As some may know all too well, allergy season is about to hit full swing. Instead of sniffling and sneezing your way through the season, lets take a look at some types of medications that may help remedy your allergy problem.

The 2 different types of allergy medications we will look at are antihistamines and leukotriene modifiers.

Antihistamines

Antihistamines work by blocking receptors for histamine. Histamine is a chemical produced by your body that reacts to certain allergens like pollen, mold, dust mites or pet dander. Certain symptoms that could be relieved by using a antihistamine are nasal congestion, itching, and sneezing.

Current antihistamines don’t cause as much drowsiness as they have in the past, but still can cause mild sleepiness in some users. One great thing about antihistamines is that they can be taken on a regular basis without experiencing significant side effects. Claratin, Allegra, Astelin, Clarinex, and Zyrtec are all common drugs found in the antihistamine category.

Leukotriene Modifiers

Leukotriene modifiers are used to treat both allergies and some types of asthma by blocking leukotriens from their receptors. Leukotrienes are fatty molecules found in the immune system. Like antihistamines, luekotriene modifiers also don’t have many side effects and can be taken regularly.

Here are some commonly known Leukotriene modifiers: Singulair, Accolate, and Zyflo CR.

Some of these allergy medications can be bought over the counter, but those who suffer from allergies should see a doctor for a correct diagnosis as to what type of medication would suit them.

Make sure to order your prescription drugs through eDrugSearch.com to avoid overpaying for your allergy medication.

We came across these interesting promotional materials (click the image to enlarge) for Viagra today, so we thought we’d share them. Even though the party blowers mark Viagra’s 11th birthday, by our calculations the drug turns 12 on March 27, 2010 — the anniversary of its FDA approval.

What medication are you looking for? Find it now!

One of our local Bulverde, Texas Firefighters, Ruben Smith has a two year old son Reid Smith who is fighting stage 3 kidney cancer. They are not able to remove his kidney as the other kidney is too weak, so they are starting chemo therapy. Ruben and his family will have many out-of-pocket, co-pays and other expenses and your prayers are greatly needed. Ruben and his wife have three children including a baby recently born in 2009.

If anyone can help with a donation it would mean the world to this family along with your prayers – I STRONGLY BELIEVE IN THE POWER OF PRAYERS!! Let’s help those who normally help others!

Anyone can send a donation to the Bulverde/Spring Branch EMS station to help the family offset some expenses. You can also send gift cards, gas cards for traveling, dine out cards, grocery store cards, frozen meals…anything you think will help is needed.

Here is the Reid Smith Tax Deductible Number EIN# 80-0549713

You can make the check out to Ruben Smith.

Please send the check and/or other charitable items to:

Bulverde/Spring Branch
ATTN: Reid Smith
PO Box 38
Spring Branch, Tx. 78070

Hang in there buddy…our prayers and help is on the way!

Jeremiah 33:6 (New International Version) says: “Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security.”

According to a report recently released by the Institute of Medicine, hypertension (high blood pressure) has become the second leading cause of death for people in the US.

Although hypertension is easily preventable through diet, exercise and drugs, it claims one in six lives in the United States, costing our health care system upwards of 73 billion dollars this last year.

The committee chair David Fleming, who directs Public Health for Seattle and King County in Washington said

Hypertension as a disease is relatively easy to diagnose and it’s inexpensive to treat. Hypertension is really a neglected disease in this country. There’s a huge gap between what we could do and what we are doing.

Simply reducing salt and implementing a diet with more fruits, vegetables and lean protein could lower high blood pressure by as much as 22 percent, the Institute says.

Doctors typically use drugs like beta blockers (Lopressor, Toprol XL, Inderal) and ACE inhibitors (Captopril, Ramipril, Accupril) to control blood pressure. Lowering blood pressure can cut the risk of heart attack, stroke, heart failure as well as many other conditions.

The report went on to point out that 86 percent of people with uncontrolled high blood pressure have insurance, and see their doctors regularly. Flemming stated that doctors often fail to follow guidelines, which is why many patients do not know they have the condition and and take no steps to try and control it.

Don’t fall into this category, make sure to check with your doctor and make sure that your blood pressure is in a healthy range.

Of the many things that you may neglect, don’t allow your health to be one of them.

