can become a serious issue. The reason women develop osteoporosis is because estrogen levels drop during menopause and estrogen absorbs calcium needed for the creation of new bone to replace old bone.

Recently a new osteoporosis treatment has been created for postmenopausal women. Amgen has created Prolia, an injectable drug that is a RANK ligand inhibitor, so it aids bone density to prevent severe osteoporosis. Women who take Prolia have a "twice-yearly 60-mg subcutaneous injection." This treatment has been FDA approved and immensely tested, the results positively demonstrating that it reduces bone fractures.

Some side effects of the drug are back pain, musculoskeletal pain, high cholesterol, urinary bladder infections, hypocalcemia, infections of the skin, dermatitis, rashes, and eczema. Additionally, Prolia may cause "significant suppression of bone turnover and this suppression may contribute to the occurrence of osteonecrosis of the jaw, a severe bone disease that affects the jaw, atypical fractures, and delayed fracture healing."

[Source: http://www.pharmacist.com/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Pharmacy_News&template=/CM/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=23563]

A Solution for Severe Asthma Sufferers

Yesterday, as I watched the newly released "Accused at 17," I saw a horrific scene where one of the main characters, Sarah, dies of an asthma attack because she is denied her inhaler by a murderer. The scene was deeply disturbing and lucky for people with extreme asthma, there is new device created to treat his unfortunate disorder.

The Alair Bronchial Thermoplasty System's main method of treatment is through radio-frequency energy. The energy from the system heats lung tissue that decreases inflammation of the airways due to asthma. This new treatment has been FDA approved and is specifically meant for people with severe asthma. The system is manufactured by Asthmatx, and is being closely observed.

Also to keep in mind, "side effects during the course of treatment may include asthma attacks, wheezing, chest tightness or pain, partially collapsed lung (atelectasis), coughing up blood (hemoptysis), anxiety, headaches, and nausea."

[Source: http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm209909.htm]