Shedding Light on the Risks
& Benefits of Medications 
For many of us, lowering our risk of chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, or even chronic pain, includes monitoring and maintaining our weight. Frankie Kidd, who takes insulin for type 1 diabetes, gained weight…
Oct 20, 2023
There can be real side effects to taking certain OTC and prescription medications before blood tests
Sep 5, 2023
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved a drug called Inpefa to reduce the risk of heart failure in people with Type 2 diabetes.
Jul 13, 2023
Modern medications can be miracles that save us or our loved ones. But they come with complexities. No medicine goes straight to its desired target and does just what you or your doctor want it…
Jan 23, 2023
A few years ago, my doctor prescribed me high doses of omeprazole (a proton pump inhibitor) to treat acid reflux twice a day. I didn’t have severe symptoms, but an endoscopy showed that the cells…
Nov 16, 2022
Alcohol has strong associations with fun and relaxation, but it’s just another drug as far as your body is concerned. The side effects of medicines can be increased when you have even one drink.
Feb 8, 2022
Until recently, little was known about the long-term effects of human growth hormones for kids and endocrinologists felt confident there would be few long-term issues.
Aug 19, 2021
A drug overdose can happen to anyone, whether you’re taking a prescription after a surgery, suffering from an opioid-use disorder or living in a home where the drugs are available and you find extras.
Jul 14, 2021
Samantha Welch spent about 11 months avoiding the direct sunlight as best she could. She had been prescribed isotretinoin, an oral medication that treats cystic acne.
Jun 8, 2021
I wasn’t prepared for the late-night call from the hospital. My elderly mother, who’d recently been admitted, was swearing at the nurses, demanding they call me.
May 20, 2021
While no one wants to experience a poor night of sleep, it’s important to recognize whether the sleep problem you are having is a result of a side effect of a drug (or drugs) you…
Jan 6, 2021
Your liver is one of the body's most crucial organs. Unfortunately, many drugs can put extra strain on it. Find out which ones do and how to minimize harm.
Jul 25, 2020
If you suffer from anxiety, panic disorder, or insomnia, your doctor may have prescribed you what’s known as benzodiazepines (or benzos). This class of drugs contains popular brands such as Xanax (alprazolam), Valium (diazepam), Ativan…
Jul 6, 2020
Sometimes, old ideas and time-tested treatments remain the best. Newer doesn’t always mean better. Except in the case of one of our oldest antihistamines, tried-and-true Benadryl.
Feb 26, 2020
Abilify (aripiprazole) was developed to treat schizophrenia — but only 1% of Americans have schizophrenia. A few years later it was approved for use in bipolar disorders, which about 1.5% of all Americans have.
Oct 7, 2019
I’ve undergone at least three – maybe four – breast MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging). And until I started working on this article, I had no idea that those imaging studies might pose a long-term risk…
Aug 4, 2019
Anesthetics, and in particular the inhaled ones used to put patients “under” for surgery, are considered one of the most important medical advances in history, essentially opening the door for the entire modern field of…
Oct 15, 2018
A sports injury from playing squash in high school lead to a herniated disc for Bob Johnson (name changed to protect his privacy), who was initially given ocodeine for his pain, and then bumped up…
Aug 20, 2018
Most of the time, our body’s balance system does its job so well that we don’t even realize it’s doing it. When something throws it off, however, it becomes clear just how important it is.
Apr 30, 2018
Take a look in your medicine cabinet and you’ll see artificial coloring dye everywhere: orange ibuprofen, red cough drops, purple syrups. Medicine comes in different colors for different reasons: Some capsule shades help you distinguish…
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