New studies released today found that many who take the popular diabetes medication metformin find the odor off-putting, and some have trouble taking the medication.

The “fishy” odor is especially noticeable in the immediate release versions.

“Metformin is an excellent drug, but the immediate-release formulation may have an odor to it. The smell is fishy or like the inside of an inner tube, and in a patient’s mind, because it smells like something that has gone bad, they may think the drug isn’t good,” explained one of the letter’s authors, J. Russell May, a clinical professor at the University of Georgia College of Pharmacy at the Medical College of Georgia.

However, May said, “some metformin products on the market are extended-release and the drug is embedded and released slow, over time. These products have much less smell, if any.”

May and his colleagues wrote the letter to the journal to raise awareness of this issue, especially because nausea is a commonly reported side effect of metformin. “Is it nausea from the medication, or is it because it smells bad?” May said.

The drug’s odor may make it seem like it has gone bad, but doctors have reassured patients that it is just something in the formula of the medication, and the drug is still affective at treating diabetes and is not dangerous.

Bristol-Meyers Squib who is one of the major producers of metformin released a statement saying,

Bristol-Myers Squibb is aware that the inherent characteristics of metformin have been associated with a mild odor upon opening of the bottle, so these type of reports are not unexpected. It’s important to note there has been no correlation between an odor and the efficacy of metformin, which has been on the market in the U.S. since 1995.

Some of the brand versions of metformin that may give off this “fishy” odor are: Glucophage, Glumetza, Fortamet, and Riomet.

Patients prescribed metformin should continue on their regular regiment, but should certainly let their doctor know if they are affected by the smell. They may be able to switch to the extended release version or possibly another brand.

According to reports, the axe is coming down all over the pharma world on research and development projects that are not yielding immediate results.

AstraZeneca(Atacand, Crestor), GlaxoSmithKline (Advair, Boniva) and Pfizer (Benadryl, Lipitor) have all already begun to scrap projects, while others like Sanofi-Aventis (Allegra, Plavix) are about to pick up the trend and start making cuts.

The cuts come as no surprise, as big pharma companies have been seeing there pipelines shrink since 1998, when the trend to buy out drug rights from smaller bio-tech companies began.

Despite the increased cost efficiency of buying drugs from smaller bio-techs, I am not so sure that big pharma is going to like the end result of their decision.

Stephen Foley raises some excellent questions in a recent post, saying

those calculations about the benefits of in-licensing over in-house could change rapidly if the competition for licensing deals, which has been getting more ferocious for several years, increases dramatically. It could be that they will regret swinging cuts to their R&D budgets sooner rather than later.

And there is another reason for executives to pause. There are very great political benefits from drug companies being able to trumpet the life-changing discoveries that have emerged from their research labs and their scientific trials. Yes, these are companies that have manipulated the publication of scientific data, made over-reaching claims for their drugs, and practiced price gouging of government health and insurance services, but they are also companies that lower our cholesterol, shrink tumors, keep diabetes in check and lift the burdens of depression. In the UK, there is an explicit compact with the government on this score: drug prices charged to the National Health Service are set to allow for investment in research. In the US, the good works of drug research help keep in check the demands for re-importation of drugs from lower-priced Canada, and other cost-cutting measures.

It sounds like big pharma is trying to have their cake and eat it too; outsourcing research and development to cut costs while still maintaining control over patents on drugs to protect their profits.

Cutting the cost of research and development is like cutting off your leg to lose weight. Why not cut the fat of advertisement out first. After all, aren’t doctors suppose to tell us the medicines we need?

After they get rid of the cost of research and development, what excuse will big pharma have left to overcharge consumers?

According to a report from Reuters, taking ginkgo biloba, St. John’s wort and several other widely used herbal medications may impede the potency of prescription drugs, making them more or less effective.

Experts at the Journal of the American College of Cardiology found that mixing herbs and drugs also may cause serious heart rhythm problems and bleeding.

“We can see the effect of some of these herb-drug interactions — some of which can be life-threatening — on tests for blood clotting, liver enzymes and, with some medications, on electrocardiogram,” Dr. Arshad Jahangir of the Mayo Clinic in Arizona said in a telephone interview.

Many patients fail to disclose their use of herbal remedies so healthcare providers should be more probing, Jahangir said in a telephone interview.

