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Herb-drug interactions: Interactions between saw palmetto and prescription medications
Patients over age 50 typically present with one chronic disease per decade. Each chronic disease typically requires long-term drug therapy, meaning most older patients require several drugs to maintain health. Simultaneously, use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has increased in the United States in the last 20 years, reaching 36% in 2002; herbal medicine use accounts for approximately 22% of all CAM use. Older adults often add herbal medicines to prescription medications, yet do not always inform their physicians.
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Diuretics: Still first-line therapy for hypertension
A revolution in the pharmacologic treatment of hypertension is under way, according to experts reporting at a conference called "The State of the Hypertension Nation," held recently in New York City. Here are some highlights from the conference.
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Once-daily tablet treats iron overload
The Food & Drug Administration has approved deferasirox (Exjade, Novartis Pharmaceuticals) for the treatment of chronic iron overload due to blood transfusions (transfusional hemosiderosis) in adults and children age two and older. "Iron overload is a potentially fatal consequence among patients with sickle cell disease, myelodysplastic syndromes, and thalassemia who regularly receive blood transfusions," said Alice Cohen, M.D., director of the division of hematology and oncology at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center, Newark, N.J. If left untreated, excess iron may lead to significant damage to the heart, liver, and other vital organs.
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R.Ph.s play important role in diabetes self-management
Many of the nation's 134,000 community pharmacists would like to help lower the number of noncompliant patients, according to reports such as the California HealthCare Foundation's recent The Role of Community Pharmacists in Diabetes Care. "Millions of Americans with diabetes could benefit from the clinical skills of their community pharmacists and the accessibility of their local pharmacists," said the report. "This is the premise behind programs enabling community pharmacists to help diabetes patients maintain their health."
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