“We need to be actively ask about alternative or complementary medicine patients may be seeking on their own to assess these potential interactions or side affects,” said Jahangir, a cardiologist.

“They don’t even consider that herbs could have a negative effect,” he said. “Their impression is that ‘natural’ is safe,”

So whether you use an ACE inhibitor like Vasotec or Monopril, alpha agonists like Zanaflex, or angiotensin II receptor blockers like Avapro or Atacand, it is a good idea to check with you doctor and make sure there won’t be an interaction with any of the additional supplements you may be taking.

Remember, whenever dealing with potential interactions between medicines and supplements, it is always better to error on the side of caution.

Better safe than sorry.

Today the Food and Drug Administration approved Ampyra, a new drug owned by Biogen Idec. to fight multiple sclerosis.

The new drug is an extended-release tablet aimed at helping to increase mobility in those battling against multiple sclerosis. The FDA said those who took the drug had better movement and faster walking speeds than those who had taken a placebo.

“For people with MS, impaired walking ability is one of the most common and concerning aspects of the disease,” said Alfred Sandrock, senior vice president of neurology research and development at Biogen Idec, in a statement. “Ampyra may be an important therapy in reducing the impact of this debilitating condition.”

The drug is set to be marketed by Acorda Therapeutics Inc. who also is responsible for marketing Zanaflex.

Despite its usefulness to help mobility is those suffering from MS, the FDA did warn that Ampyra, when given at doses greater than recommended, can cause seizures. However, the FDA did not feel that a “black box” warning on the label of the drug was necessary, which is the most serious type of warning for potential side effects.

If you have a medication you take regularly, you’re familiar with the problem of waste created by prescription pill bottles. Some people go through several bottles a month —  and many municipalities do not recycle this type of plastic. Fortunately, some ultra-creative people have thought up some clever, thrifty ways to re-use these bottles, and keep them out of our landfills, too.

The bottles have a few special characteristics that make them super-useful. For one thing, they are sized uniformly, so they’re perfect for organizational projects, where you want things to line up evenly. Even better, they’re waterproof and air-tight — qualities that you should take advantage of. You might pay a lot for little bottles like these at a place like The Container Store, so just enjoy them for free with your prescriptions instead!

Before you get started, there are two important tips to remember when re-using prescription bottles:

1. Wash and dry before re-use, so they are free of any drug residue
2. Protect your privacy: soak the bottles to remove the labels

Once you have the bottles clean and label-free, you can begin to see their real beauty and use! Here are some of the top projects, from the kitchen to the garden to the tackle box, that we found around the net:

ORGANIZATIONAL

• The bottles are perfect for holding screws, nails, tacks, and other workshop items. Glue or drill the caps to the underside of a shelf, and let your new storage units “float” underneath
• Long, skinny tubes of makeup such as mascara or lip gloss can be organized to stand up in pill bottles
• The bottles are just the right size to hold a stack of quarters for parking meters or laundromats
• Store fishing lures in the bottles to keep them from tangling with other equipment

GIFTS AND CRAFTS

• Put a few pre-threaded needles, a tiny seam ripper, and some safety pins in a bottle to form an on-the-go sewing kit
• Clean medicine bottles are a great holder for homemade spice mixes such as steak rub or herbes de provence
• Make your own humorous labels for a “funny” medicine and fill with small candies (keep this type of gift away from children to avoid confusing them)

OUTDOORS

• Because they’re water-proof, the bottles make great waterproof matchboxes for camping. Fill them with strike-anywhere matches and glue a striking surface on inside of the lid.
• In the garden, the air-tight bottles work perfectly as seed savers.
• At Halloween, cover white outdoor holiday lights with one bottle each for an amber effect

TRAVEL AIDS

• Use the tiny bottles for a self-serving of salad dressing in your packed lunch
• The bottles are great as travel shampoo and conditioner bottles

CHARITABLE USES

• Some veterinarians will welcome your empty bottles for re-use with pet meds (varies by doctor; inquire with your vet)
• There are some community projects to collect bottles for issuing prescriptions to the homeless
• Similar programs exist for third-world nations… your empties could help with medical aid

What is your favorite use for discarded medicine bottles? We’d love to hear what you’re making!

For more ideas:

• Ways to Use Empty Prescription Medicine Bottles
• What to Do with Old Medicine Bottles
• Uses for Prescription Bottles
• 21 Ways to Recycle Empty Prescription Bottles

Healthcare reform isn’t just about the public option and paying for doctor’s visits — it’s also about equal, affordable access to life-saving medications for all Americans. That’s why many Big Pharma watchdogs are so disappointed with a recent amendment slipped into healthcare legislation that proposes extending patent protection on biologic drugs, delaying for years the public’s access to affordable follow-on versions.

What are “biologics”? They’re the next big wave in medicine — drugs made not from simple chemical formulations, but from biological components. They’re very expensive, and poised for enormous success:

By 2014, the biggest-selling meds will be biologics, according to an analysis from Evaluate Pharma. Taking the place of Pfizer’s gargantuan drug Lipitor will be Roche’s Avastin, a cancer med expected to account for $9.23 billion in 2014 sales. (Even when you factor in the recent trial disappointments.) The next five top sellers, in order, are expected to be Humira (Abbott Labs), Rituxan (Roche), Enbrel (Wyeth/Amgen), Lantus (Sanofi-Aventis), and Herceptin (also Roche).

Evaluate also predicts that half of the top 100 drugs in 2014 will be biotech meds — a huge change from last year’s level of 28 percent and 11 percent in 2000.

Because biologics are so complex, the system we all know — where patented brand names enjoy a period of exclusivity, then eventually make way to cheaper generics — doesn’t translate perfectly. Biologic “generics” are called “biosimilars,” and they are not seen as generic equivalents. They must be submitted for approvals as new drugs and do their own clinical trials, etc. 

The Eshoo-Barton amendment, named for sponsoring Representatives Anna Eshoo (D – Calif.) and Joe Barton (R – Texas), would give brand-name biologic drugmakers 12 years of market exclusivity. By comparison, President Obama favors seven years, and Rep. Henry Waxman (D –Calif.) feels that the public should have access to “generic” biologics after just five years. By contrast, says Medical News Today, “The Biotechnology Industry Organization maintains that there should be a minimum 14 years of exclusivity to account for a development process that on average takes 10 years and $1.2 billion for a product to reach market.”

5, 7, 12, or 14 years? As you can see, there is a real difference of opinion on this subject. One person who has written extensively on this is author James Love on the Huffington Post. Here he explains why this amendment is harmful:

The Eshoo/Barton amendment, which has the support of many newly pro-PhRMA democrats, will extend the period of monopolies for biologic medicines, when compared to the original Waxman text. The only question is how long. Part of the harm will be the longer period prohibiting generic suppliers from relying upon evidence that medicines are safe and provide therapeutic benefits. Much of the other harm will come from a number of technical changes in the bill that make it much easier for incumbent firms to block entry through technical issues, extended litigation, and ever-greening of protection from small medically unimportant changes in protected medicines.

This is essentially a case of innovation versus access. Drug companies want protection from the risks and costs borne in the creation and testing of new drugs; patient advocates say that Big Pharma (or Big Biotech, if you like) already make large profits and that the public deserves access to affordable biosimilars in a more timely fashion. “Entities that support longer periods of exclusivity — such as universities, biotech companies and venture capitalists — are ‘fighting to protect inventors’ rights and ensure more thorough clinical trials.’ On the other side, consumer groups, labor unions, insurers and generic drug manufacturers ‘see shorter exclusivity as the way to deliver safe, affordable and quality drugs to patients and open the marketplace to increased competition,’” explains Medical News Today.

The latest high-emotion development is blogger Jane Hamsher’s “Are You Or Someone You Know Paying $50,000 A Year For Drugs?” It paints an ugly picture of what happens to people who cannot affording life-saving biologics. A few days later, Rep. Eshoo responded to this and other online attention with a blog post on The Hill’s Congress Blog titled “Setting the record straight on our health care legislation.” If you check in with these two articles, you’ll have the latest from both side of the “biologic generics” debate.

Our mission, as always, at EDrugSearch.com is to improve the American public’s access to safe, quality medications at an affordable cost.

For more information:

• Should We Be OK With The PhRMA Deal With White House?
• US House Panel Backs Exclusivity for Biologic Drugs
• Pay or die: Deadly Pharma amendment in HCR going right under radar